Pops clicks and shocks

[colinB]

I dont know if anyone remembers but last year i wrote several threads on static explosions on my vinyl playback and minor shocks , halogen bulbs blowing etc.
Well i just had an interesting call from the landlord who owns the flats upstairs asking if i can let the lecy board in to check his property for suspected earth leakage.
As the isolator switch for the upstairs flats is in my basement flat, im guessing there is some connection so im waiting in anticipation for them to come.

[colinB]

The Leccy man came today and confirmed i have a very bad earth bond in my flat.
Because the upstairs flats are all on holiday, he wont shut of the power.
This means a second call out which will cost £400. The first is free so looks like the upstairs landlord has blown it.:doh:

[Reid Malenfant]

Have you considered the possibility that he'll just think "stuff that" & leave it as it is? :eyebrows:

[colinB]

My landlord would. Hes also my boss an Indian Gujarati buisiness man. The one upstairs is a bit posh so im he will be thinking his insurance will be nulified if he has a fire.

[colinB]

EDF energy sparky came today and measured the earth at 8ohms :eek:
Should be below 1. Find out later if his earth strap makes a difference to my system.

[Reid Malenfant]

That's nasty :eek: Effectively over 100V could be present on a metal chassis before the damn 13A fuse blows :doh:

Best of luck with it fixed, somehow i think you'll notice a difference :eyebrows:

[colinB]

Thanks Mark. Nice to see someone cares i wont fry myself now. ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

Nice to see someone cares i wont fry myself now. ;)
Well not before i have met you at any rate :lolsign:

Seriously though that is bloody dangerous & i'm pleased you are getting it seen to :)

[spendorman]

A Residual Current Device is a good thing to have.

Not sure that this write up is completely correct, but gives an idea:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

When I started at a big engineering company I had three advanced technology labs to look after. I requested of site services that all should be protected by RCD's.

They did not like me and gave all sorts of reasons that it could not be done. One was that so many devices would be necessary, some three phase.

However, it was done and in nearly 20 years that I was there, no nuisance tripping occurred.

Sometimes what we thought to be nuisance tripping, was actually faults that had not developed very far.

[colinB]

Well the thing i noticed straight away was the FM radio buzzing i get from the choke on the halogen circuit has gone down to a background whisper.