IET - Wiring and the regulations

Air Con Plant

SKElectrical — 2013-05-19T23:10:19 00

To anyone who knows this:
Is the expansion valve always connected immediately before the evaporator (I think this is the case) or is it sited before the evaporator.
I ask as every drawn diagram shows it way before but I always thought it was pretty much connected linking the pipe work to the evaporator coil. I presume it drawn as such for ease of understanding the drawing / process, but I'm just checking.

Bird on a wire

Zs — 2013-05-19T18:44:40 00

Good evening.

I am preparing to present a report and am preparing a simple run through of the main issues which have shown up during the inspection and test with easy examples.

At the moment I'm looking at explanations of the three types of issue which they have most of and I'm looking through basic bird on a wire stuff. I've just come across this link

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_..._electric_power_lines

Answer three makes me curious. Do you agree with what the respondent is saying about contact of both hands at exactly the same time or chips?

I'm also looking at the horses that died at Newbury as an example.

Something nags me about answer three and it is not how I would have put it. Is that answer pure?

Zs

Bonging gas pipe in external meter box

interplay — 2013-05-18T13:56:48 00

I need to bond a domestic gas pipe. Where the gas pipe enters the house it is buried in the wall and there is no access to the pipe, especially within 600mm of it entering the property.
The external gas meter cupboard is directly next to the external electricity meter cupboard. If i ran a conduit between the two (0.5 mtrs) could i bond the gas pipe in the meter cupboard on the consumer side of the meter?
Not sure if this would be ok so would like your thoughts.

Metal oil tank in barn

dickllewellyn — 2013-05-18T08:10:00 00

Morning all.

I've recently returned to a good (most of the time) customer of mine who lives in a beautiful old 17th century water mill.

As well as the mill which is his private residence with open gardens a few times a year, he has a small farm where he (or more realistically his workers) raise sheep and cattle. They are having a bit of a revamp, have a lovely big new green house, with fancy automatic irrigation etc, a work shop, and a tea shed to get the gardener s out of the house.

I've known about the job since January when they first started diggin things up and moving things round, but such is my relationship with the client that I rarely quote anything, just allow a few days for a job and turn up with a ream of day work sheets to sign.

I had the great privilege of seeing inside the barns and stables for the first time where the supply needs to come from for the new bits. The stables were connected onto the earth of the mill some 100M away, via a 10mm SWA buried under ground. The cable enters one corner of the stables to an old Wylex consumer unit which has since installation had a lovely metal oil tank put in front of it. With a bit of climbing it is possible to get to the consumer unit for isolation and to work on.

I was unhappy about this scenario, so I have made the stable block and all associated new out buildings a new TT supply, still using the existing 10mm, feeding a new consumer unit out the way of the oil tank. From here I took a submain to the back workshop to feed that, the green house, and the tea shed, all on lovely simple radials. I also took another cable back to re feed the existing old consumer unit with the instructions to the client that as we do more work in the future we will gradually move things over into the new one.

My concerns are mainly now with the oil tank. I don't believe it should be in the stables un bunded for a start, but I'm not hot on oil storage regs, so it could be acceptable. Does an internal oil tank need equipotential bonding? I know it won't be extraneous, but wasn't sure if oil regs would demand some green and yellow wire.

How about the electrical instalation? Would the area around the oil tank classify as zone 1? I guess the atmosphere isn't explosive, I know the oil itself doesn't burn that readily, but don't want to leave myself open to problems.

Segregation

mrcornbeef — 2013-05-17T17:19:40 00

Hi
Any of you guys installed an addressable emergency light system, after views on segregation of the mains supply and the specified data cable which links fittings to panel the data cable is Beldon 8471 my concern is the keeping beldon away from the mains is it a major problem with interference etc any input welcome

Motor problem

OldSparky — 2013-05-17T16:10:44 00

ok peeps for you motor geeks out there..

connected a brand new 3ph motor today ( in delta) on a conveyor and it tripped out.

Thinking the belt was maybe jammed, took the motor off and started it up, it first went one way then the other then tripped out?

So just to try things i swapped 2 phases and the same thing happened,

any ideas anyone.

Paul

TT submain protection

anastasis — 2013-05-17T14:23:38 00

Hi,

Client needs a couple of 60A single phase submains off a three phase TT supply. Currently only one phase is in use feeding a local DB with RCD incomer, so no overall three phase RCD is currently installed.

