I will be having a rewire inspected (post-second-fix) on Friday. I'm
confident (of course!) it will pass with no problem (!) but I'd like to
do whatever checks I can myself in advance to forestall any obvious (ie
stupid) issues. I was going to check continuity of the ring circuits
using my multimeter, and was also considering buying one of these
plug-in testers (which presumably should confirm each socket is wired OK?):

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=A331921&ts=90208&id=76975
Are they worth having, and/or are there better ones available?

Is there anything else I can do simply? I'm not about to go and buy a
full complement of test gear, I just want to avoid embarrassment when
the proper check is done!

Thanks
David

On Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:09:17 GMT, Lobster
mused:

I will be having a rewire inspected (post-second-fix) on Friday. I'm
confident (of course!) it will pass with no problem (!) but I'd like to
do whatever checks I can myself in advance to forestall any obvious (ie
stupid) issues. I was going to check continuity of the ring circuits
using my multimeter, and was also considering buying one of these
plug-in testers (which presumably should confirm each socket is wired OK?):

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=A331921&ts=90208&id=76975
Are they worth having, and/or are there better ones available?

I wouldn't bother with the cheap ones as you can get a Martindale plug
in tester from most wholesalers for a tenner.

Is there anything else I can do simply? I'm not about to go and buy a
full complement of test gear, I just want to avoid embarrassment when
the proper check is done!

Really you want to test everything as it would be tested during a full
inspection, so you want an insulation\loop\RCD\continuity tester.

I would at least do the ring tests and insulation tests, although if
you don't have any test equipment then there's not a lot you can test!
--
Regards,
Stuart.

In article ,
Lobster wrote:
I will be having a rewire inspected (post-second-fix) on Friday. I'm
confident (of course!) it will pass with no problem (!) but I'd like to
do whatever checks I can myself in advance to forestall any obvious (ie
stupid) issues. I was going to check continuity of the ring circuits
using my multimeter, and was also considering buying one of these
plug-in testers (which presumably should confirm each socket is wired
OK?):

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=A331921&ts=90208&id=76975

Are they worth having, and/or are there better ones available?

I believe there are slightly more sophisticated types available. But if
you've done the wiring yourself there should be no need for this sort of
tester. They're handy for an unknown supply, though, as a rough test.

Is there anything else I can do simply? I'm not about to go and buy a
full complement of test gear, I just want to avoid embarrassment when
the proper check is done!

If you've made a workmanlike job you should be ok.

--
*Forget about World Peace...Visualize using your turn signal.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
I will be having a rewire inspected (post-second-fix) on Friday. I'm
confident (of course!) it will pass with no problem (!) but I'd like to do
whatever checks I can myself in advance to forestall any obvious (ie
stupid) issues. I was going to check continuity of the ring circuits using
my multimeter, and was also considering buying one of these plug-in testers
(which presumably should confirm each socket is wired OK?):

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=A331921&ts=90208&id=76975
Are they worth having, and/or are there better ones available?

Is there anything else I can do simply? I'm not about to go and buy a
full complement of test gear, I just want to avoid embarrassment when the
proper check is done!

Thanks
David

Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these types of
socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD or does it trip
the RCD?

Bill

On 26/06/2007 09:40, Bill wrote:

Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these types of
socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD or does it trip
the RCD?

They won't trip an RCD, they're only a plug with a few neons and
resisitors in, they indicate (most) combinations of crossed or missing
wires.

In article ,
Bill wrote:
Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these
types of socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD or
does it trip the RCD?

They won't trip an RCD as the current taken by the neons and resistor
network is tiny.

--
*I was once a millionaire but my mom gave away my baseball cards

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Jun 25, 6:09 pm, Lobster wrote:
I will be having a rewire inspected (post-second-fix) on Friday. I'm
confident (of course!) it will pass with no problem (!) but I'd like to
do whatever checks I can myself in advance to forestall any obvious (ie
stupid) issues.

I'd be interested to know more about the situation of this test. Is
this a DIY rewire which you have submitted Building Contorl forms for
and which BC are now coming to test?

What did BC charge where you are? In Cambridge they seem to charge
£100+VAT regardless of the size of the job. Cambridge inspect
periodically during the work and then do overall checks at the end.
Is that what you are getting from your council's BC?

thanks,

Robert

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
...
On 26/06/2007 09:40, Bill wrote:

Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these types
of socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD or does it
trip the RCD?

They won't trip an RCD, they're only a plug with a few neons and
resisitors in, they indicate (most) combinations of crossed or missing
wires.

Ah, thanks for that Andy. In the few minutes since my posting I've found a
better tester but wonder if it's worth the extra money (£19.95 for the SOK
32 http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/product25.html).

Bill

On Tue, 26 Jun 2007 10:21:33 +0100, "Bill" mused:


"Andy Burns" wrote in message
...
On 26/06/2007 09:40, Bill wrote:

Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these types
of socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD or does it
trip the RCD?

They won't trip an RCD, they're only a plug with a few neons and
resisitors in, they indicate (most) combinations of crossed or missing
wires.

Ah, thanks for that Andy. In the few minutes since my posting I've found a
better tester but wonder if it's worth the extra money (£19.95 for the SOK
32 http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/product25.html).

I'd put those at 2nd best behind the Martindale range, although there
is nothing wrong with them at all. Price does seem a little steep, I'd
maybe shop around a little more, perhaps pop in a couple of local
wholesalers and see what they have. From my experience most tend to
have either Martindale\Kew Technik\Fluke and\or maybe some of the
cheap ones.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

Lurch wrote:

Ah, thanks for that Andy. In the few minutes since my posting I've found a
better tester but wonder if it's worth the extra money (£19.95 for the SOK
32 http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/product25.html).

I'd put those at 2nd best behind the Martindale range, although there
is nothing wrong with them at all. Price does seem a little steep, I'd

CPC do the socket & see ones for a bit less - the SOK22 is about £16.
They also have two Martindale ones - a basic one for £13 and one with
combined earth loop measurement for £54


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
Andy Burns writes:
On 26/06/2007 09:40, Bill wrote:

Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these types of
socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD or does it trip
the RCD?

They won't trip an RCD, they're only a plug with a few neons and
resisitors in, they indicate (most) combinations of crossed or missing
wires.

Mine does trip 10mA RCDs, but not 30mA RCDs.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 26/06/2007 12:05, Andrew Gabriel wrote:

Mine does trip 10mA RCDs, but not 30mA RCDs.

The martindale one claims to draw less than 5mA, could depend on if any
residual leakage I suppose, mine has never tripped either of my RCDs,
but then they're 30mA.

In article ,
John Rumm wrote:
CPC do the socket & see ones for a bit less - the SOK22 is about £16.
They also have two Martindale ones - a basic one for £13 and one with
combined earth loop measurement for £54

Although expensive at 54 quid that sounds like a good device for testing
unknown supplies.

--
*A closed mouth gathers no feet.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Andy Burns writes:
On 26/06/2007 09:40, Bill wrote:

Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these
types of socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD
or does it trip the RCD?

They won't trip an RCD, they're only a plug with a few neons and
resisitors in, they indicate (most) combinations of crossed or missing
wires.

Mine does trip 10mA RCDs, but not 30mA RCDs.

It must be more than the basic cheap type with only a few resistors and
neons.

--
*Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
John Rumm wrote:
CPC do the socket & see ones for a bit less - the SOK22 is about £16.
They also have two Martindale ones - a basic one for £13 and one with
combined earth loop measurement for £54

Although expensive at 54 quid that sounds like a good device for testing
unknown supplies.

Could well be...

There are some more details he

http://www.martindale-electric.co.uk...650%20spec.pdf

The accuracy of the earth fault loop measurement is not really good
enough for a formal test (at 10%), but as an added level of confidence
it could be well worth having since it encourages you to test something
that otherwise may well not get tested. Claims to not trip the RCD as well.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
"Dave Plowman (News)" writes:
In article ,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Andy Burns writes:
On 26/06/2007 09:40, Bill wrote:

Sorry to jump on your thread David but I'm just wondering, do these
types of socket tester work OK when the ring is protected by an RCD
or does it trip the RCD?

They won't trip an RCD, they're only a plug with a few neons and
resisitors in, they indicate (most) combinations of crossed or missing
wires.

Mine does trip 10mA RCDs, but not 30mA RCDs.

It must be more than the basic cheap type with only a few resistors and
neons.

No -- that's exactly what it is. I should have said it trips
_some_ 10mA RCDs -- I suspect it probably draws something like
7-8mA which puts in within the acceptable tripping range of a
10mA RCD.

The neons in it are quite noticably overrun compared with
their use in indicators. I suspect this is to overcome any
effects of stray cable capacitance and because they are
only operated on a momentary basis.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]