- This topic has 38 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 22 years, 3 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Yep we use them too, quick visual check of any potential problems, all you can do is warn the customer and walk away though. Whether they do anything about it or not is another story.
K.
Re: Does anyone check wall sockets?
Better practice to use an earth loop impedence tester, this will ensure the earth path has the capacity to carry any possible fault current and operate the protective device within the stipulated time. A bad earth will not show up using a Martindale type tester.
😯
SNope it won’t sumphose but then I don’t get paid to check the consumer’s electrical system and, in my experience, the last thing the customer wants to hear from us is more problems. 🙁 I’ve even had totally illegal new installations by kitchen fitters (had one today in fact) and cowboy builders and do the punters care? Not a bit for the most part so long as it works and looks nice! Sad, I know but that’s life so I gave up, unless there is a specific reason to investigate beyond my remit I don’t do it.
We used to check every single one, appliance and socket, for Zanussi as it was a stipulation and, you might not be as you’re a proper spark, but many would, be astounded at how many houses fail in some way. But the customers just don’t seem to care.
K.
Re: Does anyone check wall sockets?
Agree with Kens view BUT read HSE quide lines and if you don’t and some thing goes wrong YOU will be screwed by them
I don’t disagree Tinhips, but the commercial reality is that if I asked engineers to:
Check earthing
Call every other customer on their mobile
Stop work for the school runs
Sit through full cycles
Fill in fault codes
Fill in part numbersAnd all the other bit’s they’re *supposed* to do they’d get a lot less real work done that pays the bills! Plus bar standing over them you don’t know what they’re up to out there and I just think that I can trust the judgement of the man on the spot, they’re not stupid and they do carry out any tests that they have to and any more as they see necessary.
Sad but true and I wish it were different. 😕
K.
Re: Does anyone check wall sockets?
Yeah, being asked to call customers either on mobiles or at work is becoming a regular trend. In one way it is good as we can be more flexible on appointment times, on the other hand they have always “just popped out of the office” or mobiled offed just when we call leaving an engineer high and dry. It is, however something we have had to accomodate to attract the chargeable work we need.
Re: Does anyone check wall sockets?
eastlmark wrote:Yeah, being asked to call customers either on mobiles .
How much do you add on to the invoice for said calls? For every call made to a customer I charge £1.00 plus VAT This goes on to the bill. Sometimes it takes six or seven calls. All these calls are relevant as most people have an answer machine and when it kicks in know doubt you will have incurred some cost.
Re: Does anyone check wall sockets?
Checking earthing, i do for my own personal safety. My engineers are advised the same, i insist this important task is done for every job, and the results recorded.
Remember every appliance discharges electricity to earth thru the mains filter, it only needs to be plugged in, not in operation.A good earth is essential to prevent accidents. Therefore, should this test, not be part , of a professional appliance engineers job. As far as i know in any manufacturers manual since time began, this test is specified.
In the posts above, their is signs of, a regular occurance of faulty socket outlets,with reverse polarity, etc. How many appliances out their, that you repair, are incapable of blowing a fuse, due to the lack, of a good earth. Standards are not about money.
❗ “Safety first” ❗
sRe: Does anyone check wall sockets?
sumphose wrote:Standards are not about money.
I agree with what you say entirely sumphose and I’m not arguing the point of safety first at all, but if I made the engineers carry out all the testing I’d need to allow time for that as well as all the other things mentioned and that means I have to drop a call a day from their runs. That will cost me, at the very least, £35 a day per engineer. That’s £175 a week! Or £8400 a year!
What I am saying is that due to the pressures put on engineers to do a variety of tasks and to work at the rates of this industry that extensive testing is not a commercially realistic aim on balance. Fine if all you do is chargeable work or high value contract work and you can afford to do it, but lower down the food chain it’s not IMO.
In the end, just as it does for manufacturers etc., it all comes down to money, the numbers have to add up.
Yes, some manufacturers do insist on testing, but not all. I’m not going to name and shame the ones that don’t bother with it, in fact I have heard tell of employed engineers that don’t even get issued proper test equipment, but the point is that it’s not insisted upon by many. I agree that it should be, I think it should be recorded, but then that means that they have to employ reputable companies that do the job properly and that means paying proper rates, yet again it comes back to money.
And before someone says, “how much is a life worth?”… ask that question of the various people we all all work for and then ask for an extra 50p or £1 a call to test and see what response you get.
