When an electrician fills in a COC for a builder's temp mains or new house mains and cannot record any 'live" test results as the power is not connected, can they leave the COC with only dead test results, e.g., insulation tests, recorded for the person doing the final connection and livening?
Does the electrician need to be present at the same time so they can record the live test results on the COC, or can they return at a later date to check the correct operation, e.g., RCD's on the BT with the power on?
COC Test Results
Re: COC Test Results
There is NO requirement for any test results to be included on a CoC.
The regulatory requirement is that testing - as per "3000" must be done (by someone) prior to connection.
Note here's also NO requirement that the person who did PEW must do the testing.
Nor issue the CoC.
These things must be done, but ESRs are silent abut who must do them
The ONLY require,ment WRT recording test results is that, if the person connecting to msupply (and thereforte will issue the ESC) has not done the testing "required by these regulations" (ie testing i.a.w. "3000") themselves, they must sight signed test record from whoever did do that testing.
The real question therefore is how to test (correct installation of) an RCD prior to connection-to-supply.
Answer 1 is that the Act allows connection-for-testing.
That's not always practicable, as the practitioner may not have authority to access network fittings.
Answer 2 is found in '3017"; ie provide a temporary source of supply for the testing
eg genset or battery& inverter
The regulatory requirement is that testing - as per "3000" must be done (by someone) prior to connection.
Note here's also NO requirement that the person who did PEW must do the testing.
Nor issue the CoC.
These things must be done, but ESRs are silent abut who must do them
The ONLY require,ment WRT recording test results is that, if the person connecting to msupply (and thereforte will issue the ESC) has not done the testing "required by these regulations" (ie testing i.a.w. "3000") themselves, they must sight signed test record from whoever did do that testing.
The real question therefore is how to test (correct installation of) an RCD prior to connection-to-supply.
Answer 1 is that the Act allows connection-for-testing.
That's not always practicable, as the practitioner may not have authority to access network fittings.
Answer 2 is found in '3017"; ie provide a temporary source of supply for the testing
eg genset or battery& inverter
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Re: COC Test Results
Cheers Alec, I can't imagine many electricians connecting a generator or inverter to a building for testing when the power has not been connected, and I wouldn't rely on the network agent testing the RCD either. I am sure they would possibly only test the main switch if they had to do there own testing, therefore they would be breaching the regulations if they didn't test the operation of the RCD's, correct?
Re: COC Test Results
Agree it doesn't happen often that anyone bothers to arrange an independent, temporary, supply for testing..
Most times it's easier to wait, and do these tests after initial connection to (grid) supply).
Technically that would count as "connection-for-testing";
and - provided all test results are satisfactory - there's no need to disconnect, fix the stuff-ups, and then re-connect.
If you look at 8.3.10 (cited edition), you\ll see that on Oz there was an Exception so they simply didn't have to test RCDs for correct operation if there was no supply.
It's routine that the delay between completion of installation and connection to supply in a "remote" area can be several weeks;
and it was seen as a significant impost to have to go back just to test that the RCDs had been correctly installed
A couple of fatalities led to this Exception being deleted for 2018 edition.
Some are still complaining bitterly about this change.
But the point is that we don't need to wait days / weeks / months for connection to network in order to complete our tests.
It's lawful, and not that difficult, to use an independent supply for testing.
Mine's a 300 W sine wave inverter powered off a 7 Ah SLA battery; set up in a case with 3112 1oA& 60309 16 A sockets.
Ideal for testing RCDs in caravans; and just needs a suitable test lead for use on an installation.
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WRT obligations of person connecting;
as i said ESRs require them to either do "the testing required by these regulations"' else sight signed records of those test results.
That's something else that generally doesn't happen.
Installers fail to provide test results, and persons connecting fail to ask for them.
Which will be all very well as long as nothing goes pear-shaped.
If / when it does; the law will descend very hard on the person connecting;
because it's not lawful for them to connect if they haven't complied with all of ESR 73A.
Fact is that for new installations it's generally a network employee / agent that connects to supply
and networks do not want to be held responsible.
Which is why they so seldom issue an ESC.
Most times it's easier to wait, and do these tests after initial connection to (grid) supply).
Technically that would count as "connection-for-testing";
and - provided all test results are satisfactory - there's no need to disconnect, fix the stuff-ups, and then re-connect.
If you look at 8.3.10 (cited edition), you\ll see that on Oz there was an Exception so they simply didn't have to test RCDs for correct operation if there was no supply.
It's routine that the delay between completion of installation and connection to supply in a "remote" area can be several weeks;
and it was seen as a significant impost to have to go back just to test that the RCDs had been correctly installed
A couple of fatalities led to this Exception being deleted for 2018 edition.
Some are still complaining bitterly about this change.
But the point is that we don't need to wait days / weeks / months for connection to network in order to complete our tests.
It's lawful, and not that difficult, to use an independent supply for testing.
Mine's a 300 W sine wave inverter powered off a 7 Ah SLA battery; set up in a case with 3112 1oA& 60309 16 A sockets.
Ideal for testing RCDs in caravans; and just needs a suitable test lead for use on an installation.
-----------------
WRT obligations of person connecting;
as i said ESRs require them to either do "the testing required by these regulations"' else sight signed records of those test results.
That's something else that generally doesn't happen.
Installers fail to provide test results, and persons connecting fail to ask for them.
Which will be all very well as long as nothing goes pear-shaped.
If / when it does; the law will descend very hard on the person connecting;
because it's not lawful for them to connect if they haven't complied with all of ESR 73A.
Fact is that for new installations it's generally a network employee / agent that connects to supply
and networks do not want to be held responsible.
Which is why they so seldom issue an ESC.
Re: COC Test Results
In my area the Network company as no problem issuing an ESC if they did the final connection but you have to ask for it, I just remind them "that they will give me an ESC wont they?" But they vary rarely test themselves, usually that a photo of my test results after I have finished the 'live testing" and confirmed everything is good.