I can obviously use the two spare phases, and I think the best solution for each submain is a 2 pole 100mA type S (time delayed) RCD and a SPN switchfuse.

I can't think of a better/neater approach, but I don't do much TT stuff - are there any alternatives?

old installation cables

nige296 — 2013-05-16T21:55:33 00

Testing and inspecting an installation tomorrow. On my initial look the conductors on all the cables were not copper but all steel.Just checking if this is any different in the way i record or carry out testing? Thanks

Light switch movement sensor

CMD — 2013-05-16T21:54:21 00

Hi

Can anyone recommend a decent PIR sensor light switch for controlling a couple of 28w 2D lights in a hall way, customer wants to replace the existing time lag switch, there is no neutral at the light switch.

Regards

House empty...meter needs a key to put electric on..where do you get the key?

antric2 — 2013-05-16T21:02:59 00

Evening,
I have ajob at a house where all the electric is off because the meter is the type that needs a credit key.The key is missing so does anybody know how and where to get one.
There is £5.18 showing on the meter but when blue button pressed then nothing happens.
Help please.
Regards
Antric

Earthing and LPS at a wind turbine

SimonStickley — 2013-05-16T16:42:45 00

Has anyone had experience on the best way to earth a wind turbine (needed at the turbine for control electronics) and LPS (needed to protect against lightning strike or induced surges) of which both are required at the wind turbine. The wind turbine in question is the range of 100kw to 500kW. The DNO provided earth cannot be extended.

How this has been done previously is for a combined LPS and earth, with SPD protection. But I'm concerned that should a direct lightning strike occur, the SPDs will operate, but may not protect the turbine electronics from a direct strike.

However, if the two earthing systems are separated, how much separation distance is required from the edge of the LPS system to the earthing system?

Any help or documents to refer to would be greatly appreciated.

Sub-main cut - Cables being joined using an Isolator

calumbtw — 2013-05-16T12:29:58 00

Hi,

Part of a lv sub-main cable was cut & stolen. We have decided to install an isolator between the new cable supplied from the switchgear, and the rest of the existing cable that feeds the DB.

Never come across this..how do I calculate the volt drop? Should they be two separate cables or calculated as one? Should they be the same size etc? Any regulations reg. this?

Sorry if I haven't made it clear...any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

New TT supply, More earthing questions.

Energent — 2013-05-15T23:33:11 00

Hi All,

We have a new TT supply going into a new Barn which will have a 50kW PV array on the roof. I've been pretty much exclusively involved in PV at a domestic and small commercial level for the last 3 years seem to have forgotten most things about everything else.

I'd just like to run through my current interpretation of the regs for TT supplies and section 705 and ask that I be put right if astray.

705 requires a 300 mA MP RCD, and a TT supply Can have this if the Ze is <167ohms reliably. The TL inverters can cause nuisance tripping on any more sensitive RCD's so 300 is what we have to aim for at the intake. We can then have 30mA's on the socket outlets etc. downstream.

Pretty much everything in the vicinity should be bonded back to the MET if livestock are going to be present. The building is not intended for livestock but it cannot be ruled out long term.

All accessories should be IP44 or better, guessing this includes switchgear etc.?

That seems to be the important stuff from my point of view.

e

EVERY DAY A SCHOOL DAY

John Peckham — 2013-05-15T22:31:00 00

I am teaching the 2394 course at the moment and last night I did a session on RCDs and how to test them. Tonight one of my students brought in to college (show and tell) a self testing RCD. He is fitting these at the moment to street comms. cabinets. The RCD self tests and re-sets every 90 days. It also will re-set after tripping after a set pause period.

I have heard of self re-setting RCDs and seen pictures of them but I had not heard or seen a self testing RCD.

The device has a small metal lever under the operating toggle handle that powers the device to the on position after the self test or a nuisance trip. If the RCD does not re-set a signal is sent by the comms. cabinet, it has standby batteries, to a remote station.

So whilst no doubt other forum members will no doubt say they are as common as muck it was something new for me.

Nice and cold and windy tonight so we went outside to play earth electrode resistance testing.

A little tip for removing downlights without damaging the ceiling

aligarjon — 2013-05-15T20:42:31 00

I thought i'd share this as it might be useful to someone. I had to replace 22 downlights earlier with led fittings and they were a right pig to get out without the springs damaging the ceiling, especially as this one was double boarded.

