(*&)(*&)& Voltage Sticks!!!!

[davelx]

SGN/Essex Utilities are replacing all the gas mains round my way at the moment and today it was my turn to get my pipe changed by shoving the new pipe up the old.

So having got the new pipe through with little difficulty - just had to blow the rust out of the old one with compressed air, the mains team leaves and the fitter arrives 45 mins later to re-connect the meter.

So they check the meter and pipe work with a volt stick, and it lights up so they won't touch it. They checked the MET and the lead sheath of the incomer (TN-S, hefty sweated earth braid to the MET) and that lights up too.

So, I explain to them about volt sticks, I show them how easily they give a false reading, and show them a proper 2-pole voltage tester, and that it shows no voltage between the MET and the meter (even with the MPB disconnected), and that it's just capacitive coupling from the mains wiring via their bodies to the earthed metalwork (the stair cupboard is full of wiring as that's where the CU is). Of course, they won't take my word for it.

So I call the LPN (formerly EDF) emergency line and tell them that the gas board says everything is live

1.5 hours later LPN turns up, do exactly the same tests I did, and say exactly the same thing about volt sticks! So I get them to talk to the Essex Utilities supervisor and he then gives the fitter the go-ahead to re-gas.

H&S is all very well, but if they are going to make these tests,WTF can't the provide the right equipment - basic 2-pole testers are hardly that much more expensive thath vold sticks.

What a waste of time and money!!!!

 

[westie101]

With few exceptions the gas fitters cause all sorts of problems, they have some sort of uncalibrated volt meter that if the volts are over 250 gives a warning. Of course the fitter doesn't ring us, they refuse to fix, say, a boiler and get the customer to ring!
It is rare that the volts are out of limits!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

H&S is all very well, but if they are going to make these tests,WTF can't the provide the right equipment - basic 2-pole testers are hardly that much more expensive thath vold sticks.

Fill in a RIDDOR form.

Their employer is not providing them with the appropriate tools.

This is a criminal offence.

 

[westie101]

Perhaps surprisingly, we do use voltage sticks officially for one specific purpose. That of checking polarity, particularly on PME supplies. Even then if we suspect it is wrong we have to test with a drummond test lamp to a separate earth electrode

 

[Alarm]

Seen this too many times.
Unskilled meter swapper with volt pen/stick.

If they cannot use the correct equipment would you want then changing your gas meter????????????????

 

[londonboy]

Perhaps surprisingly, we do use voltage sticks officially for one specific purpose. That of checking polarity, particularly on PME supplies. Even then if we suspect it is wrong we have to test with a drummond test lamp to a separate earth electrode

I was given a 'socket and see' phase finder for that.

 

[davelx]

H&S is all very well, but if they are going to make these tests,WTF can't the provide the right equipment - basic 2-pole testers are hardly that much more expensive thath vold sticks.

Fill in a RIDDOR form.

Their employer is not providing them with the appropriate tools.

This is a criminal offence.

I might just do that!

10/10 to LPN for the prompt response and cheerful service.

-10/10 to SGN/EU for IMO not equipping or training their staff adequately