K.
Re: Does anyone check wall sockets?
Oh Dear!
It seems I once again have opened a can of worms with this subject. I am a little surprised though at some comments?
Now let me see … ah yes ❗ D.A.S.A Quality Criteria Section 3 Health & Safety: 3.1.1 to 3.1.14 (“Electrical Safety Tests”). ❗ A fundemental part of Field Service Engineers operating procedure I would hope?
Anyone out there suffering a guilty conscience at this point I wonder? 😳
Martin
Re: Does anyone check wall sockets?
I agree with some of what has been said But for those DASA members and to members of this group I believe we accepted DASAs ‘Quality Criteria’ as a standard.
Therefore if you do not test you are going against your own standard. For those with a copy of them look at section 3.1 and tell me your not??
OH what can a simple question unleash.Ehm, I hate to say this guys but I’ve just read the DASA Code Of Practise through again as published on the DASA website and there is no mention of any testing of any sort! There is no mention of health and safety! There is no mention of earth testing whatsoever in that document!
And section three states:
DASA Website wrote:3. FIELD SERVICE
3.1 When a request is received for a service engineer to make a home call the customer’s telephone number (where available) should always be recorded.
3.2 Where, as in the case of certain major domestic appliances, products are usually repaired in the field, the number of service engineers on home call service and their van stocks should be determined and maintained at adequate levels to ensure prompt, effective and economic service.
a. Where a request for service is made the first visit should (wherever possible) be offered within three working days from receipt of the request. In certain areas this objective may be difficult to achieve, but efforts will be made to meet it. At least 80{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of all service jobs should be satisfactorily completed on this first visit.
b. Where a subsequent visit is necessary, this should be made quickly and work should normally be completed within 15 working days of the first visit. In the cases where it becomes apparent for any reason that this is not possible, the customer should be promptly informed at the same time being given the reasons for the delay.
c. Adequate stocks of functional spare parts should be held in store to replenish van stocks as required.
3.3 In the interests of safety and to help ensure competent workmanship, in some cases the service organisation may decide to use another service organisation or another qualified agent to carry out field service work. Where this is the case the customer should be informed. The Customer should be asked to advise the service organisation if it is not possible for them to keep the appointment.
3.4 Where repair or service work is not to be carried out by the service organisation itself, the most effective and expeditious method should be used to transfer the request for service to the authorised service organisation and to keep the customer informed.
3.5 If the customer requests a visit to the house an appointment should be offered, preferably on an am/pm basis. Alternative systems satisfying the principles of this Code may be used. If a time for the visit cannot be arranged when this request is made, a mutually convenient date should be agreed and an am/pm appointment arranged later.
3.6 Where, due to circumstances beyond control, it is not possible to keep an appointment, or a second visit is required, the customer should be given advance warning unless it is impossible to make contact in the time available. A new appointment using the same procedure as detailed in 3.5 above should then be arranged.
3.7 The person arranging a field service appointment should ask the customer to provide as much of the following information as possible in order to identify the appliance, expedite the repair and minimise costs:
a. type of appliance.
b. make of appliance.
c. model number.
d. serial number.
e. colour.
f. description of fault or symptoms.
g. name of purchaser or person responsible for repair charges.
h. address for account, if different from address where appliance is located.
i. whether it is an in guarantee fault, out of guarantee fault or maintenance call (Proof of guarantee or maintenance contract will be required).
j. customer telephone number.
Service organisations should monitor workloads and adjust as necessary to ensure the best possible use of service engineer’s time.
3.8 When a request for service is received from a customer, the customer will be advised of any minimum service charge including VAT. At the same time the customer should be informed of the likely charge for any service call, inspection or repair.
3.9 The customer will whenever possible on request be told the likely cost.
3.10 Customers should, where appropriate be advised that a quotation, once accepted, constitutes a legally enforceable contract embodying the terms of the quotation.
3.11 Some appliances (e.g. electric blankets) cannot be effectively reassembled. Therefore, should it be necessary to dismantle the product to prepare the quotation, the customer will be advised that it may not be possible to return the product in the condition in which it was originally received.
3.12 The customer should be advised if the equipment is beyond economic repair.
3.13 On request, detailed invoices will be provided giving brief details of the work carried out, labour charges, cost of material used and VAT rate applied.
Show me the reference to testing? I know it’s desireable and we do do it, but there is no requirement to do so by adhering to this document as far as I can see.
K.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.