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Whats What with your Local Nottingham Electrician
Why should I have my old fuse box upgraded?
Old fuse boxes can be unsafe and should be replaced with a modern ‘consumer unit’. If I was to rewire your home, I would always fit a modern consumer unit, incorporating an RCD.
What Is An RCD?
An RCD [Residual Current Device] monitors the balance of the live and neutral electric current flow. An imbalance occurs if electrical current leaks from a circuit because of faulty insulation, or because someone has touched a live part and received an electric shock. If the RCD detects an
Let’s talk about testing
RJB-Services Nottingham Electrical Inspection & Testing
Tests Carried Out
Continuity of Protective Conductors and Equipotential Bonding conductors
If any electrical installation can be isolated from the supply it is permissible to disconnect the protective and equipotential conductors from the main earthing terminal in order to verify their continuity. The sequence of operation needed for initial testing can be carried out safely on an existing installation if it is isolated from the supply.
Where an electrical installation cannot be isolated from the supply, the protective equipotential conductors must NOT be disconnected as, under fault conditions, the exposed and extraneous-conductive-parts could be raised to a dangerous level above earth potential. The ‘combined’ integrity of the conductors shall be established by continuity/earth fault loop impedance tests. The former to establish continuity of conductors and the latter to establish and confirm an appropriate disconnection time in the event of an earth fault.
Polarity
Test shall be made to verify that:-
- the polarity is correct at the meter and consumer unit/distribution board
- single-pole control and protective devices are connected in the phase conductor only
- conductors are correctly connected to socket-outlets and other accessories/equipment
- centre-contact bayonet and Edison-type screw lamp-holders have their outer or screwed contacts connected to the earthed neutral conductor
- all multi-pole devices are correctly installed
Earth Fault Loop Impedance
Where protective measures are used which require a knowledge of earth fault loop impedance, the relevant impedance shall be measured, or determined by an equally effective method.
Earth fault loop impedance tests are carried out at the locations indicated below:-
- at the origin of each installation and at each Distribution Board
- fixed equipment and socket-outlets
- 10 per cent (on a random basis) of all luminaires, with a minimum of one luminaire, preferably the further one from the consumer units, for each circuit of any building
- at any location which may be exposed to exceptional damage or deterioration or represent a special hazard at the furthest point of every radial circuit
Where the installation incorporates an R.C.D., the value of earth fault loop impedance obtained in the test should be related to the nominal residual operating device.
Insulation Resistance
Insulation resistance tests should be made on a dead circuit and any electronic equipment which might be damaged by application of the test voltage must be disconnected or isolated. The insulation resistance should be measured between each live conductor and earth and should not be less than 1.0 megohm. Where practicable the tests are applied to the whole of the installation with all fuse links in place and all switches closed. Alternatively, the installation may be tested in parts.
Operation of Devices for Isolation and Switching
Where means are provided in accordance with the requirements of the Regulations for isolation and switching, a 10 per cent sample shall be operated to verify their effectiveness and checked to ensure adequate and correct labeling.
Operation of Residual Current Devices (RCD
Watch out when you decide to rent your property out
Industry Press Releases brought to you by RJB-SERVICES of Nottingham Local electricians you can rely on.
Safe to Let? Electrical Safety Council launches guide to help landlords
The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has published a new guide – the Landlords
Hello world! Welcome to RJB Services in Nottingham
Since 1st January 2005, all electrical work carried out in dwellings has had to comply with part P of the Building Regulations and be carried out by a person who is competent to do the work like the electricians at Rjb-Services of Nottingham
All work which involves adding a new circuit to a dwelling needs either to be notified to building control, which will then inspect the work, or to be carried out by a competent person who is registered