Anyway after taking chunks out of the skim on the first 2 as the plaster was quite brittle behind the edges of the fittings i thought i'd have a go at removing the spring first. I did this with a screwdriver by levering them from the retaining nibs on the fitting. It worked an absolute treat, by removing one the fittings just dropped out.

Gary

motorised blinds

aligarjon — 2013-05-15T20:35:52 00

Hi Guys. i don't suppose anyone has wired motorised blinds before have they, the blinds are located inside the double glased unit. I'm currently doing a first fix and been told they are going in but they have no further info at the moment.

i presume they must have some sort of control box as they have infra red remote control.

What i don't know is what sort of cable to take to the window edge, i presume they are 12v so would a cat 5 cable be suitable ? or are we talking 1mm t+e or 3 core. ?

Cheers Gary

FUSING FACTORS

Jobbo — 2013-05-15T19:02:55 00

Evening all

I'm currently working on a project that involves adjusting the conductors to the associated protective device fusing factor (from manufacturer data). This got me thinking about how BS7671 only really recognises BS3036 devices within Regulation 433.1.101 for adjustment.

Looking at the fusing factors I've provided below, a BS 1362 device has similar characteristics. Could someone please explain the reasoning for this? The 1.45 within 433.1.1 (iii) only really relates to circuit breakers.

Is this yet another rule of thumb practice? Are the figures so close to 1 that its not worth considering.

I've shown in the second column the rating factor that would be applied to the conductors for commonly used devices.

Type Fusing factor 1.45 ÷ I2:I1

BS 88 fuse 1.6 0.906
BS 1361 fuse 1.5 0.967
BS 1362 fuse 1.9 0.763
Type 1/2/3/4 MCB up to 10A 1.5 0.967
Type 1/2/3/4 MCB over 10A 1.35 1.074
Type B/C/D MCB 1.45 1.0
BS 3036 fuse 2.0 0.725

Apologies if this table goes a little weird, as typing this on my iPad.

Regards

Jobbo

Switch for conduit box

mrlondon — 2013-05-15T18:06:44 00

is there a 1 way or 2 way switch that fits a standard conduit box?

decking cabling

goldenboy1818 — 2013-05-15T10:56:53 00

Would you all run armoured under decking to spotlights and just flex out of a adaptable box to each light ?

Any thoughts on purchasing through this source of LED?

JesseConant — 2013-05-15T03:46:01 00

Has any one purchased led lights from china as referral?
As I get towards the pointy end of my house building I am getting very short of dollars and am looking to save where ever I can, the prices on this site are very cheap compared to the LED downlight prices here in Australia. To tell the truth the down lights I was looking at from a well known Australian online store appear to be imported from China ( I have seen the same lights online in China) so why not import them myself. I am not having a go at the Australian industry but I need to save some dollars or go without lights [:-(] Any thoughts on purchasing through this source.

En-Suite .

Ampman — 2013-05-14T19:28:53 00

Got to install a light in a en-suite that will have a fixed shower installed .

Light will be out of zones ,

Do i still need an rcd ?

thinking yes , but the care home has about 40 other en suite rooms without rcd protection .

So i thinking i will rcd mine & advise on the others .

rcd trip ??

goldenboy1818 — 2013-05-14T18:28:12 00

Hi a guy wants power in his shed. Well there is power there already but hes having it all updated. He has some spot welders and lathes, notjing heavy duty all is basic 13amp plug jobs but just wondered if these woukd trip a rcd under normal operation ? he has no rcd protection currently but his fuse board will be changed to include one shortly. Tha kyou

Business help

goldenboy1818 — 2013-05-14T18:22:46 00

Hi all I was really after some business advice/help. Im a sole trader and im doing really well. With some nice contracts locked in for the future im looking maybe at moving up amd taking people on. Im just not sure whats involved with this and is it a good business move. Iv heard you have to do monthly returns, and its a lot more involved and expensive. Im really unsure. I just wondered if there was someone on here that could really help and advise me. I would really appreciate it so much if maybe someone could help me in this area. Thank you

Bangladesh building collapse

Jaymack — 2013-05-14T17:04:27 00

Where not to site generators on a doubtful structure.

Also check out the Boeing crash on the right hand side!

