I went to Stoke Mandeville today..

[Rosie.]

The leaky gutters. This was the very first 'work party' and it consisted of myself, Snock and Delta1. The next group of gutter cleaners included Terry D up a ladder and Keiran and Snock up on the roof lining the central gutters (after clearing them) with Cropromol.
Rosie

[delta1]

Was initially disappointed not to get the kitchen done, but looking at what we found wiring wise I'm glad we got distracted.

Next time we'll ask Steve to show us how its really done.

[Steve Valentine]

what did you find, wiring wise folks?

[snock]

what did you find, wiring wise folks?

I'm not 100% sure on the terminology, so I won't commit, but on the second range, underneath the lift-up hatch at the firing point, we found that there were bare wires inside BOTH ends of the plug and socket connection, as well as a nail through the wire and a split in the insulation.

That was in a 3 or 4 metre length of cable which, when knocked, caused the lights and(?) power to trip out.

The MCBs (?) in the ranges needed labelling for each outlet from them. This was due to some strange goings on in the RCD stakes.

Rich knows more....

[Steve Valentine]

It was Kieran with the bare wires and the nail, I saw him and told him not to, but you know how hot headed these youngsters are

Glad it's sorted, hoping to make it down on the 5th but can't commit just yet.

[delta1]

The problem on the range was identified while we were looking for something else!

All of the below is my best recollection of what we found.

The base problem was that the kitchen was tripping off when certain appliance combinations were used.

This was (possibly) identified as the kitchen being a ring main to a double socket, then everything else being on a radial off that.

This is now a functioning ring main.

While we were rooting around we labelled and traced all the breakers in the affected DB, and all of the sockets, lights etc. This lead to the dodgy socket.

Both ends of the spurred feed had been skinned back with a knife, this lead to a L-E fault at one end, and a N-E fault at the other. This was compounded by the same cable being penetrated by a nail in the middle.

This has now been replaced.

The work we have done is to good practice, and is certainly a lot safer than when we started!

We have however only attacked one DB, there's still another one to do.

In the future is a lighting upgrade, its all relatively simple electrically, but my knowledge of regs etc ran out pretty quickly at this point.

[Steve Valentine]

Sounds like you had fun, I reckons we needs a new chief sparky down there.

[delta1]

We certainly had fun, its the sort of work where you turn around and wonder where the day went though.

[Vanpyre]

Sounds like you had fun, I reckons we needs a new chief sparky down there.

we could have done with you matey!!
our elecrtrical knowledge is a farce compared to yours, we did basics like ring main the new office bit and the kitchen as when it was fitted wires and boxes were taken out and not put back!!

[Steve Valentine]

I thought all the existing sockets were wired in seperate radial circuits?

[delta1]

Knew I forgot something, we also found the double socket run from a flex extension, supplied by the lower half of a 13Amp plug top.

Cutters soon made that one safe.

[Steve Valentine]

Knew I forgot something, we also found the double socket run from a flex extension, supplied by the lower half of a 13Amp plug top.

Cutters soon made that one safe.

yoikes!!

where was that?

Or shall I just ring Kieran and ask him? he probably did it

[snock]

yoikes!!

where was that?

It ran from just below the P.A. system, outside the office window, to the internal wall opposite the new armoury.

[delta1]

In the second range, just as you go down the corridor to the back room we did last time.

It wasn't plugged in, but now it cannot be.

[Rosie.]

Hi Everyone I need to put some names on dorm beds (or lodge rooms if you have plenty of dosh) Let me know asap.
Rosie