Earth testing

[eastender]

How does one test the earth in a wall mains plug socket?

thx

E.

[nacional]

Earth loop impedance tester

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 15:46:29 +0000 someone who may be eastender wrote this:-

To test if there is some sort of earth present? A socket tester.

To test if the earth complies with the Wiring Regulations? An earth loop impedance tester.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

To do so correctly requires an earth loop impedance tester - an expensive bit of kit - so in other words get a sparklette in if you suspect it's not right and it's not just a broken or loose wire.

[meow2222]

or do you mean test earth rod impedance. I suspect s/he means check its connected, in which case a plugin socket tester is the way to go. Buy for a fiver or make from plug & 3 mains neons.

NT

[eastender]

My trusty universal AVO meter is no good then...

E.

[Bob Eager]

Absolutely not. An earth loop impednace tester is a specialist bit of kit; that's all it does. Here's an inexpensive one, £295 plus VAT:

[cucumber]

You can also hire one. If your local hire shops don't have one there a few on the internet who can mail it to you.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

No. A proper test involves a fleeting high current short to earth and measuring the current flow.

[The Medway Handyman]

Very basic test to see if it's connected.

exactly do you want to test?

The blurb for this says; "Check all new and existing mains installations with this easy-to-use tester. Simply plug into any normal mains socket you want to test. If everything is OK all three indicators light up. Other sequences warn of specific problems such as Live and Neutral reversed, no Earth, etc".

Or something more advanced?

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:10:47 GMT someone who may be eastender wrote this:-

Not to give it a proper test, which must be done at high current to check that there is no bit of the wiring which will fail if the high current of an earth fault flows.

Your meter will only do a low current test. It is no better at indicating the condition of the earth than a socket tester.

The question remains the same, what precisely do you want to test?

[eastender]

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in news:eqb7pu$lva$ [e-mail]:

The plug socket for the dishwasher, as it's 'popped' and tripped out twice. I think it's the dishwasher though but wanted to check the socket myself.

E.

[Ed Sirett]

For that money you can just about get a minimal 16th tester which will do conitinuity, insulation, earth loop and rcd testing.