EICR Reports - Resistance Checks

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by jamijami, Jun 7, 2021.

  1. jamijami

    jamijami New Member

    Hi, I hired a local electrician to perform electrical insulation checks for Buy to Let. He says the resistance check at fuse box failed, with reading of zero? ..that extra check resulted in £80 charge.

    My question is, for a laymen, how was the tested carried out. (electrician not very helpful ) Did he place pos / neg leads from a multimeter onto the pos/neg at consumer unit? could I check this with a normal multimeter such as "Rolson Digital Multimeter" which I have purchased from Halfords, but not opened.

    If its reading "Zero Ohms", do I need to check the connections at each socket are tight? Do I also need to check the light switches and ceiling lights, for loose connections?

    Would you advice that the sockets are renewed / replaced?

    Any advice would be greatly received

    Abs
     
  2. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    post up the EICR without personal data. without more info we are guessing...
     
  3. jamijami

    jamijami New Member

    HI, the guy hasn't generated a EICR yet. He says, no resistance suggests issue with circuit and will require further checks and yes, another call out charge. I personally believe the cables are intact. ...maybe loose connections in sockets etc?
     
  4. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    Normal multimeter no use at all and would probably kill you, and thats not a joke!! take it back

    As Jonathan says post the results sheet, there are many resistance measurements on an EICR, these fall into 3 groups

    Insulation, carried out on an insulation tester, measured in Megohms, infinity would be superb anything in low single digits is going to be a potential issue.

    Earth Loop, carried out with a loop tester, this can vary depending on the earth system

    Continuity, carried out with a continuity tester, in ohms

    Now zero ohms is a dead short, given that even the leads on the tester are long enough to have a resistance, mine are 0.09 ohm, zero is in reality nigh on impossible on a continuity test.

    But i'm just waffling, without the EICR results its all smoke and shadows. What I will say is that as a spark of 20 yers in the trade, an EICR costs what it costs, it's an inspection, if a result indicates a fail, that doesn't change the price!! - if I put that right, at the customers request, then I will charge (of course if its screamingly obvious and takes a few minutes I just do it). He certainly shouldn't be charge you extra. IMHO, he's a cowboy!
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2021
  5. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    He's winding you up, if you had zero on insulation the circuit breaker would simply trip, and you'd likely get a big bang, if its continuity, then thats impossible, if it's a 0.00 ohm on earth loop at supply Ze, that can happen if the substation is very close by and the loop tester being used is incapable of reading what could be a very low value, for examle if it only displays to one decimal. Or its a malfunction of his test gear, I had a fluke MFT that would occasionally chuck up 0.0 ohms on Ze test for no reason, then read correctly the second time, ditched it and changed brand

    You really need the report to see what exactly he's on about, and he should not be charging you any extra for recording a measurement that he should be recording in any case, whether it is cause for concern or not.

    But please, don't put the Rolson multimeter anywhere near the mains!!
     
  6. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    If you hired him for an EICR for a set fee that is what you get. If he has not delivered nothing is payable. Think you need to tell him which way up is.
     
  7. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    If it's failed an insulation resistance test at the fuse board then it is more than likely it's due to an insulation fault on a neutral conductor, if there's not an RCD then the fuse or MCB won't trip so it's a latent defect that only shows up by testing. If there's a RCD it may or may not trip depending on the load on the installation.

    The chances of you finding it with a multi meter are slim.
     
  8. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    It's an EICR, not fault finding.
     
  9. jamijami

    jamijami New Member

    sorry he's just posted these readings: IMG-20210607-WA0001.jpg IMG-20210607-WA0002.jpg

    He provided these readings and also says the plastic CU on ground floor is not acceptable and requires a metal one. If not done then this will be recorded as a c2 ...hes charging £450 to supply and fit a metal one. But this will not resolve the initial issue!!!
     
  10. Sparkielev

    Sparkielev Screwfix Select

    He talking *****, he hasn't even got the meter set for insulation resistance, also he talking ******** about the plastic board, find another sparkie this 1is a clown
     
    longboat likes this.
  11. Dan Greenslade

    Dan Greenslade Active Member

    Get a different sparky in. This guy isn't doing his job properly.. its on the wrong function for a start o_O
     
  12. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    And?? That’s what I said
     
  13. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    He’s an idiot! He’s clamped onto the insulation on the cables emerging from the mcbs. Of course it will read 999 cos he is on the insulated bit.

    plastic cu is code C3. Absolute chancer throw him out and find someone else
     
    Sparkielev likes this.
  14. jamijami

    jamijami New Member

    my damn mistake, I've paid him £350 already..damn joke!!!....if he deems the Plastic one as a c2, whatever that is, then is the EICR still valid? and would I need to have the remedial work asap?...clearly won't give him positive reviews.

    Im no electrician, but from pics, what test is he checking for? and what settings should he be using?

    this has really stressed me out...

    thanks guys
     
  15. Dan Greenslade

    Dan Greenslade Active Member

    So he's got it on the continuity function.. Dont give him any more money than you already have! If he was doing insulation resistance it will be the red settings that you can see on the pic
     
  16. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    I think you should ask him to produce the EICR he has been employed to provide within 14 days. You provided him with access to the property to do that. Should he fail to deliver the certificate ( he can’t because he didn’t do the work) then issue a small claim for £350. This sort of thing makes my blood boil and gives honest trades a bad name
     
    Sparkielev likes this.
  17. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    Yep, he's a joker thats for sure, he's using the same megger I have, and as others have said:-

    its set to continuity, not insulation, thats the red bit of the selector

    The 0.00 is correct with the leads shorted and the meter zeroed

    In excess of 99.9 is what you would expect clamped to plastic

    Who the actual **** takes pictures of their test gear to show the customer!!, he's clearly ripping you off here.

    Plastic board is fine, there is no requirement to rip out a board because its plastic, we just no longer fit new ones.

    £350 is a hell of a lot for an EICR on such a small board, round here, Southampton area, it would be around £150, £200 tops

    Sadly you've been done.
     
  18. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    Unfortunately some people use EICRs as a way of generating work, I do the EICRs for a local letting agent, but they have a policy that the inspecting engineer cannot quote for the remediations, that makes sense to me.

    Whatever, I would say the EICR you will get is not worth the paper its printed on, I would get another contractor in to do the work again and go after this guy for the £350 - for future reference, never pay till you have what you have paid for.
     
  19. Bazza-spark

    Bazza-spark Screwfix Select

  20. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    The plastic consumer unit could be a C2 depending on where it is, but I'm another mystified by what be is doing with that test meter.
     

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