Ask an Electrician anything...
Discussion
Volare said:
stressfree said:
Hi, we bought a new build house and asked to install the outside socket. Socket is installed as a spur from the inside. My concern is that there is no isolating switch inside for the outside socket (water ingress or fault will be tripping an internal rcd on the same ring or someone can steal the electricity when we are not at home). Should they have installed the isolating switch or a separate rcd in the consumer unit? What is required by the regulations?
thank you
No requirements to have a separate isolator or circuit protection. To prevent nuisance tripping inside the house you can fit a socket with an integrated RCD, that will cover you for most circumstances except overloads or short circuits, it would have to have an RCBO for that, which I don't think you can get built into a socket.thank you
cwis said:
Watcher of the skies said:
I'd use a potential divider. Much simpler.
Sensible!Buck converters etc will just supply fixed 5v or whatever they are set to.... If the cars still work like they did on the old days and are powered by a variable voltage 0-12V and haven't gone digital, you will find buck converters and other voltage regulators a little binary in the throttle response department....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403077493354?chn=ps&...
mikeveal said:
take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:
Because, like electrons, they follow the path of least resistance.
They follow the path of lowest impedance. Very often that's not the path of least resistance.biggiles said:
dundarach said:
Volare said:
dundarach said:
If I have 12v's DC from a Scalextric transformer, how can I step this down inside a model to 5v's DC in a simple component say 1cm without much heat.
So that I can use 5v motors rather than 12v motors, across the power band from the standard Scalextric controllers.
Hugs kisses and thanks
You will want a voltage regulator using a '7805' IC.So that I can use 5v motors rather than 12v motors, across the power band from the standard Scalextric controllers.
Hugs kisses and thanks
ruggedscotty - how is a £200 Fluke multimeter better than my basic £30 sets? (For enthusiastic DIY use).
944 Man said:
ruggedscotty said:
944 Man said:
Why do you always park your vans directly outside the house that you're working on, on new build sites, making it impossible for HGVs to get through?
we dont like to walk.......Riley Blue said:
Serious question time: what could trip the switch in our meter box?
Our electricity went off yesterday afternoon. Neighbours unaffected, our consumer unit checked out all OK so we phoned our supplier who advised an engineer would be with us within three and a half hours. Yes, you've guessed it, no one turned up so we phoned the 105 out of hours emergency number, got through to a different company from our supplier who went through a check list that involved opening the meter box, our own supplier hadn't done this.
Within a couple of minutes I'd done as they instructed and flicked the switch to restore power.
Fast forward to this morning and our supplier phoned to follow up the engineer's visit. Then they said they'd phone back within ten minutes to find out why he hadn't called - they never did. They did, however agree that as the consumer, I shouldn't need to be touching anything in the meter box.
So back to my original question; what could have caused it and is it likely to happen again?
lots could cause it to trip....Our electricity went off yesterday afternoon. Neighbours unaffected, our consumer unit checked out all OK so we phoned our supplier who advised an engineer would be with us within three and a half hours. Yes, you've guessed it, no one turned up so we phoned the 105 out of hours emergency number, got through to a different company from our supplier who went through a check list that involved opening the meter box, our own supplier hadn't done this.
Within a couple of minutes I'd done as they instructed and flicked the switch to restore power.
Fast forward to this morning and our supplier phoned to follow up the engineer's visit. Then they said they'd phone back within ten minutes to find out why he hadn't called - they never did. They did, however agree that as the consumer, I shouldn't need to be touching anything in the meter box.
So back to my original question; what could have caused it and is it likely to happen again?
a fault on the wiring, a fault in the equipment even a faulty switch. these things happen. To give an answer it would take a visit and a few hours with test equipment to check out the switch and then to check through the wiring and your connected equipment.
Also was it an overload or an RCD trip ? thats another thing that needs to be checked
PugwasHDJ80 said:
Had a house completely rewired by a reputable firm
have one room here the bulbs in the uplighters and the downlighters have a seriously reduced lifespan- i can't remember the name of the downlighter, but they are £150/luminaire LED jobby- we have 6 and we've lost at least one a year.
