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SKILL FADE

I have not carried out a periodic inspection and test on a large installation for about a year. I have done quite a few domestics in the mean time and some small installations.


Yesterday I did a periodic inspection and test on a large warehouse with offices following a fire. I was assisted by another qualified person.


At the start of the job I found myself having to think hard on what I was doing and a lot slower then previously. A vintage MCCB panel and couple of 3 phase distribution boards.


I was back to my old form by late afternoon but conscious that I had suffered skill fade. I wondered how long it would take before it would take before I needed to work as an assistant to regain my competency?


Interestingly 2 No. outside sockets provided for vehicle charging. Type AC RCBOs protecting the sockets on a MEM 2 DB. PME earthing system and no additional measures for PME protection. 2 vehicles on charge. Unplugging 1 vehicle to loop test the socket and my Megger loop tester said no thanks less then 45Hz. I think that cannot be right as the mains is highly unlikely to be less than 50Hz plus or minus a gnat's do dar! Unplug the second vehicle and the loop tester on the 1st socket happily does the loop test. All test kit in good order and calibrated last Saturday. 


One for Mike was my loop tester seeing a sub 50Hz harmonic from the vehicle on charge?


I am assessed once a year on my inspection and testing skills and have done so for the last 17 years. Would anyone else admit to experiencing skill fade whilst carrying out electrical work (not interested in your private life?

  • Not sure if you'd call it skills fade or skills fatigue.

    I find this to be brought on by over-frequent (and quite frankly not required in certain instances) changes to the wiring regulations.

    You just get used to one set of tabulated values and then some numpty comes along and massages the figures slightly, and you end up with an installation which was compliant last year but not this year for the sake of a fraction change of a zs value for example.

    Why can they not leave things alone for a decade or so.
  • Hell Yes!


    Until I first encountered the IET forum I knew that I knew everything there was to know, Then I encounterd you, OMS, AJJewsbury et-al and realised fast that I now knew that I actually knew sweet FA!


    Recent years have been harsh in many ways, my memory feels as though it is maybe 50% of what it was, I am now concious daily of I do not know what I do not know, It can get challenging with keeping up to date.


    Still I have a phone and a semi retired oracle on the end of it!


    Still need a couple of those peski periodics off you yet!


    Cheers


    Martyn
  • I think I know everything but that might well be because I`ve forgotten what I`ve forgotten.


    A few years back I realised that when I was approx 18 I knew a pretty lot about sheerforce and bending moments, all the calcs etc etc. I`ve never used them in real life so I`d have to learn them again nowadays if I need them.

    As you get older your head must surely get fuller and fuller so less room to fill and hey presto if age/illness starts to dimish it then so much the worse.

    JP I don`t think you are anywhere near the lets worry stage yet nor the slight concern either really. If your lack of nunce is a postage stamp then you have not even got as far as the perforations of the next stamp yet.