Fault finding

[flyingsparks]

Had a job today finding a fault causing RCD to trip.
Located it down to outside lights.
This is a big house and stables with lots of external lighting, bollards, pir's, photocells etc.. Started looking into various bits breaking it down, and then happened to notice one armoured cable going into the ground, and two emerging... So there must be a joint somewhere..

Started digging down with my 'spade', and found this...

Untitled

• flyingsparks
• 9 Jun 2015
• 1

Untitled

• flyingsparks
• 9 Jun 2015
• 1

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ooh, I just LOVE those jobs.
Any rubber gasket under the lid?
I expect that box was not buried when it was installed though.

Time for some Magic Gel in there?

 

[333rocky333]

Used to see it a lot, most fit a rubber gasket yet leave the 4mm earth hole unplugged in the back.
Anyone that thinks one of them is watertight underground are mistaken.

In the beer gardens I used to put a short 4 x4 stump in and screw it to that, then the flex went to the Par 38 coloured spike lights

 

[flyingsparks]

Yep my thoughts exactly, gel and try to leave it exposed now!

 

[333rocky333]

Its armoured isnt it.

3 way resin joint

Assuming theres a bit of slack

 

[Taylortwocities]

Or a Pratley Underground

 

[ericmark]

Air expands and contracts a lot and will invariably suck in water, fill with anything other than air and likely it will survive even petroleum jelly will likely stop water ingress.

But the main point is lack of paperwork, I am sure we are all guilty big jobs we make plans and say where the joint is, but small jobs we may make out installation certificates but location diagrams sadly rare.

I am however sure there is a location diagram in the distribution unit now?