Boenig (sic) 747 Falls From The Sky, Killing Seven (Video)

http://www.industrytap.com/wha...e0-40e9d5bd92-43944221

Sheltered/Amenity Housing Fire Alarm

CPC — 2013-05-14T16:46:46 00

Hi all

What British Standard should be used when working in sheltered/amenity housing??

BS5839-1 or BS5839-6 ??

The building is two storey and has communal lounges, kitchens and one bedroom flats coming off corridors.
Am thinking that the corridors, communal lounges, kitchens etc should be covered by BS5839-1 and bedrooms BS5839-6, but then again could be wrong hence why am asking the question.

Any advice much appreciated.

Many Thanks Again,

CPC

Volt Drop

mrcornbeef — 2013-05-14T16:14:40 00

Hi
After advice on working out volt drop for a new 200 amp section board which is to be used for various equipment and lighting via DB,s , what is a sensible percentage volt drop at this new 3 phase section board i don,t know the loads at this stage as it is for future use ,it is a 100 metres from the main panel board which has substation just behind it.
Thanks

Is RCD Protection required for lighting installed in a bathroom ceiling that is outside Section 701 Zones

danmitchell — 2013-05-14T13:33:16 00

All

I have been looking for an answer on the forum, but cannot seem to find a definitive answer to my question, which is; "Is RCD Protection required for lighting installed in a bathroom ceiling that is outside the Zones described in Section 701".

We have a Hospital Ward, single bedrooms with en-suites. The lighting circuits are such that they serve the bedrooms and en-suites on the same circuits, there are two circuits per room for resilience.

The previous designer did not include RCD or RCBO protection for these circuits, even though they serve the en-suite lighting. However the lighting in the en-suites is recessed downlights, IP44 rated and installed in a 2.7m height ceiling. This puts the luminaire outside of any Zones as described in Section 701.

My query relates to the definition of 'location' as used in the following clause 701.411.3.3 Additional protection by RCDs which states: "Additional protection shall be provided for all low voltage circuits of the location, by the use of one or more RCDs......"

Is the 'location' the whole room, or just within the defined zones?

701.1 Scope "The particular requirements of this section apply to the electrical installations in locations containing a fixed bath (bath tub, birthing pool) or shower and to the surrounding zones as described in these regulations". . This reads as if 'location' is then surrounded by the zones. Therefore anything outside of the zones does not need to meet 701.411.3.3.

Also if the 'location' was meant to mean the whole room (and hence apply to items outside of the Zones) I believe the term 'room' would of been used because 701.415.2 states "Local supplementary equipotential bonding according to Regulation 415.2 shall be established connecting together the terminals of the protective conductor of each circuit supplying Class I and Class II equipment to the accessible extraneous-conductive-parts, within a room containing a bath or shower, including the following.......". The term 'room' is used, here, therefore applying beyond the zones?

To further make me think RCD's may not be needed for the lighting outside the zones, at the bottom of the page of this link http://www.legislation.gov.uk/...0/2214/schedule/4/made which is in respect to Building Regulations and notifiable work, it describes "special location" means a location within the limits of the relevant zones specified for a bath, a shower, a swimming or paddling pool or a hot air sauna in the Wiring Regulations, seventeenth edition, published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2008(2). .

I look forward to your responses as to whether my interpretation is correct and no RCD protection is required for lighting outside of the Zones but within the room.

Regards

Dan

Adequate strain relief definition - where is it defined in the regs.

mikecheshire — 2013-05-14T13:12:25 00

My first post here, so hello all.

I have just taken delivery of some light fittings as part of a larger kit of parts, and in my view they are dangerous!

As a one time owner of large electrical testing company , I have always failed equipment that has no strain relief for cable cores, without strain relief for the sheath, even if terminations themselves are protected.

In the case of this equipment (portable lights for business use) the cores are taken through a plastic notch as part of the fitting protecting the termination , but the brown and blue cores are visible coming through the back of the plug, so the strain is taken by the colour cores, and were the cable pulled sideways it would bend at the point of the coloured cores.

I am assuming this is a no brainer violation, but I am struggling to work out where in which regs it says so - and how it actually defines "adequate strain relief" on entry to a portable appliance.

Any ideas anyone? Which regs and what do they say? Is there anywhere it says that strain must not be taken by the coloured cores?.

Also a CE issue. he devices themselves are not CE marked, but the supplier says they do not have to be, only the paperwork. I thought if product could be marked it should be...eg here on the european commission site about CE

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise...out-ce-marking/

Would appreciate help..

