Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 17 of 17

Thread: Earth loop impedance testing

  1. #11
    Diamond Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    planet earth
    Posts
    3,943
    Thanks
    153
    Thanked 317 Times in 287 Posts
    So another service gone down the tube...tried to contact the fault number again today...9.53 am ...they still havent answered the phone...almost 20 min and still waiting...what a joke.

    What is the chance anyone will even notice the 16 ohm reading and the note in bold letters ...on the COC?

    What is the chance the electricity department will get around to sorting it out this year?

    Maybe when the new owner has some changes done to the property he might use a registered electrician who might do a loop impedance test and waste his time trying to get through to the faults number.

  2. #12
    Diamond Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    planet earth
    Posts
    3,943
    Thanks
    153
    Thanked 317 Times in 287 Posts
    40 minutes later...sent an email to CustoCare@elec.durban.gov.za.

    Cant do much more than that...the info is on the COC ...let someone else bother this crap.

  3. #13
    Diamond Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    planet earth
    Posts
    3,943
    Thanks
    153
    Thanked 317 Times in 287 Posts
    There you go...it cant be THAT dangerous...i have received a response.

    custocare@elec.durban.gov.za
    11:28 AM (25 minutes ago)
    to me


    Dear Customer.

    Thank you for contacting eThekwini Electricity.

    We acknowledge receipt of your email and we will respond within 24 hours.

    Regards

    eThekwini Electricity Contact Centre

  4. #14
    Bronze Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Western Cape
    Posts
    120
    Thanks
    11
    Thanked 15 Times in 14 Posts
    Greetings all

    My understanding of the loop impedance test is that we are testing the earth resistance from the DB to the TRFR, Then surely doing a earth resistance test from the DB to the rest of the installation i.e: sockets, light fittings and so on this should suffice.

  5. #15
    Silver Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    352
    Thanks
    5
    Thanked 50 Times in 43 Posts
    I am yet to meet a municipality worker who understands earth fault loop impedance test or even has a loop tester (usually just a multi meter from cash converters).

    In Jo'burg Sooo many properties don't have in coming earth.

    The earth cable is there but it isn't connected or its broken or been stolen. Over half the domestics we get involved in have no earth - half the job is getting municipality to sort it.

    I have been trying to buy a house since June and the hold up is, ironically, the COC. I know the wiring is not great (won't pass) but I said I'd disconnect everything and do a COC on a temp board for the purpose of transfer and so we can renovate and rewire.

    Home owner says wiring is fine (). Home owners gets quote to get COC - 2 electricians quote in the region of R37000 to rewire - smug face

    Home owner come back to me.....

    I find no incoming earth on a TN-S earthing sytems (well its was something like 4 ohms of 60 amp main switch so probably picking up reading from bonding or something).

    I said to the home owner I'll do the COC for free, just contact municipality and get the earth sorted.

    They called (many times) and finally went to the guy who is the manager of the area - his solution - whack an earth spike in and put E/L.

    I said its TN-S and would like TN-S but this has been dragging on for months.

    I have been to the municipality. The over head cables were upgraded but the earth.... wasn't. They will not be doing anything so they say whack a spike in.

    I tested the neighbours house - same - TN-S around 4 ohms. 4 other houses come of this pole - guess no one has earth

    I think I'm going to have to accept a TT earthing system but I will be charging the home owner for 100mA earth leakage at the mains and everything in the new temp board - 30ma E/L, breakers, earth rods, my time (x2 for pissing me off).

  6. #16
    Diamond Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    planet earth
    Posts
    3,943
    Thanks
    153
    Thanked 317 Times in 287 Posts
    So much for 24 hours...24 Jan 2019....still no response.

    So if someone is injured on site....who is responsible..that at the end of the day is all i am concerned about.

    we as "responsible people" do what is required of us ...by law...yet the municipality just laughs us off.

  7. #17
    Silver Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    352
    Thanks
    5
    Thanked 50 Times in 43 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by ians View Post
    So much for 24 hours...24 Jan 2019....still no response.
    Even if someone comes out - anything more than switching a breaker back on..... No idea.

    How can they allow incompetent people work on things like this. Here's a pair of thick rubber gloves, a screw driver and a multi meter from cash converters - go keep the grid running.

    I haven't managed to get an earthing problem solved with less than 4 different people coming out. Usually more.

    And i have to be there to explain the problem otherwise they just put a multi meter across live and earth - 230 Volts - and they are gone.

    Takes up so much time.

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Similar Threads

  1. [Question] Loop Impedance
    By C-Cam in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 20-Jan-21, 03:00 PM
  2. Earth loop impedance and prospective short circuit (PSC)
    By mikilianis in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 21-Jan-16, 04:10 PM
  3. The value of split-testing
    By Norri in forum Marketing Forum
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 22-Jun-12, 02:18 PM
  4. Testing with a neon
    By AndyD in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 26-Feb-11, 11:46 PM

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •