Earth Fault

[Mad Toad Society]

Hi, I've stayed in a new build for about 3 years and each year I get my boiler serviced. This year the boiler engineer found a fault during the electrical check. He said it failed on earth continuity and resistance to earth. With fuse out and spur off the LE and NE read 250k holms when it should be at least 1 mega holms. He suggested I get an electrician out to check it.

I just want to check if anybody has came across this issue before? I'm not sure if there would be a very simple reason for this, something I could possibly check or fix myself for example. Rather than calling an electrician which would cost me just to identify where the issue is and that's before any fixes are applied.

Any recommendations on what I could do prior to calling an electrain would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Andy™]

id start by getting an electrician to diagnose electrical problems rather than a plumber...

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi, I've stayed in a new build for about 3 years and each year I get my boiler serviced. This year the boiler engineer found a fault during the electrical check. He said it failed on earth continuity and resistance to earth. With fuse out and spur off the LE and NE read 250k holms when it should be at least 1 mega holms. He suggested I get an electrician out to check it.

I just want to check if anybody has came across this issue before? I'm not sure if there would be a very simple reason for this, something I could possibly check or fix myself for example. Rather than calling an electrician which would cost me just to identify where the issue is and that's before any fixes are applied.

Any recommendations on what I could do prior to calling an electrain would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

I would guess Mr Plumber is probably not using calibrated test equipment, nor using what they do have correctly to diagnose anything.

As said..
If in any doubt get a qualified electrician to test suspect electrical problems.

 

[binky]

does the fused spur have a neon light?

 

[Murdoch]

Is the fused spur a RCD fused spur ?

Did said plumber disconnect the boiler to get these readings ?

 

[kerching]

250k sounds a very specific value...'. I wonder what he tested it with?
My money is on an el cheapo plug

 

[Mad Toad Society]

does the fused spur have a neon light?

Hi, no there's no neon light

 

[Mad Toad Society]

Is the fused spur a RCD fused spur ?

Did said plumber disconnect the boiler to get these readings ?

Hi, I think it's just a regular switch. And I believe he disconnected everything before getting those readings

 

[Mad Toad Society]

250k sounds a very specific value...'. I wonder what he tested it with?
My money is on an el cheapo plug

Hi, unfortunately I'm not sure what equipment he used. Is 250k low in this case?

 

[Mad Toad Society]

Thanks for all the replies. I've attached the details of the fault. It would be amazing if anybody could advise further please?

 

[Geoff1946]

Unless he disconnected the neutral that 250k could be anywhere in the house, and could be a non-fault such as a surge protected device plugged in.

 

[Murdoch]

Hi, I think it's just a regular switch. And I believe he disconnected everything before getting those readings

I don’t think he did disconnected anything

 

[awarner]

I normally see that sort of reading when there is a neon somewhere in a circuit

 

[Mike P]

It might not be a double pole switch spur!!

 

[johnb2713]

What unit of measurement is 'holms', what is the correlation to ohms?

I would get a sparky to check it out, it seems this guy doesnt know the basics.

 

[binky]

What unit of measurement is 'holms',

It's where we have to do our best Sherlock impression

 

[johnb2713]

It's where we have to do our best Sherlock impression

Elementary my dear fellow, elementary.

 

[michael8554]

I agree with John, that "engineer" doesn't know his ohms from his holms.

What a scruffy report, feels like a scam.

Is the boiler working ?

Ignore.

Or get an electrician to check.

 

[Mad Toad Society]

I agree with John, that "engineer" doesn't know his ohms from his holms.

What a scruffy report, feels like a scam.

Is the boiler working ?

Ignore.

Or get an electrician to check.

Yes the boiler is still in working order and nothing else seems to suggest there is a problem

 

[Mad Toad Society]

Thanks for all the responses. Seems like the general consensus is that it doesn't sound an issue but should get an electrician to check.

For someone uneducated like myself, can someone explain (in layman terms preferably) what these readings actually mean please?