The led uplighters have never properly worked- bulbs last no longer than 6 months.
What could possibly be wrong?
Issues with your power ? need to have it checked to see if you have any issues. or it could just be back luck with the fittings. have one room here the bulbs in the uplighters and the downlighters have a seriously reduced lifespan- i can't remember the name of the downlighter, but they are £150/luminaire LED jobby- we have 6 and we've lost at least one a year.
The led uplighters have never properly worked- bulbs last no longer than 6 months.
What could possibly be wrong?
ruggedscotty said:
944 Man said:
ruggedscotty said:
944 Man said:
Why do you always park your vans directly outside the house that you're working on, on new build sites, making it impossible for HGVs to get through?
we dont like to walk.......
ruggedscotty said:
eltawater said:
What's the worst thing you've seen which has prompted you to declare "No f**king way am I touching that" ?
A chiller panel that had been bastardised by a previous incumbert. needed rework to make is safe again. too many cables not dressed properly and a chance of a short that could have been accross 415v 400A incommer tails
cheers for taking the time to answer ruggedscotty said:
Riley Blue said:
Serious question time: what could trip the switch in our meter box?
Our electricity went off yesterday afternoon. Neighbours unaffected, our consumer unit checked out all OK so we phoned our supplier who advised an engineer would be with us within three and a half hours. Yes, you've guessed it, no one turned up so we phoned the 105 out of hours emergency number, got through to a different company from our supplier who went through a check list that involved opening the meter box, our own supplier hadn't done this.
Within a couple of minutes I'd done as they instructed and flicked the switch to restore power.
Fast forward to this morning and our supplier phoned to follow up the engineer's visit. Then they said they'd phone back within ten minutes to find out why he hadn't called - they never did. They did, however agree that as the consumer, I shouldn't need to be touching anything in the meter box.
So back to my original question; what could have caused it and is it likely to happen again?
lots could cause it to trip....Our electricity went off yesterday afternoon. Neighbours unaffected, our consumer unit checked out all OK so we phoned our supplier who advised an engineer would be with us within three and a half hours. Yes, you've guessed it, no one turned up so we phoned the 105 out of hours emergency number, got through to a different company from our supplier who went through a check list that involved opening the meter box, our own supplier hadn't done this.
Within a couple of minutes I'd done as they instructed and flicked the switch to restore power.
Fast forward to this morning and our supplier phoned to follow up the engineer's visit. Then they said they'd phone back within ten minutes to find out why he hadn't called - they never did. They did, however agree that as the consumer, I shouldn't need to be touching anything in the meter box.
So back to my original question; what could have caused it and is it likely to happen again?
a fault on the wiring, a fault in the equipment even a faulty switch. these things happen. To give an answer it would take a visit and a few hours with test equipment to check out the switch and then to check through the wiring and your connected equipment.
Also was it an overload or an RCD trip ? thats another thing that needs to be checked
Wouldn't the consumer unit have tripped first, I thought that was what they were for - as you can tell, I'm no electrician...
ruggedscotty said:
LostM135idriver said:
Baldchap said:
ruggedscotty said:
Electricity - its a flow of molecular matter. dc it flows around a circuit. ac it vibrates in a circuit.
Isn't it the flow of electrons, i.e. subatomic particles?LostM135idriver said:
ruggedscotty said:
LostM135idriver said:
Baldchap said:
ruggedscotty said:
Electricity - its a flow of molecular matter. dc it flows around a circuit. ac it vibrates in a circuit.
Isn't it the flow of electrons, i.e. subatomic particles?ruggedscotty said:
Within a molecule, electrons move under the influence of several nuclei, and occupy molecular orbitals; much as they can occupy atomic orbitals in isolated atoms. A fundamental factor in these molecular structures is the existence of electron pairs.
