FINDING A SHORT PART ONE - ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUITS AND EASY WAYS TO FIND THEM - FAULT FINDING TIPS

In this video from LearnElectrics, we look at the problem of finding shorts in electrical circuits. Is there an easy way to home in and locate the problem?
This video is part one of the story, and deals with shorts between live conductors, as we would find in domestic installations. We talk about 3 phase shorts and about earth faults and move on to locating a short circuit in a ring circuit.
There was far too much to put in just this one video if we included the earth faults, so earth faults will be in the next one, the part 2 follow up video and then part 3 will be a video specific to locating short circuits in radial circuits.
We will begin with looking at the naming conventions, the terminology, and asking just what is a short circuit? Using the correct wording does matter, especially in exams and assessments - not everything is a short circuit. and we explain.
Then we will move on to testing and locating short circuits and we show you two totally different methods, both very effective and both will speed up your fault finding time.
SAFE ISOLATION PROCEDURE
Follow the link below to watch our video on Safe Isolation Procedure as discussed in this video.
• SAFE ISOLATION PROCEDU...
This is video number 254 and to view all our videos type in LearnElectrics all one word into the KZbin search bar.
Visit our KZbin channel where we have many more videos on a wide range of electrical topics.

[@danielteyehuago1633]

Wow! This video is very informative and the best video tutorial on the topic for me so far. I really appreciate it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad it was helpful, spread the word Daniel. Thanks.

[@user-qi8tv2sj4m]

Really good mate. This has really helped to clear up my confusion. I jusr didn’t understand before and now it makes sense. Can’t wait for the next one.

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad it helped, keep watching, lots more to come. Dave.

[@gbelectricks]

Great video as ever Dave! I like to use the actual fault (eg.. nail in a cable) as the automatic link. Then, after safe isolation and removal of the connections from the consumer unit, set the meter to Ω and go around the circuit looking for the lowest impedance. This then gives you a good starting point of where to start checking for damage to the cable. Looking forward to the next instalment👍👍👍

[@learnelectrics4402]

Great comments, everyone has a preferred method. Working on Part 2 very soon. Dave.

[@Iraniansarebrave234]

I enjoy watching your videos, that are helpful.

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad you like them, lots more to come.

[@forgottenadvice8325]

Very helpful video. We are waiting for more videos. Many thanks Sir.

[@learnelectrics4402]

So nice of you to ask. Yes, more videos soon,. In and out of hospital with cancer at the moment and I have lost my voice. As soon as the voice is back, more videos. Thanks for watching, thanks for your patience. Dave.

[@forgottenadvice8325]

@learnelectrics4402 I am very sorry Sir you are sick and have cancer. You are a good person who gives the free knowledge to the people. We pray for your good health and hope you will be well soon. Take care of yourself.

[@davidpatterson1574]

Another excellent video Dave-many thanks-

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad you enjoyed it David, thank you.

[@s5960]

Another high quality video. Thank you Dave.

[@learnelectrics4402]

My pleasure, thank you.

[@db111]

Brilliant, thank you, I've got a farm to do this week with a ream of remedial work from someone else's EICR, good stuff to jog the noggin 👍

[@learnelectrics4402]

Have fun, many a happy time working on farms. Dave.

[@hussmortada]

Thank you very much once again. I learnt something new today with the second method. Love it, Appreciated

[@learnelectrics4402]

Great to hear that, appreciated. Dave.

[@AngelaPeters-fy1tc]

Thankyou for such an amazing intro into a fascinating area ie faultfinding. I have taken down and drew diagrams for future benefit. I have just a small query and that is when you do the end to end tests on the line and neutral at the start to see if both are continuous yes they will be continuous because the short or nail is linking them together so in essence you will be getting a lower reading than you would normally but how can you tell if the reading is lower. I assume its when you do your end to end on the cpc and this is more than 1.67 times higher resistance that you then scratch your scone and say something isnt right here.

[@learnelectrics4402]

The main thing we are doing, first, is establishing that we have the correct conductors, what the reading is doesn't matter too much, just, are the cables continuous. Then we can start getting technical and finding values. Have a look at this video on cable resistances, it will explain a lot. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZ2UXmCkrbehg6c

[@markyd2633]

Top man....Top job

[@learnelectrics4402]

Thanks a lot, appreciated. Dave.

[@darrenwardell3079]

Perfectly explained .👍

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad you liked it and thank you.

[@sabudjed1135]

Thank you so much for this great teaching

[@learnelectrics4402]

You are very welcome, thank you.

[@Dibbo1979]

Great video mate👏🏻👏🏻

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad you enjoyed it and good to see you back. Hope you are well. Dave.

[@iqbalnuthoo1566]

Very Educational

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad it was useful. Dave.

[@Iraniansarebrave234]

Very helpful.thanks

[@learnelectrics4402]

Always welcome and thanks for watching. Dave.

[@ahmedalazazi2895]

Great job It is useful and informative

[@learnelectrics4402]

Glad you think so, thank you.

[@craigg7418]

I am looking forward to using this method

[@learnelectrics4402]

That's good to know. Try different methods and you will find a method that you like. Thank you. Dave.

[@William103f]

Shared 👍

[@learnelectrics4402]

Thank you, appreciated. Dave.