17th edition exam

charles0155 — 2013-05-14T10:01:05 00

Hi guys.
I have 16th edition qualification with over 18years experience as a maintenance electrician in various sectors including building services, steel manufacturing and textile. I stopped working for 2 years and now its impossible to get a job as almost all employers are asking for 17th edition or PLC experince. Is there any place i can just sit for the exam since i have been practicing from home with my notes and books.

Thank you

problem with th display lamps blowing.Would dimmer help?

hertzal123 — 2013-05-13T19:41:09 00

A tile warehouse uses 160w tungsten halogen linear lamps in tile display racks.The lamps are mounted horizontally,in lines of 10 and seem to have a short life.Since the voltage is about 245,I am thinking of fitting a 16A dimmer in each cct to bring it down to 220 or 230v.Has anyone done this,and is it worth a try?
Regards,Hz.

Cable size

mrlondon — 2013-05-13T19:00:07 00

Hello
Can any help me with cable calculation im a bit rusty.

Customer has 100A supply/cutout (TT) coming into small unused outbuilding and wants it moved 60metres to new build.

or if any one can help with formula i will look up values

Mr Electric

chunk522 — 2013-05-13T18:34:56 00

Hi All
What is this Mr electric ? as anyone had experience with them
I am getting bombarded with calls and emails from them but I have Idea what it actually is or its benefits etc?
Any help would be great.

asbestos again

Zs — 2013-05-12T22:44:29 00

Could I pick your brains please.

I will post up some photos of this but have forgotten my password for photo bucket and it is late. But;

Whilst carrying out some meter finding for a client on Friday I noticed a heap of code 1's. Quite nasty but not my remit to inspect on that job. Nonetheless part of my duty of care to my client to check the blindingly obvious has been pointed out to them.

Loads of boards, more than 10, still in use with the doors hanging open and most of the fuse carriers removed revealing the remaining asbestos blanket. An EICR was carried out by another company in February of this year.

I was concerned that the client may not have acted on the code 1's from his EICR and have been in touch with the inspection company to see if they flagged it all. Polite exchange, just the questions.

They think that exposed asbestos is not an electrical matter and not part of an EICR.

I disagree, do you?

I've not responded to theirs, nor will I. This isn't about their EICR but about the safety of my client.

I will post the pictures as soon as I can get the password sorted. I think you will say danger notice in the light of the other bits that you will see but I am most interested in your views about the asbestos blankets.

Thanks

Zs

Metal work tops in a commercial kitchen

NBMelectrical — 2013-05-12T20:56:45 00

Hi

Does anybody know if you have to bond metal work tops with a 4mm bonding cable. The work tops are fixed on top of chip board wooden work tops currently which sit in top of the cupboard units

Answers please??

NEWS - Smart meter project is delayed

sparkiemike — 2013-05-12T19:10:28 00

More Industry news

BBC News - Smart meter project is delayed

The introduction of energy smart meters in 30 million UK homes will be delayed for more than a year, the government has announced.

The £11.7bn project will start in the autumn of 2015, rather than the summer of next year, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said.

NEWS - Green Deal - Conmen have seen the opportunity

sparkiemike — 2013-05-12T19:07:45 00

Just some industry news.

BBC News - Warning over conmen posing as Green Deal assessors

BBC Radio 4 Interview about conmen posing as Green Deal assessors - You and Yours Thur 9 May 2013

We never learn, do we ?

OMS — 2013-05-12T14:23:10 00

Well, it's happened again, needlessly.

Point 4 et seq

Another two avoidable deaths to add to the earlier Hertfordshire incident - and yet still we have people who can't or won't clip the damn cables.

OMS

Renault Trafic vans / Maintenance

tomgunn — 2013-05-12T11:10:13 00

EVR Cleaning....

This was a great link, re; Prophet ), for this forum!! If you have one of these Renault Trafic types of vans thats a few years old then it's a must you do this!!

What the link shows you is how to remove and clean the EGR but it's a bit wrong. It states that you pull the solenoid section off first and then withdraw the valve part. What you actually have to do is to remove the whole ensemble as the solenoid and the valve are actually secured together with some sort of open rivets so its not possible to withdraw the solenoid only.

So, what to do, and you should really do this for a better running van!!

