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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
Hi,
been getting some useful info. from Christian McArdle and Andy Hall about my impending ring circuit. Christian has given me a rundown on what is needed to correctly check a new circuit, requiring £600+ worth of equipment. However http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/electrical.html#ring-test appears to give a much simpler method from another Andy (Wade). It seems unreasonable to expect every DIYer adding new wiring to cough up £600+ for specialised equipment, so what is the recommendation? Always use a qualified electrician? [If so, what would you expect the normal charge to be?] Use the Andy Wade method? [If so, how much and where for a low resistance ohm-meter with good resolution, say a range of 0 - 2 ohms with divisions of 0.05 ohm?] Nah, she'll be right! [Carefully connect and check (visually and mechanically) each socket on the ring, before connecting the whole thing into the CU.] I appreciate what Christian is saying about the correct (professional sparky) way of doing things, but what are the risks of a careful installation without fancy test tools? I am talking here about an all-new installation. Adding to an existing installation which you didn't do is another level of risk - probably better to have the whole house checked before you start. Note that my house electrics were checked when the new CU was installed. Additional question - what are the implications of adding one or more sockets to an existing ring (in line or as a spur)? Adding lighting, bathroom fans, etc.? Should you again have the whole thing checked by a pro. sparky? Cheers Dave R -- |
#2
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Commissioning a ring circuit
Always use a qualified electrician?
From April, it will be illegal. All new electrical circuits will have to be properly tested by a NICEIC installer or building control. Apparently, no-one has told building control and the statutory impact assessment was a stitch up. [If so, what would you expect the normal charge to be?] Given that in the midst of a shortage of labour, they are about to ban 3/4 of current electricians and make it illegal to form a new electrical company, I would suggest around 500 pounds per hour. Christian. |
#3
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... Always use a qualified electrician? From April, it will be illegal. All new electrical circuits will have to be properly tested by a NICEIC installer or building control. Apparently, no-one has told building control and the statutory impact assessment was a stitch up. [If so, what would you expect the normal charge to be?] Given that in the midst of a shortage of labour, they are about to ban 3/4 of current electricians and make it illegal to form a new electrical company, I would suggest around 500 pounds per hour. Christian. You missed off - but I'm not bitter........:-) |
#4
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... Always use a qualified electrician? From April, it will be illegal. All new electrical circuits will have to be properly tested by a NICEIC installer or building control. Apparently, no-one has told building control and the statutory impact assessment was a stitch up. [If so, what would you expect the normal charge to be?] Given that in the midst of a shortage of labour, they are about to ban 3/4 of current electricians and make it illegal to form a new electrical company, I would suggest around 500 pounds per hour. er....me again...... Just how the hell are they going to police this? Withdraw all electrical equipment from sale, or require all sales to non-NICEIC people to be registered for duture inspection? Sound of a seriously boggling mind...... |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
Just how the hell are they going to police this?
Withdraw all electrical equipment from sale, or require all sales to non-NICEIC people to be registered for duture inspection? No they're going to change the colour of the cable, so if you have the new colours, you should have a bit of paper to go with it. You think I'm joking, don't you? Christian. |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... Just how the hell are they going to police this? Withdraw all electrical equipment from sale, or require all sales to non-NICEIC people to be registered for duture inspection? No they're going to change the colour of the cable, so if you have the new colours, you should have a bit of paper to go with it. You think I'm joking, don't you? So, worth buying a huge job-lot of cable to make sure you've got enough cable for every possible installation you can think of in the next 20 years? D |
#7
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In article ,
David W.E. Roberts wrote: Should you again have the whole thing checked by a pro. sparky? If you've been careful and thorough in your workmanship, using good materials, the chances of any faults are near zero. You can check for any shorts or open circuits with a DVM - this will show up any howlers. Although it's nice to have the proper test gear and I'm sure it's sensible, people managed for many years without. -- *A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second. Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 15:01:24 -0000, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote: Additional question - what are the implications of adding one or more sockets to an existing ring (in line or as a spur)? Adding lighting, bathroom fans, etc.? The new regs to come into force from April advise that any work undertaken in either a kitchen or bathroom is subject to the regs, and thus a certificate should be issued after testing has taken place. Should you again have the whole thing checked by a pro. sparky? You most likely won't have much choice in the matter. The problem is going to be be finding a qualified sparky after next April. They look to me as though their diaries are going to be brimming, and an inescapable consequence of this is that their rates will be high. This all feeds through on dear old Gordons inflation index in due course, but why should he care? By the time the crap hits the fan he'll be out of the chancellors job and some other wally will have to pick it up. PoP |
#9
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"David Hearn" wrote
| "Christian McArdle" wrote | No they're going to change the colour of the cable, so if you | have the new colours, you should have a bit of paper to go with it. | You think I'm joking, don't you? | So, worth buying a huge job-lot of cable to make sure you've got enough | cable for every possible installation you can think of in the next 20 | years? | Ah, but when you come to sell your house, all the "old" work will have to be inspected by an electrician anyway because it's "old". Owain |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
er....me again......