[@avfczoff]

Tonight I’ve had a short circuit fault even though the IR readings were all over 100M ohms? It’s on a kitchen ring final circuit but not tripping immediately. It can take up to 20-30 mins for it to trip? Any ideas or help is much appreciated. Your video has given me more guidance now which I will definitely bear in mind so thank you

[@learnelectrics4402]

Is the circuit damp, that can often cause a slow trip. Take a look at this video on earth faults too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3-YqHx-pLKnd9E

[@Neweritreantiktok55]

As always great ❤❤ Any advice on C&G level 3 inspection and testing I failed 3 times

[@learnelectrics4402]

What I used to do was to get as many old questions and answers on anything electrical. Its important that you have access to the model answers. Then I would write out the QUESTION and the ANSWER. Do this for 6 or 10 questions. Throw the pieces of paper away and write out the very same questions and answers again. throw the paper away. Write out the same questions and answers again. repeat until you can write the questions and answers accurately without looking at the question paper. Then do the next 10, write, repeat, write, repeat. Do some every night starting now. If you weakness is physical testing, make yourself a little test board from 2 foot by 4 foot chipboard. A cheap consumer unit and a few sockets and a light or two. Plug it in and test away. Put a fault on it and see what test results you get. swap the wires in a two way switch and see what happens, how to find it etc. put the effort in now and assessment day will be a breeze. Phew! Perhaps I should do a video on making a test board. Good luck. Dave.

[@danielteyehuago1633]

18:24 Dave, it worth watching you always

[@learnelectrics4402]

Thank you, I appreciate your feedback. Dave.

[@michaelcostello6991]

At 16:25 in video. Would the reading not continue to get larger. I mean you have 2 resistances in parallel, the nail and the short at the socket. The bigger either is the larger the reading ? Of course the resistance of 2 parallel resistors is always less then the smallest resistor but the reading would still get larger ?.. Can you explain further.

[@learnelectrics4402]

I will do another video on this to explain it. Its all to do with very small resistances in parallel.

[@michaelcostello6991]

@@learnelectrics4402 Thank you

[@michaelcostello6991]

Nice lecture. might have been good to show sketch of resistances values and explain why it stays at 0.17 ohms after short just for complete understanding

[@learnelectrics4402]

Maybe I could add that on to the series, thank you.

[@AngelaPeters-fy1tc]

It took me a while to figure this out myself now im not sure but if its 0.148 ohms before the short then 0.17 is very slightly higher than this ie slightly longer cable which equates to slightly more resistance to the point of the nail or short after the 0.148 reading at the socket before the short and I thnk the reason it stays at 0.17 at each socket after the short is because the electron path is whizzing through the short or nail and not going any further ie along the rest of the cable sockets etc and hence the reason why you investigate in between the 0.148 value and 0.17 and as well its good to note down the values between each socket because you can see how much the resistance changes between the sockets and in the case of the very slight increase between 0.148 and 0.17 you can compare if this incfrease is on a par with the previous increases in resistance between the previous sockets and if its not then that also proves your in the right area to look for said short. I hope this makes sense and maybe im way wrong i dont know.

[@no_short_circuit]

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge. Do you have any adcice on how to establish the actual route of a ring final - in other words when the conductors leave socket A how can you establish which is the next socket on the circuit?

[@learnelectrics4402]

Without the installer leaving a plan for the customer it can be difficult. However, if you know it is only a downstairs circuit, it is very likely that the route will follow a ring too. If you can find the furthest socket from the CU, ask yourself, how would I route the cable from the CU to here and how would I get back to the CU from here and take in all the sockets. A mixture of guesswork, practice and lots of luck.

[@no_short_circuit]

@@learnelectrics4402 Thanks very much for taking the time to reply.

[@ovieoyegwa6153]

Rule of Safe isolation: If the circuit is not dead, you might be when you touch it.

[@learnelectrics4402]

Exactly. thanks for watching. Dave.

[@ovieoyegwa6153]

@@learnelectrics4402 I always look forward to your videos. Am a pro electrician, thanks to you

[@aaama1435]

Hi dave I really appreciated your help very informative and understandable I wish if you were my teacher if you could leave a link for a sockets adaptor link I couldn't find it on line or the shop thanks

[@kataSang]

Hi, great informative video. I have an extractor fan in the bathroom which sometimes keep going on and off, can someone please tell me if it is short circut or not? Many thanks

[@learnelectrics4402]

If it was a short circuit it would probably trip the breaker/RCD or just not work. Could be the windings breaking down or the pcb inside or something else. They don't last forever unfortunately. Dave.

[@brianoneill350]

Dave, just trying to get my head around why the socket at B closest to the fault has the highest reading. Is it because the furthest from the failt the lower the resistance reading

[@learnelectrics4402]

As the length of wire increases, the resistance increases. As socket B is closest to the fault, that will be the longest length of wire. Hope this helps.

[@brianoneill350]

@@learnelectrics4402 genius

[@brianoneill350]

Genius. Any idea where you got the short lead to short out on plug adaptor. Did you make it up yourself

[@Ak.sparkie]

Friend of mine purchased food/kebab Catering van and guess what he needs EICR but Iv check KZbin to find so video to give me some tips but unfortunately there’s no video or anything, I’m sure if you make an video about catering it would help everyone! Thanks

[@learnelectrics4402]

Mobile units such as this are classed as special locations. Refer to Part 7 of the Regs book, section 717.

[@danielteyehuago1633]

I'm here again.

[@learnelectrics4402]

Very welcome. Thanks for watching. Dave.