Neutral fault on a socket.

[Blair]

I have a water pump remote from the house which is controlled via an underground cable and works perfectly. I am now adding a power socket adjacent to the pump which will allow me to carry out various operations in the vicinity. The underground cable has 4 wires and I have arranged for the socket to use the spare wire as the live connection while using the common earth and neutral. When I checked the socket with my socket tester it showed a neutral fault. However when I used a circuit tester the light was illuminated. I have checked the neutral connection and it appears sound. What can be causing this and how can I correct it? Blair

[cj]

Hi Blair Without wanting to appear a safety freak please remember electricity is dangerous and should not be handled without proper care. It seems you are flaunting most rules using a spare core and common neutral. Most external systems are connected by a double pole switch or breaker and when switched off disconnect both live and neutral cables. This would account for your neutral fault but more importantly make the neutral wire LIVE if connected to an appliance pluged into your new outlet.

Consider scrapping the idea and fitting a weatherproof socket to the pump .Then you could unplug it and use the socket for your appliance.

Whatever you decide please check with an approved electrical installer if in doupt and consider ELCB or RCD protection for the outdoor circuit.

HTH Cejay

[Palindr☻me]

I assume that you are resorting to this because the pump power is switched at the house?

If so, I would re-arrange things to use the existing cable to supply a permanent power supply to the pump end. You can then power the pump and anything else from that permanent supply.

That just leaves the problem of switching the pump on and off..

You may be able to use the spare core, correctly fused, to control a relay at the pump end, subject to the regulations for your locality.

However, if not, no problem. You can superimpose a control signal over the wiring, if that is allowed (which I would hope it would be) or use a wireless solution for the control signal.

[tinnews]

flouting

[Blair]

As far as the control of the pump, it is controlled by a pressure switch on the water supply in the house. When a tap is turned on the pressure drops in the system until the pressure reaches the setting for switching on the pump. There is also a pressure bag which keeps the pressure in the system at a level so that when the tap is turned on initially it starts the flow without the pump. I therefore cannot change the system or don't want to change the system. Blair

[Blair]

Your idea of using a weatherproof socket which the pump could use is a good idea and the socket could be used for short periods when I require power for another device. Actually I already have fitted a weatherproof socket and also the circuit is protected by an RCD. Thanks for the advice. Blair

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[Blair]

Further to my reply I have now realised that I cannot utilise the pump circuit because it is controlled by a pressure switch so that the circuit is only live when water is required and the pressure drops. So I will have to abandon my idea. Blair

[Palindr☻me]

As I explained previously - all you have to do is slighlty re-arrange the wiring. The pressure switch is bypassed so as to provide a continuous supply at the remote end, that can be used for the pump and anything else. You then connect the pressure switch to the spare core and use that at the remote end to operate a relay/contactor - which controls power to the pump.

[Blair]

Thanks for your help. For some reason I did not read your email of the 9th which gave this information. Sorry. But I will now have to draw a wiring diagram which will help me understand the solution. Blair