My son went off to Tener-grief for a week and left his Renault Trafic 1.9 van here - so I had four days off of work and washed / T cut / wash n polish the whole van and tidied up everything. Went to do a service and the engine was jumping all over the place, like a bag of nails it was.

Changed the oil / filter / air filter etc. then I thought I'd go for this EGR thing and was a bit worried even though I have stripped down two twin overhead cam / 4.2L Jaguar engines and that didnt phase me but this is my sons van. Anyways, what to do.....

Remove engine cover; remove air filter; remove the right hand side screw retaining the air filter box, ( leave the left hand one ), pull box to the side so you can gain access to the bottom bolt on the EGR, ( web link says you cannot do this with a rachet set, but you can ), when I could see all of the three bolts I found that the bottom one was missing!! So air was getting in, poor workmanship!! Undo the three bolts, ( if they are still there ), and tap quite hard around the EGR with a hammer until you can see a gap opening on the top of it. Get a small terminal screwdriver and start to tap this with a hammer until the gap starts to open, a bit tricky, it will take a bit of effort to remove the whole unit and make sure that you are tapping behind the second flange and not the first one!!

After a struggle you will be able to 'wiggle' the whole unit out and it'll be filthy!! Wear gloves. Place the unit on some cloth and then remove the 3 open type rivets that hold the two sections together and throw them away / buy some carburetor cleaner and spray the solenoid area thoroughly and clean with a rag also check the valve section too for carbon build up!

Put a small piece of rag, ( inside where you have removed the valve from ), as theres a hole at the bottom and then get an old coat hanger and bend to shape as theres loads of lumps of carbon inside to the left of the opening and also the walls of this are covered in it too!! The small piece of rag prevents any carbon falling down and theres a hole behind as well. Get your finger as deep inside the left hand side and scrape all carbon off that you can reach even spray a bit of carburetor spray in there.

You now have several options...........

1 replace the unit as it was before.
2 reverse the solenoid 180 degrees so that it doesn't operate anymore,
........( this appernatly will save you even more money on diesel cost per gallon ).
3 buy some blank plates for the valve off of Ebay... or
4 buy a new unit.

When I started the engine up again, well and WOW... it ran like new and sooooo smooth as well and I know it will be better with the diesel as per MPG!

I would have turned my sons EGR around but I thought I'd leave it as it was.

My son told me that as he was driving up the A217 and accelerated he looked in his mirror and watched as the car behind disappeared in a massive cloud of black smoke and the engine coughed and spluttered and then ran fantastically. So I'm pleased for him. So, if you have these types of vans then do it!

MCB downgrade

darrenscruton — 2013-05-12T08:37:04 00

Hi,

I've been given a job to carry out some remedial work in student accommodation, there are about 150 individual units all with there own kitchen units.

The work request has come thru and one of them is to downgrade the MCB for the cooker from 40A to 32A. it is 6mm T+E and in an insulated ceiling and then buried in plaster down to the CCU.

I told the main contractor that it would need to be a RCBO as there is no RCD protection and i was changing the characteristics of the circuit and that an insulation cert would then be filled out. They are adamant that they want an MCB and a minor works.

I did ring the NICEIC and ECA help lines for the first time and guess what, NIC said i was right, eca said i was wrong.

What does anyone think would be the correct way.

Thanks for any replies.

IEE Wiring Regulation - Grouping factor

tonychu1 — 2013-05-12T06:28:52 00

Based on the IEE 17th Appendix 4 Table 4C1 Note1

Should Grouping Factor (no. of cct=2) be applied to a single phase circuit design with two identical single-core live & neutral conductors connected in parallel?

Off Topic

kirchoffs — 2013-05-11T21:30:36 00

Just received a new Lithium Ion laptop battery for my Dell laptop.
To cut a long story short order was duplicated so i now have two batteries and Dell have said keep it.

My question is is it better to keep one in the cupboard as a spare for a couple of years ,does its life start ticking away?, or is it better to use both batteries alternatively changing every week .

Thanks in advance Dominic

Single element immersion, two supplies.

unshockable — 2013-05-11T14:11:27 00

Old style, 2 meter, 2 board setup. I bought a Horstman 7 thinking it would be configurable. Although it does a single element it only does a single supply. At the immersion I have nighttime and daytime supplies.

I can imagine a dual box with a horstman E60 boost connected to a modified segment timer doing the job but as the microswitch is single pole I would need to twin the neutrals which will make them "borrowed"; I know this is dangerous.