Yes. That’s all true. But electrical current flows through metallic conductors (e.g. copper wire) as electrons. The atoms don’t move. The reason metals are good conductors is that their outmost electrons are easily removed. Metals have so many electrons that the outermost are so far from the nuclei (where the positive charge that balances the negative charge of the electrons is located) and so well ‘hidden’ from the positive charge by more tightly-bound electrons that they feel little attraction from it. So in metals (like copper) we tend to think of the electrons as existing as a ‘sea’ of electrons that the atoms of the metal are surrounded by.Molecules are very different. Molecules (like what we’re made of) tend to be unconductive (relative to metals). There are some tricks you can do to make ‘organic’ or ‘plastic’ electronic materials. The best example is probably OLEDs - organic LEDs that are in lots of telly’s. these are organic molecules (so similar to molecules that people, trees, drugs, plastic bags, etc. etc. are made of) that can conduct electricity. They also emit light (good for tellys) when a current flows through them. Cool.
So yeah, whether electrons are flowing through molecules, or flowing through a conductive metal, they are not molecule matter! A molecule is a collection of atoms bound together by electrons.
dundarach said:
If I have 12v's DC from a Scalextric transformer, how can I step this down inside a model to 5v's DC in a simple component say 1cm without much heat.
So that I can use 5v motors rather than 12v motors, across the power band from the standard Scalextric controllers.
Hugs kisses and thanks
Read the requirement.So that I can use 5v motors rather than 12v motors, across the power band from the standard Scalextric controllers.
Hugs kisses and thanks
None of the solutions proposed (unless I've mistook) will do this viz: 0-12 in gives 0-5 out.
Any reg e.g 7805 will increase non-linearly near 0 then track minus drop out voltage to limit at the regulated voltage. This just might be close enough 2 to 7 in gives 0 to 5 out with 0 to 2 and 7 to 12 in being wasted. Although 1cucm is a tough ask unless you're a surface mount PCB soldering whizz.
A potential divider will dissipate way too much to be practical IMHO when loaded with a model motor.
A ratiometric converter is needed. I've a very vague memory that there is a configuration which does this but it isn't coming to the tip of my tongue. Maybe a buck/boost with variable demand voltage.
Wrong answer but it is the answer
ruggedscotty said:
LostM135idriver said:
ruggedscotty said:
LostM135idriver said:
Baldchap said:
ruggedscotty said:
Electricity - its a flow of molecular matter. dc it flows around a circuit. ac it vibrates in a circuit.
Isn't it the flow of electrons, i.e. subatomic particles?Riley Blue said:
ruggedscotty said:
Riley Blue said:
Serious question time: what could trip the switch in our meter box?
Our electricity went off yesterday afternoon. Neighbours unaffected, our consumer unit checked out all OK so we phoned our supplier who advised an engineer would be with us within three and a half hours. Yes, you've guessed it, no one turned up so we phoned the 105 out of hours emergency number, got through to a different company from our supplier who went through a check list that involved opening the meter box, our own supplier hadn't done this.
Within a couple of minutes I'd done as they instructed and flicked the switch to restore power.
Fast forward to this morning and our supplier phoned to follow up the engineer's visit. Then they said they'd phone back within ten minutes to find out why he hadn't called - they never did. They did, however agree that as the consumer, I shouldn't need to be touching anything in the meter box.
So back to my original question; what could have caused it and is it likely to happen again?
lots could cause it to trip....Our electricity went off yesterday afternoon. Neighbours unaffected, our consumer unit checked out all OK so we phoned our supplier who advised an engineer would be with us within three and a half hours. Yes, you've guessed it, no one turned up so we phoned the 105 out of hours emergency number, got through to a different company from our supplier who went through a check list that involved opening the meter box, our own supplier hadn't done this.
Within a couple of minutes I'd done as they instructed and flicked the switch to restore power.
Fast forward to this morning and our supplier phoned to follow up the engineer's visit. Then they said they'd phone back within ten minutes to find out why he hadn't called - they never did. They did, however agree that as the consumer, I shouldn't need to be touching anything in the meter box.
So back to my original question; what could have caused it and is it likely to happen again?
a fault on the wiring, a fault in the equipment even a faulty switch. these things happen. To give an answer it would take a visit and a few hours with test equipment to check out the switch and then to check through the wiring and your connected equipment.
Also was it an overload or an RCD trip ? thats another thing that needs to be checked
Wouldn't the consumer unit have tripped first, I thought that was what they were for - as you can tell, I'm no electrician...
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