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Live - Neutral reverse from plug in tester

Former Community Member
Former Community Member

Hi, being retired for 2 years i was in trade as domestic electrcian for 10 years then commercail for next 40 years. So have high level od experience in field, yet never experienced the below unrational fault.

Really baffling me now (and an  independant competant electrican contractor) is a recent problem where i found using Martindale plug in tester (also using  independant contractors KEW plug in tester) that on a ring circuit somewhare in its middle 2 outlets read L-N reverse.

Yet taking off the outlets, the cables are connected correctly and live tested live in its correct position so Plug top fuse was correctly protecting appliances. This is on a recently extended ring circuit for room extension. I have read other blogs where they say the earth could be live or at least have a voltage presence, or that the earth CPC in fact could be floating so having volts induced to it.  Both scary thoughts.   

Any one had same issue please and what was found to then correct fault. 

I have yet to do a local earth test of the cpc at the two outlets and check the consumer unit earth connection to the main incoming supply.  Also all other outlets in house test correctly so assume main earth connection is not a problem and the RCD as main isolator passes its tests,

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    ebee: 
     

    Someone I know removes the sheath of an unbroken T & E and bares conductors to go in grubscrew terminals then the spur gets wired as normal. He reckons he feels happier that if a screw unturns the ring is still connected. Of course the cpc remains unsleeved (or a bit of G/Y insulating tape applied.

     

    I must admit I avoid junction boxes if at all possible and don`t like the split terminal type with grubscrews in anyway.

    I have in my innocent youth used the uncut ring cable junction box method to add a spur. I used a Rock/Ashley J401 30 Amp three terminal circular junction box/joint box. This method can be useful if the main ring cable is a bit tight with little slack. It also means that there are only two 2.5s under the grub screws rather than three if adding a spur after cutting the main ring cable. It is essential not to cross thread the grub screws. To ensure that the little grub screws did not roll under the boards and get lost in mouse-land forever, I used to temporarily store them during assemble in the upturned junction box cover, which acted like a small storage saucer.

     

    Z.

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  • 0

    ebee: 
     

    Someone I know removes the sheath of an unbroken T & E and bares conductors to go in grubscrew terminals then the spur gets wired as normal. He reckons he feels happier that if a screw unturns the ring is still connected. Of course the cpc remains unsleeved (or a bit of G/Y insulating tape applied.

     

    I must admit I avoid junction boxes if at all possible and don`t like the split terminal type with grubscrews in anyway.

    I have in my innocent youth used the uncut ring cable junction box method to add a spur. I used a Rock/Ashley J401 30 Amp three terminal circular junction box/joint box. This method can be useful if the main ring cable is a bit tight with little slack. It also means that there are only two 2.5s under the grub screws rather than three if adding a spur after cutting the main ring cable. It is essential not to cross thread the grub screws. To ensure that the little grub screws did not roll under the boards and get lost in mouse-land forever, I used to temporarily store them during assemble in the upturned junction box cover, which acted like a small storage saucer.

     

    Z.

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