Can anyone think of a way to insert a DPDT relay into this or better still a packaged solution? I have a double pole isolator for the element.

A "dumb" single DPDT 3 position switch would be better than nothing but I can't find one.

Thanks for any ideas.

Simon

TIS 760 multi function tester

frspikeyhead — 2013-05-11T09:26:11 00

Morning all. Saw a bargain on Ebay last week for the TIS 760 multi function tester. It was advertised as New but now I have it, it has marked on the back 'property of HBC'. Anyone missing one?????

Ottermill D/B

mossep — 2013-05-11T06:56:26 00

Hi,

Just looked at a job in an office block and the dis boards are 3 phase Otternill types with 3871/3 MCB's. Anyone know if you can still get these, or if not, an alternative that will suit?

Thanks

Martin

Burger van

MPVaughan — 2013-05-11T05:29:51 00

Hi fellas,

Ive been asked to wire up a burger van.... Usual stuff, power points, lights etc.
The guy will use a portable genny to power the van.

My Q is,

Earthing / bonding - with regards to the van chassis / metalwork connected to the battery Negative terminal, if the genny was running at the same time as the vans engine would this cause any foreseeable problems?

Employee fire training

DOUGIE1000 — 2013-05-10T21:47:19 00

Hi all,

did a sign up contract health and safety policy with a new start yesterday and one of the questions threw me a little and made me wonder.

The question was regarding fire safety/training. Now as everyone else, our works is carried out in clients premises, domestic building sites, commercial and occasional industrial locations.

What are we employers entitled to provide for fire safety, if I'm 100% honest we provide PPE, first aid kit and a diesel spill kit in all vans (diesel spill kit part of contract for windfarms). However nothing for fire, ie fire blanket or fire extinguisher or ANY type of fire or first aid training.

Were Scotland law so might be different.

Our health and safety document only says to find out fire exits and procedures from client when arrival on site but nothing much more.

Extract from our H&S policy "(b) General Fire Safety

The management is responsible for ensuring that he is familiar with fire escape routes in all the areas and buildings in which work is being carried out by personnel. He will monitor where personnel are working and be responsible for assembling them in a safe area in the event of an emergency evacuation. Any personal/employee or sub contract that is unaware of these emergency accidents should make there concerns know to client, management, site supervisor etc. No personal should not be working in an area that an emergency escape route or procedure is not known."

Doors £545 extra

sparkingchip — 2013-05-10T20:04:27 00

The new range of Renault electric vehicles doors £ 545 extra

£61 + vat/ month for hiring the batteries for the Kangoo van on top of the purchase cost with a 106 mile range, maybe OK as a second vehicle, could be limiting as your only van.

Andy

Sole Trader H&S

Thripster — 2013-05-10T17:21:42 00

http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd242.htm

Have any of you come across this?

Regards

Fan timer module and LED lighting

JZN — 2013-05-10T14:14:53 00

Just to alert you all to a problem that i encountered today.

I went to replace an in-line extractor fan with integral over run timer in roof space above a bathroom. Downlights had LED GU10s in them.

I upgraded to another with more "suck" and had to use a Manrose 1351 stand-alone timer module. All working OK, fan on with lights and over running when lights were turned off. However when lights were off they pulsed on and off every few seconds whether fan was running or not. Closed 3-pole isolator and problem went away.

Called Manrose technical and it turns out the module sends a pulse down the switched live core that's enought to light the LEDs. They are sending me a diode to place in the switched live wire to cure the problem.

Never seen this happen with any other timers though.

John

Earthing Metal Portakabins

Richard64 — 2013-05-10T14:12:37 00

I've had to do an EICR on an ongoing job (the present contractors have gone bust, and the client wants to know what needs putting right). I'm just doing a visual inspection and limiting it on the report.
Anyway, there is a supply to the site compound portakabins.
This has a 100ma RCD and no overload protection at the intake. It then runs to a locked cupboard, where I assume there is a DB supplying each container. There may well be overload protection in there, downstream of the supply cable.It is a TN-S supply.
My question is. As there is no reference to the local ground earth potential, should the cabins, or the supply at the MDU, be staked.
My feeling is that if the ground developes a potential (especially in wet weather) this may differ from the 'earthed cabins' and be hazardous.
Or am I just trying to be too clever?