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Plug in Electrical socket outlet tester.

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  • Just a note a RCD does require an earth connection itself it monitors only the live & neutral. It detects current flows to earth even in equipment without an earth of its own. This means the RCD will continue to give shock protection in faulty equipment
  • Sorry meant  RCD does NOT require an earth connection (my typing skills are not the best)
  • Belenus
    Belenus Posts: 2,756 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 22 December 2021 at 7:15PM
    It is simpler to edit your post rather than correct it in another post.

    Click on the serrated double circle top right.
    A man walked into a car showroom.
    He said to the salesman, “My wife would like to talk to you about the Volkswagen Golf in the showroom window.”
    Salesman said, “We haven't got a Volkswagen Golf in the showroom window.”
    The man replied, “You have now mate".
  • Section62
    Section62 Posts: 9,776 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper
    Just a note a RCD does require an earth connection itself it monitors only the live & neutral. It detects current flows to earth even in equipment without an earth of its own. This means the RCD will continue to give shock protection in faulty equipment

    This (with the edit) is correct - however, if there is no 'earth' connection on an appliance which needs one, and there is a fault which has made/would make the casing of the appliance 'live',  the RCD won't trip as soon as it is plugged in and/or energised - because initially there isn't (necessarily) a path to 'earth' for the current to flow through.  So the washing machine could sit there with a 'live' casing, waiting for someone (or something) to come along and touch it.

    We'd then hope that the RCD is working properly and cuts the power before the person recieves a lethal electric shock... but that isn't something I'd want to gamble on, and I'd also be aware that domestic RCD's are designed to protect humans in normal conditions - there are other cases (for example four-legged family pets which are more vulnerable than humans) where even a fully working RCD won't necessarily give the protection we'd want.

    Hence the importance of having an effective 'earthing' system with adequately low resistance, so that a fault of this type causes the power to be disconnected rapidly as soon as it develops, rather than remaining 'live' and dangerous until someone or something comes along and is put in a dangerous situation.

    This is why a plug-in tester which confirms the 'earth' is correctly connected is such an important thing to use when carrying out work, and/or using equipment (e.g. extension leads) which you don't already know are Ok.
  • fenwick458
    fenwick458 Posts: 1,522 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 22 December 2021 at 8:48PM
    plug in testers are good, but my take on the matter is to be wary of cheap products.  I have had a Martindale CP501 (£18 currently) for about 5 years and I use it almost daily( had one before that for 5+ years too but they inevitably go missing from time to time) and the point is, it still works and has never broken on me or provided a false of confusing reading.
    bottom of the range plug in testers from screwfix (or other plug in meters around the same price bracket that claim to do loads of tests but in reality don't) on the other hand are a constant source or problems. I used to buy them for apprentices until I realised they are false economy. lost count of the times I've been told by a customer there is something wrong with a socket because "their plug in device" is telling them that, but in reality there's nothing wrong, and the device is faulty because either A) it's being produced a price point that is too low to guarantee quality for any length of time, or B ) it somehow claims to be able to pick up on dozens of specific faults(it can't) but in reality all it does is provide wildly inaccurate results, therefore rendering it useless.
  • SteveJW
    SteveJW Posts: 724 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    My Martindale EZ150 has given many years of service
    Sometimes goes walk about but always seems to find its way home
    Retailed at around £45 when purchased

    Do not compromise on electrical safety
  • knightstyle
    knightstyle Posts: 7,226 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Well I didn't know you could get a loop tester that cheap. I remember my old Clare one and doing calculations long hand to get the completion certificates for the council done.
  • dontmess666
    dontmess666 Posts: 36 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 25 December 2021 at 9:47PM
    There's a higher risk of the Earth not properly terminated, because ironically its usually the only conductor which doesn't come insulated and requires a loose sleeve over the top of it, which can come loose and slip between the terminal screws and prevent a connection. I've only caught this in the past by way of the tester.
  • There's a higher risk of the Earth not properly terminated, because ironically its usually the only conductor which doesn't come insulated and requires a loose sleeve over the top of it, which can come loose and slip between the terminal screws and prevent a connection. I've only caught this in the past by way of the tester.
    can i ask what may be a silly question please? why is the earth cable not insulated like the live and neutral but on flex the earth is fully insulated in its own sleeving? is it because with flex the wires are in strands so sleeving them is neater?
    thanks.
  • FaceHead
    FaceHead Posts: 737 Forumite
    500 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    If the earth wire got exposed by minor damage, it's safe to touch. Whereas the live and neutral are dangerous if they get exposed. So the live and neutral are double insulated (the outer pvc and then it's colour coded insulation) whereas the earth wire is just held inside the outer PVC. 

    Indeed in some older cables the outer sheath was lead and it is the earth conductor. 

    So it's not necessary to have the earth insulated at all, and it's cheaper to not insulate it all the way along just for marking it. 
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