Preparation Week #7

This week was a busy one.

I started the week off with a couple of installation jobs and a whole lot of testing. I spent the first few days of the week just learning about testing, which will be really important for upcoming exams.

Testing is used to make sure that the installation is safe rather than making sure it works, which sounds counterproductive but that is all the regulations are concerned about. Of course as an electrician I test to make sure what I install thoroughly, but the regulations do not care about that, that’s on me.

The testing procedure I use in the UK can be summed up in an acronym CRIPPER:

C - Continuity - This tests that the earth safety conductor is connected at all points in the circuit and has an acceptable low level of resistance in the property.

R - Ring Testing - This tests circuits that are specifically wired in a ring circuit, making sure that all wires are connected and continuous and again have acceptable levels of resistance.

(For those who don’t know, Ring Circuits (diagram 2) are a type of circuit widely used in the UK and very few other countries, where instead of wiring the circuit normally like a radial circuit (diagram 1), the circuit is looped back to the point where the circuit starts, meaning that the entire circuit is fed from both sides.)

I - Insulation Resistance - This tests that the cable insulation isn’t damaged in any way.

P - Polarity - This ensures correct wiring of the live, neutral and earth conductors before turning on power.

P - Prospective Fault Current - This measures the maximum current that could flow in a fault and that it will be adequate in tripping breakers fast enough.

E - Earth Loop - This tests that the circuit from the transformer to your house has a low enough resistance in the event of a fault.

R - RCD test - This tests that in the event of a fault the RCD would trip in time to prevent anyone from getting shocked.

That’s it for testing in the UK. Right now I don’t need to know it especially, but it will become really important when I want to apply for a licence and take my final exam.

Then for the rest of the week I have been working on a property that needed two circuits rewiring and some outlets and switches needed moving. It was by far the biggest job I’ve had so far so it was some really good experience. I’d say one of the things I’m trying to improve on this job and from now on is my workmanship and making sure the job I do is done properly and is aesthetically pleasing.

This is one of many boxes I prepared for cutting out in plasterboard

This is a cooker circuit I wired up this week

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German - 5 out of 7 days

German progress is as slow and steady as ever, but I think it’s consistency that counts the most. The funniest thing is this week I feel like I’m understanding less and less of what is said rather than more. Though I’m pretty sure it’s that I’m noticing more of what I’m not understanding, I hope.

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Reading

Read The True Believer by Eric Hoffer:

Thank you for reading

- James Harrison