Just how the hell are they going to police this? Withdraw all electrical equipment from sale, or require all sales to non-NICEIC people to be registered for duture inspection? I am not CORGI registered, I am not a plumber, I know nothing about gas supplies (apart from what I have read in this group), and yet I can walk into any plumbing merchants and buy a boiler and all the parts to connect it up to a gas supply. Nothing will be different with the electricity regs. -- Adam |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
and yet I can walk into any plumbing merchants and buy a boiler
and all the parts to connect it up to a gas supply. Indeed. I've just done this very thing. I'm not fitting it, though! No one has once asked me if I am qualified to fit any of it. Christian. |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... and yet I can walk into any plumbing merchants and buy a boiler and all the parts to connect it up to a gas supply. Indeed. I've just done this very thing. I'm not fitting it, though! No one has once asked me if I am qualified to fit any of it. Christian. If they were forced to ask, most merchants would lose a good slice of their business. -- Adam |
#13
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In article , Christian
McArdle writes From April, it will be illegal. Illegal as in bash door down in a suspected drug dealer stylee, or just a statutory requirement of Building Regulations. I have the feeling it is the latter, so could we perhaps remove a little 'drama' from the discussion . . . -- fred |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"Owain" wrote in message
... "David Hearn" wrote | "Christian McArdle" wrote | No they're going to change the colour of the cable, so if you | have the new colours, you should have a bit of paper to go with it. | You think I'm joking, don't you? | So, worth buying a huge job-lot of cable to make sure you've got enough | cable for every possible installation you can think of in the next 20 | years? | Ah, but when you come to sell your house, all the "old" work will have to be inspected by an electrician anyway because it's "old". Owain Not at the moment you won't. And what will the outcome be? "Not to current regs". reckon that description fits 99% of the s/h housing market. In a depressed market a buyer can get a survey and use it as a bargaining point to force the price down. In the current market, I'd laugh if they tried to do that and point them towards the nice new-builds down the road. cheers Richard -- Richard Sampson email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In article , Christian
McArdle writes No they're going to change the colour of the cable, To what? -- A. Top posters. Q. What's the most annoying thing on Usenet? |
#16
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Commissioning a ring circuit
On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 15:25:10 -0000, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote: Just how the hell are they going to police this? One method is already in place and can be easily extended. When a hous comes up for sale the buyers solicitor issues a questionaire running to several pages. To this can be added questions like "has any work of any nature been carried out to any part of the electrical system to your knowledge?". If the answer is yes then the follow-up will be "please add the certificates for the work to this questionaire". If the answer is no then the current homeowner would be held liable in the event that work was carried out and not notified. PoP |
#17
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Commissioning a ring circuit
On Mon, 03 Nov 2003 15:55:44 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman
wrote: Although it's nice to have the proper test gear and I'm sure it's sensible, people managed for many years without. Agreed. But then those earlier situations did not take account of increased stupidity in government. PoP |
#18
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In uk.d-i-y, Dave Plowman wrote:
Although it's nice to have the proper test gear and I'm sure it's sensible, people managed for many years without. Seconded. Working on your own time, not rushing things, and knowing you have your and your family's welfare at stake, you're more likely to do a good job than many electricians doing "small works". (As I understand it, commercial work usually pays a lot better than small domestic jobs, so it's that much harder to get a competent, pride-in-work person to do small domestic jobs. Far from impossible, but a pain.) A little trip along the new ring (before it's powered up!) with a Long Long extension cable plugged into the first socket on the ring (leave the two ends at the CU unconnected), working in sequence and checking for continuity between the terminals at your sockets and those at the end of the extension, will indepedently confirm you have the right connections made; and if you have a low-ohms reading meter, you should be able to see the resistance rise steadily as you work your way further along the ring. That, on top of the FAQ procedure (which is lifted from the On-Site Guide), will be plenty. There's an affordable piece of "quick-check" gear on the market these days which I find worth having: it's an update of the old "three neons wired between the three pins" jobbie, which includes a basic earth-loop-impedance check. RS sell them at the usual "full-RRP-plus" price as stocknum 436-3456 for 50 quid, so you can probably find them at your friendly electrical trade counter for about 35 quid. (Sparkies will instantly recognise the sound as "the first Martindale of spring" ;-) They'll give a within-10% indication of the earth loop impedance being in one of 6 bands: 0-1.7, 1.7-5, 5-10, 10-100, 100-200, 200-500 ohms; anything over the first two bands is, like, Wrong (even a value over 1.7ohms is cause for some concern). This is not a precision earth impedance checker, but to check your own wiring or that of a house you've just moved in to it's not a bad bit of kit. Obviously, it works on sockets which are powered up, so you do your own multimeter and visual checks on new wiring *first*! HTH, Stefek |
#19
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"PoP" wrote in message ... On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 15:25:10 -0000, "David W.E. Roberts" wrote: Just how the hell are they going to police this? One method is already in place and can be easily extended. When a hous comes up for sale the buyers solicitor issues a questionaire running to several pages. To this can be added questions like "has any work of any nature been carried out to any part of the electrical system to your knowledge?". If the answer is yes then the follow-up will be "please add the certificates for the work to this questionaire". If the answer is no then the current homeowner would be held liable in the event that work was carried out and not notified. PoP However it will be difficult 5 years down the line to prove if the work was done prior to the regulation change, or after it. So no certificate required because it was done 'before the change'. As suggested, stock up on your old style wiring now! Cheers Dave R |
#20
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"David Hearn" wrote in message ... "Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... Just how the hell are they going to police this? Withdraw all electrical equipment from sale, or require all sales to non-NICEIC people to be registered for duture inspection? No they're going to change the colour of the cable, so if you have the new colours, you should have a bit of paper to go with it. You think I'm joking, don't you? So, worth buying a huge job-lot of cable to make sure you've got enough cable for every possible installation you can think of in the next 20 years? Nah - one reel will do. Just add a bit to the end of each cable run, using a choc bloc wrapped in insulation tape, and the ends will look Kosher. No problem. Dave R |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"Mike Tomlinson" wrote in message ... In article , Christian McArdle writes No they're going to change the colour of the cable, To what? For single phase a.c. Live (was red) will now be brown Neutral (was black) will now be blue Earth (green or bare copper) will now be green and yellow Cheers Clive |
#22
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Commissioning a ring circuit
On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 20:24:16 UTC, wrote:
There's an affordable piece of "quick-check" gear on the market these days which I find worth having: it's an update of the old "three neons wired between the three pins" jobbie, which includes a basic earth-loop-impedance check. RS sell them at the usual "full-RRP-plus" price as stocknum 436-3456 for 50 quid For insulation/continuity, what do people think about this, at 89 quid from TLC? http://tinyurl.com/ti8t -- Bob Eager rde at tavi.co.uk PC Server 325*4; PS/2s 9585, 8595, 9595*2, 8580*3, P70... |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"Bob Eager" wrote in message ... On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 20:24:16 UTC, wrote: There's an affordable piece of "quick-check" gear on the market these days which I find worth having: it's an update of the old "three neons wired between the three pins" jobbie, which includes a basic earth-loop-impedance check. RS sell them at the usual "full-RRP-plus" price as stocknum 436-3456 for 50 quid For insulation/continuity, what do people think about this, at 89 quid from TLC? http://tinyurl.com/ti8t or this one (Stefek mentioned it) http://www.martindale-electric.co.uk/EZE150.pdf |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 22:19:37 UTC, "Chris Oates" none wrote:
"Bob Eager" wrote in message ... On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 20:24:16 UTC, wrote: There's an affordable piece of "quick-check" gear on the market these days which I find worth having: it's an update of the old "three neons wired between the three pins" jobbie, which includes a basic earth-loop-impedance check. RS sell them at the usual "full-RRP-plus" price as stocknum 436-3456 for 50 quid For insulation/continuity, what do people think about this, at 89 quid from TLC? http://tinyurl.com/ti8t or this one (Stefek mentioned it) http://www.martindale-electric.co.uk/EZE150.pdf I know he did (I did quote him!). But that's not the same thing....he was showing an inexpensive way to check earth loop impedance. The item I mentioned is complementary, not a replacement - the other major part of the equation. I've not seen anything else at this price, so opinions are welcome. -- Bob Eager rde at tavi.co.uk PC Server 325*4; PS/2s 9585, 8595, 9595*2, 8580*3, P70... |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In uk.d-i-y, Bob Eager wrote:
For insulation/continuity, what do people think about this, at 89 quid from TLC? For insulation, it's useful, I s'pose; but the more significant problems on domestic circuits are likely to need low-ohms metering rather than hi-ohms (you want to tell the difference between a solid and a partial screw connection; to tell the difference between the two legs of a ring; and so on). The kit you mention doesn't seem to do that - though the much pricier 255-quid-plus-VAT thing below does. All-in-one meters with low-ohms ranges are a bit thin on the ground, but Fluke do a mid-price one (same sort of price as the insulation tester you mention) which does a reasonable 20-ohms-full-scale, 0.01 nominal resolution, as do Wavetek (T120B - or at least they did ;-) For Regs-conformant-final-testing a 200mA test current is needed; I don't think these multis do that, but they're cheaper than the Robins/Seaward and so on things. (Pauses to flick through RS catalogue) Hmm, not many cheaper "low ohms" meters to be found here, in fact a dearth. For those with a bit of electrickal skill, making up a Wheatstone bridge with a decade or binary box of low-value reference resistors might be a more affordable way of doing Low Ohmage, as might the more direct route of creating a 200mA constant-current source (hey, may as well use the current the Regs tell us to!) capable of developing, say, 10V, then use the "normal" low-voltage sensitivity of even a cheapie multimeter (2V full scale, nominal 1mV sensitivity) to measure the voltage dropped: each 200mV means 1 ohm, thus allowing quite reasonable sensitivity. Absolute accuracy will be poor, granted; but you'd certainly be able to do the ring-resistance tests with such a rig, and you can calibrate with a decent 0.5ohm wirewound or similar... Stefek, rambling on. |
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#27
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"ARWadsworth" wrote in message ... "Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... and yet I can walk into any plumbing merchants and buy a boiler and all the parts to connect it up to a gas supply. Indeed. I've just done this very thing. I'm not fitting it, though! No one has once asked me if I am qualified to fit any of it. Christian. If they were forced to ask, most merchants would lose a good slice of their business. Adam LOL Especially from regulars I would imagine. :-)) --- www.basecuritysystems.no-ip.com Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.535 / Virus Database: 330 - Release Date: 01/11/03 |
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In article ,
wrote: For those with a bit of electrickal skill, making up a Wheatstone bridge with a decade or binary box of low-value reference resistors might be a more affordable way of doing Low Ohmage, as might the more direct route of creating a 200mA constant-current source (hey, may as well use the current the Regs tell us to!) capable of developing, say, 10V, then use the "normal" low-voltage sensitivity of even a cheapie multimeter (2V full scale, nominal 1mV sensitivity) to measure the voltage dropped: each 200mV means 1 ohm, thus allowing quite reasonable sensitivity. Absolute accuracy will be poor, granted; but you'd certainly be able to do the ring-resistance tests with such a rig, and you can calibrate with a decent 0.5ohm wirewound or similar... Trouble is, don't such things have to have a calibration certificate to pass regs? And getting a one off checked would likely cost more than buying a commercial version. Unless self certification is allowed... -- He who laughs last, thinks slowest. Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
#30
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Commissioning a ring circuit
On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 20:58:58 -0000, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote: Just add a bit to the end of each cable run, using a choc bloc wrapped in insulation tape, and the ends will look Kosher. Hmm, I think I've worked on some of your installations previously PoP |
#31
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In uk.d-i-y, Bob Eager wrote:
I agree. The spec sheet (downloadable via link in corner) says there are four ranges, the fourth being: OHMS: Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Ohms Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.01 Ohms (?1%) Max open circuit voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.2V Short circuit current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .=200mA @ 2 Ohms (or am I misunderstanding this spec) D'oh! I certainly did miss that - I'd say you've hit on an excellent cheapie; not a day-in day-out commissioning tool, but a non-ludicrously priced conscientious DIY'ers tool. Nice! Stefek |
#32
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In uk.d-i-y, Dave Plowman wrote:
