Electrical certificate

[88v8]

Took the chap most of the day. A huge list of C3s, only one pertaining to my 'period' work where I hadn't bothered to earth a small piecrust.
Some C2s for the state of the attic wiring, a 'professional' job dating back to 1993 for the PO, and a C2 for our ring main which had a discontinuous earth. This meant he couldn't complete his tests.
I found the discontinuity, at least I hope there was only one, behind a socket where one of the earth wires looked as if it was in the clamp but wasn't. That might have been me

This greenlights me to continue with the 'period' fittings, hooray.

Next question is whether he'll give me a ten year cert or only a five, after he's sorted the C2s that is.

On the whole, not so bad after all.
He didn't spout regs at me. I tend to think that those who are obsessed with regs, sometimes don't know much. After all regs are for the guidance of the wise, eh what?

Ivor

 

[Owain]

C2 for our ring main which had a discontinuous earth. This meant he couldn't complete his tests.
I found the discontinuity, at least I hope there was only one, behind a socket where one of the earth wires looked as if it was in the clamp but wasn't. That might have been me

Must have popped out afterwards then because you did test end-end continuity of the ring at the consumer unit before making live didn't you :?

 

[Flyfisher]

The test chappie was only testing and not diagnosing then? One of those plug-in socket testers would have found the offending sockets very quickly.

Something like this: http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms6860d-socket-tester/91596

 

[88v8]

The test chappie was only testing and not diagnosing then? One of those plug-in socket testers would have found the offending sockets very quickly. Something like this: http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms6860d-socket-tester/91596

Ahh, but.... I have one similar, but... it only shows that the socket is earthed (and checks polarity) which they all were. But, behind a ring socket there are two earth wires, and for the socket to be earthed only one of them need be connected.
Likewise, if one of the live wires were not properly in the terminal, the socket would still work and the tester would give a pass.

However, if any single wire is disconnected from a ring socket, it will still work, but this leaves in effect, two radial circuits. Which is fine with ye olde fuse boards, as they only react to overload, but not so fine with RCDs as it extends the trip time, says he vaguely. The electrician did explain... but I was so pleased that he hadn't condemned my metal dollies on oak patresses that I wasn't taking an awful lot of notice, really.

Ivor

 

[Flyfisher]

Ah yes, I missed your bit about only ONE earth wire being disconnected and get your point about that converting the earth ring to two radials. I wonder why that would affect the RCD trip time though? Interesting.

 

[Zebra]

Next question is whether he'll give me a ten year cert or only a five, after he's sorted the C2s that is.

Very glad it was not as bad as you had feared. No way of knowing how many years he will recommend until the next test, that seems to be rather discretionary.

 

[88v8]

And in the meantime, a letter from my insurer reminding me that the cert has expired, and saying that any C1s, C2s and C3s have to be rectified, otherwise we will have no cover against electrical fire.

C3s are advisories, and in our case some of them are verging on fusspot and all but one have no possible linkage to fire.
I have no intention of doing them all.
Example: strip light not working. (Yes, so?)
An earth sleeved in black.
Knockouts in a couple of switches and sockets too big** (these have been there for perhaps 30 years).
Joint boxes with unshuttered entries (that's how they were made)
Bathroom fan switch single pole only. (this is probably 20 years old and I expect it conformed when installed)

So the implication of some of these is that if regs change I have to update my fittings, well nuts to that.

Unless I can persuade the electrician to give me a cert with the fire-irrelevant C3s removed, there is going to be a dust-up with my insurer, as I will not be told that I must implement advisories.
I'll do some of them, eg immersion has no thermal cutout - as it will be used in conjunction with a time switch, it could theoretically stick on, yes this is rather far-fetched, but not hard to change.

Having said that I'm still pleased that he didn't take against my olde fittings.

Ivor

**I'll probably do these as I'd intended to put in older fittings anyway.

 

[Zebra]

Well done your spark, that was a detailed survey! Can't believe the attitude of your insurer though.

 

[88v8]

Yes, he was pretty thorough. He did say that even with new build 'there's always something'. And one of his C3s was 'incorrect glanding' of the cable to my garage, which was installed by another sparks only 6 months ago!!
I wonder about the boundaries between 'thorough', nitpicking and OCD :?

Ivor