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Joined: Mar 2003
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What kind of test equipment do you guys use out there to make your job easier. My pet hate is the Trailing / earth continuity lead, I would like to have something that could be left at the earth stake, where you can just pull the other end of the lead in the house with you, rather than juggling a reel and a meter. Has anyone out there made something like that or thought it was even worth the trouble?
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Joined: Aug 2001
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The trailing test lead has never bothered me that much.
I have to admit to being something of a traditionalist when it comes to test procedures. I still like to measure earth rod resistance the old-fashioned way, for example, in preference to using the clamp-on testers that are available these days.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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Dapo, I was under the impression, that if you preformed an Earth-loop test at the switch-board and at each "Point", this would give you a reasonable idea of your Earthing resistance, anything over about 0.75ohm, would have me worried, but in a reasonably new installation, you should be getting readings of 0.25-0.4ohm. We haven't used the old Earth Continuity test, since the Earth-Loop test, became a means of compliance, in the 2000 Amendment to the Regs, in NZ. Hope that this helps!. [This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 03-24-2003).]
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Joined: Jul 2002
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Dapo, Just as an aside, what sort of Test Equipment do you own?
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Joined: Mar 2003
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Trumpy is the NZ version of the regs available online? The use of a loop impedance meter can be fine for socket outlets, although they can't pick-up whether you may have the earth and neutral condutor transposed (no RCD fitted), or if some-one has put a loop from the neutral of the socket outlet to the earth ( why would they do that? Because they bought 500m of twin at auction cheap) But aside from that it would be hard to find the continuity of light fittings and fans with a loop impedance meter. I inspected a brand new spec home a few weeks ago, and found three fans and two lights without earths. To make it worse when I disconnected I found that two lighting circuits were interconnected. There is an interesting article where an electrician was caught out by not testing properly I am not sure if the loop impedance meter would have helped him out in this instance, I will try an dig it up and post it. As for meters I have the usual, Insulation tester, Rcd tester, with trip time. loop impedance meter ( reminds me of another downfall of loop impedance meter to check earth continuity mine is not supposed to trip RCD's but it will always trip some of the newer single pole electronic rcd's). Clamp meter and multimeter. Test lamps, trailing lead, remote earth stake and polarity tester.
I would dearly love to have one of the multifunction units which do Ins,cont,RCd,Loop,Polarity and store readings to be downloaded to a PC. Does anyone out there use one of these and what is it like?
[This message has been edited by Dapo (edited 03-24-2003).]
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Joined: Mar 2003
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Paul, that is one test we don't have to perform in Australia, The earth rod resistance, all we measure is the resistance of the main earth wire from the switchboard to the rod. It seems a bit pointless since we could have our earth stake in dry sandy soil, and we have no idea of it's effectivness. How is the earth rod resistance test performed?
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Joined: Jul 2002
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Dapo, We've got a Kyoritsu(sp?)Multi-Function Tester at work, I've used it a few times, certainly saves having to lug around half a dozen different bits of test gear!. It does Ins.Resistance, Continuity, Earth-Loop Res.,tells you the Fault Current of a given circuit(for selecting MCB rupturing capacities), does PSCC at the incoming mains, tests RCD's and tests Phase sequence. It's great, it also allows you to download all of your test results to your PC, to print out a pretty sheet to go with your CoC!. But, for NZ$3500, you would think it would also cook you a 3-course meal for lunch, too!. Everyone else at work is too scared to use it, in-case it gets damaged(wrong range/function). Haven't had any problems with it yet, but I am a bit stand-offish about using the Phase Sequence range on it, I read somewhere in the manual about maximum voltage 230V! That's OK, but I need 430V max, for proper Phase sequence tests! [This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 04-03-2003).]
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Joined: Jul 2002
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Dapo, Regarding your earlier question about the availability of the NZ Regs, On-line, yes, they are. Go to www.ess.govt.nz/rules/rules_acts.asp I think you should find what you are after there, but, bear in mind that some of these are PDF files and also, that there may be little mention of RCD's,but, I could also be wrong too!. Hope this helps!.
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Joined: Mar 2003
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Thanks for That Trumpy, it is good to find a few sites to compare legislation. I must say the guys in your part of the world have an excellent site. Here is one from Aus Http://www.ESO.qld.gov.au Regards Graham
[This message has been edited by Dapo (edited 04-06-2003).]
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Joined: Jul 2002
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Dapo, Am I wrong in thinking that an Electrical Contractor in Queensland, must have some type of a Business Qualification, before they can apply for a Licence?.
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Posts: 57
Joined: August 2003
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