Trouble is, don't such things have to have a calibration certificate to pass regs? And getting a one off checked would likely cost more than buying a commercial version. Unless self certification is allowed... I expect they do. It's all about why we're wanting to "pass regs". If it's to get a bit of paper to keep the H&S mafia or the buyer's solicitor off our backs, a test cert for the whole installation from someone who does the job for a living and has paid the right baksheesh, I mean trade association membership fee, is what you need. If, however, you're wanting to be regs-conformant so that the work you perform is safe to your own satisfaction and so that you can with a clear conscience assert that your d-i-y work is at least as competent as that normally done by a practising professional, while still keeping your spend on use-once-a-year test gear down to sensible proportions, then knocking up something with which to confirm you didn't fall victim to a short bout of narcolepsy while thinking you'd tightened up one of the screws in your new sockets is an eminently reasonabubble use of resources... Stefek |
#33
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Commissioning a ring circuit
Hello Dave,
I recently added a new ring crircuit for my kitchen and tested it with one of these: http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=14350 I am quite staisfied with this minimal testing and sleep easy at nights. When I come to sell my house I plan to deny doing any work on it at all. John "David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message ... Hi, been getting some useful info. from Christian McArdle and Andy Hall about my impending ring circuit. Christian has given me a rundown on what is needed to correctly check a new circuit, requiring £600+ worth of equipment. However http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/electrical.html#ring-test appears to give a much simpler method from another Andy (Wade). It seems unreasonable to expect every DIYer adding new wiring to cough up £600+ for specialised equipment, so what is the recommendation? Always use a qualified electrician? [If so, what would you expect the normal charge to be?] Use the Andy Wade method? [If so, how much and where for a low resistance ohm-meter with good resolution, say a range of 0 - 2 ohms with divisions of 0.05 ohm?] Nah, she'll be right! [Carefully connect and check (visually and mechanically) each socket on the ring, before connecting the whole thing into the CU.] I appreciate what Christian is saying about the correct (professional sparky) way of doing things, but what are the risks of a careful installation without fancy test tools? I am talking here about an all-new installation. Adding to an existing installation which you didn't do is another level of risk - probably better to have the whole house checked before you start. Note that my house electrics were checked when the new CU was installed. Additional question - what are the implications of adding one or more sockets to an existing ring (in line or as a spur)? Adding lighting, bathroom fans, etc.? Should you again have the whole thing checked by a pro. sparky? Cheers Dave R -- |
#34
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Commissioning a ring circuit
"John Greenwood" wrote in message . .. Hello Dave, I recently added a new ring crircuit for my kitchen and tested it with one of these: http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=14350 I am quite staisfied with this minimal testing and sleep easy at nights. When I come to sell my house I plan to deny doing any work on it at all. John That looks scarily like my trusty rusty multimeter. More sophisticated than a wet thumb and a nose for the smell of burning insulation :-) Cheers Dave R P.S. there is a scary lack of demand for the lynching of top posters - has the newsgroup gone soft? |
#35
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Commissioning a ring circuit
On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 21:59:02 UTC, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote: That looks scarily like my trusty rusty multimeter. I've got one of those! But I've also ordered the insulation/continuity tester from TLC - let's see what it's like. P.S. there is a scary lack of demand for the lynching of top posters - has the newsgroup gone soft? No, we just send the hitmen round these days...! -- Bob Eager rde at tavi.co.uk PC Server 325*4; PS/2s 9585, 8595, 9595*2, 8580*3, P70... |
#36
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Commissioning a ring circuit
In article ,
wrote: If, however, you're wanting to be regs-conformant so that the work you perform is safe to your own satisfaction and so that you can with a clear conscience assert that your d-i-y work is at least as competent as that normally done by a practising professional, while still keeping your spend on use-once-a-year test gear down to sensible proportions, then knocking up something with which to confirm you didn't fall victim to a short bout of narcolepsy while thinking you'd tightened up one of the screws in your new sockets is an eminently reasonabubble use of resources... Agreed. In The Good Old Days, Maplin would have had a kit for one. I've got a few bits of Maplin kit test gear I still use. An alternative, of course, is secondhand from Ebay. -- *Dance like nobody's watching. Dave Plowman London SW 12 RIP Acorn |
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