- Joined
- Nov 28, 2009
- Messages
- 14,673
- Reaction score
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Boy that was hard work.
It started with a phone call at 10:30PM last night. It was the guys neighbour that phoned me to tell me all the sockets had tripped and wouldn't reset, would I come out. Err no, not coming out at 10:30, I'll come mid morning after I have finished my first booked job.
So I turn up. the guy is Polish. Spoke hardly a work of English. Just kept pointing at the RCD and uttering the two words he knew which I got as "faulty" and "replace"
Nope that won't do it, Big leakage fault N-E on that circuit. But how do you explain to someone that doesn't understand a word of what you say that there's a leakage fault.
So carry on regardless investigating the circuit. It boils down to the first leg of the ring from the CU to the Kitchen. Not only is the N (at the CU end) showing very low IR to earth, but it's showing open circuit continuity to the first socket. And of course it's red / black at the CU but arrives at the first socket as Brown / blue.
Looks like a new kitchen so probably a hidden / plastered over junction somewhere.
The best I could do was disconnect that leg and downrate the MCB to leave it as a working radial circuit. I gave up trying to explain I would have to start ripping his kitchen to bits to do anything else.
I can honestly say this is the first time I have encountered a customer who I can barely communicate with at all. How do the rest of you cope? would you start ripping his kitchen to bits? He would soon understand I guess but might not be best pleased.
It started with a phone call at 10:30PM last night. It was the guys neighbour that phoned me to tell me all the sockets had tripped and wouldn't reset, would I come out. Err no, not coming out at 10:30, I'll come mid morning after I have finished my first booked job.
So I turn up. the guy is Polish. Spoke hardly a work of English. Just kept pointing at the RCD and uttering the two words he knew which I got as "faulty" and "replace"
Nope that won't do it, Big leakage fault N-E on that circuit. But how do you explain to someone that doesn't understand a word of what you say that there's a leakage fault.
So carry on regardless investigating the circuit. It boils down to the first leg of the ring from the CU to the Kitchen. Not only is the N (at the CU end) showing very low IR to earth, but it's showing open circuit continuity to the first socket. And of course it's red / black at the CU but arrives at the first socket as Brown / blue.
Looks like a new kitchen so probably a hidden / plastered over junction somewhere.
The best I could do was disconnect that leg and downrate the MCB to leave it as a working radial circuit. I gave up trying to explain I would have to start ripping his kitchen to bits to do anything else.
I can honestly say this is the first time I have encountered a customer who I can barely communicate with at all. How do the rest of you cope? would you start ripping his kitchen to bits? He would soon understand I guess but might not be best pleased.
