Chapter 5:Inspection and testing

Contents
5.1 Initial verification
5.2 Methods of testing
5.3 Procedures of testing
5.4 Completion and inspection certificates

1
 5.1 Initial verification

 Before any completed installation, or an

addition/alteration to an existing installation, may be
connected to the supply all such installation work must be
inspected and tested in order to fulfill with national
regulations
 Any such tests that are to be made should be such that no
danger to persons or damage to property can occur.
 In other words, full knowledge of the installation must be
established in order to know which tests are required, and
whether any special conditions apply to that particular
installation.

2
Visual Inspection

The visual inspection part of the initial verification is the

process of assessing the installation prior to testing. The
inspection shall be made to verify that the installed electrical
equipment is:
 In agreement with the Electric Installation Code (in
Ethiopia)
 Correctly selected and erected in accordance with the
Electrical Installation Code
 Not visibly damaged or unreliable so as to impair safety
These three items form the objectives of the visual
inspection that must be conducted before any tests are
made.
3
The inspection shall include at least the checking of the
following items, where relevant to the installation, and where
necessary, during erection:
 Connection of conductors
 Identification of conductors
 Selection of conductors for current-carrying capacity and
voltage drop
 Connection of single pole devices in phase conductor only
 Correct connection of socket outlets and lamp holders
 Presence of fire barriers and protection against thermal
effects
 Methods of protection against direct contact:
a. Protection by insulation of live parts
b. Protection by barriers and enclosure
c. Protection by obstacles
4
d. Protection by placing out of reach
Protection by non-conducting location
Presence of appropriate devices for isolation and switching
choice and setting of protective and monitoring devices
 Labeling of circuits, fuses, switches and terminals
Selection of equipment and protective measures appropriate
to external influences
Presence of warning and danger notices
Presence of diagrams, instructions and similar information

Such visual inspections, it is necessary to have a logical

sequence, otherwise much time may be lost by going over the
ground twice or more. For the larger installation a check list
would simplify matters.

5
5.2 Methods of Testing
The order and nature of tests to be made is:
a) Continuity of protective conductors
b) Continuity of ring final circuit conductors
c) Earth electrode resistance
d) Insulation resistance
e) Insulation of site built assemblies
f) Protection by electrical separation of circuits
g) Protection against direct contact by barriers or enclosures
provided during erection
h) Insulation of non-conducting floors and walls
i) Polarity
j) Earth fault loop impedance
k) Operation of residual current devices
6
 5.3 Procedures of testing
I) Measurement of consumer's earth-electrode resistance
 If the earth-fault loop impedance test gives too high a
result, it may be necessary to measure the resistance of
the earth electrode.

7
The voltmeter measures the voltage drop between X and Z

Then, the resistance of X = Voltage drop between X and Z

Current between X and Y
To ensure that the resistance areas do not overlap, the
auxiliary electrode Z is moved to positions Z1 and Z2
respectively. The resistance values found should be of
approximately the same value in all three cases.

8
II) Insulation resistance
This is the resistance in ohms between the live parts of the
installation and earth, measured through the insulating
covering of the conductors, etc. In the case of metal-covered
wiring or conduit wiring, the term 'earth' means in practice the
metallic covering or conduit which itself is connected directly
to earth. Additionally, the insulation resistance is measured
between lines, that is, between the opposite poles of the
installation with lamps or other apparatus disconnected and
switches on.

9
 The difference between insulation and conductor
resistance is shown in the sketches above. In measuring
the resistance of a conductor AB, the resistance is
measured along the wire from end to end, and increase of
conductor length means increase of resistance. In
measuring the insulation resistance of the conductor, the
measurement is made from the conductor outwards. 10
The formula for conductor resistance is
R = (ρl ) / A
where l is the length of the conductor,
A is the cross-sectional area, and
R is the resistivity of the conductor material.
Using a similar formula for insulation (it is sufficiently true for
the purposes of this argument),
R’ = (ρ’l’ ) /A’
where l’ is the thickness of the insulation, A' is proportional to
the length of the wire, and ρ’ is the resistivity of the insulating
material.

11
 Thus, if an insulated wire is increased in length, its
conductor resistance increases while its insulation
resistance decreases. Therefore, the longer the conductor
the less will be its insulation resistance.
 The insulation resistance of a completed installation cannot
be calculated, it can only be found by actual measurement.
There are two kinds of leakage path: direct leakage through
the insulation, and surface leakage. Both are much affected
by dampness. If the insulating material is damp it will
allow current to leak away, that is, the insulation resistance
will be low.

12
 Testing voltage

The voltage used for insulation resistance

tests shall be a direct current voltage not
less than twice the normal direct current
voltage, or in the case of alternating current
not less than twice the normal r.m.s.
voltage; but it need not exceed 500 V. Thus
a 500- V insulation resistance tester is
sufficient for general purposes.

13
Testing the installation to earth

 The test shall be made with all fuse links in place, all
switches including the main switch closed and, except
where earth-concentric wiring is concerned, all poles or
phases electrically connected together.
 If required, all lamps and appliances may be removed
during the test, in which case each piece of apparatus
should be separately tested. The measured insulation to
earth shall be not less than 1 M ohm’s. The insulation
resistance of each piece of apparatus measured
separately shall be not less than 0.5 M ohm’s to earth
(between live parts and frame), and 0.5 M’s between
poles or phases.
14
15
 The sketch above shows the connections for testing
the insulation resistance to earth of a completed 2-wire
installation with lamps and other apparatus
disconnected.
 The wires of both poles of the supply to the main
switch are twisted together and connected to the 'line'
terminal of the ohmmeter.
 The 'earth' terminal of the ohmmeter is connected to
the consumer's earthing terminal.
 The three terminals of 2-way switches should
temporarily be connected together.

16
Testing between conductors
 This test is made between all the conductors connected to
anyone pole or phase of the supply, and all conductors
connected to any other pole or phase of the supply. The
insulation resistance is to be not less than 1 M ohm’s. All
lamps should be removed, all current-using apparatus
disconnected and all local switches controlling lamps or
apparatus closed. When the removal of lamps and
apparatus is not practicable, all local switches should be
open.
 A 3-wire 3-phase installation will require three tests:
1. between lines R and Y
2. between lines R and B,
3. between lines Y and B.
17
A 3-phase 4-wire installation will require six tests:
1. three separate tests between pairs of lines, R-Y, R-B, and
Y-B,
2. three separate tests, R-neutral, B-neutral and Y-neutral.
Where R, B, and Y are three phases of the system.

18
III) Verification of polarity of single-pole switches
 It has to be ensured that all fuses and single-pole control
devices are connected in the live conductor only; that the
outer contacts of center-contact bayonet and Edison-type
screw lamp holders are connected to the neutral or earthed
conductor; and that plugs and socket-outlets have been
correctly wired.
 IEE Regulation requires that all single-pole non-linked
switches are to be fitted in the phase conductor. If the
proper colored cable is used throughout the installation,
i.e. in a 2-wire installation, red for switch feeds and switch
wires and black marked at both ends with a red cover for
light feeds, no confusion should arise.

19
20
IV) Earth-fault loop testing
 When earth-leakage protection relies on the operation of
fuses or circuit breakers, the effectiveness of earthing shall
be tested by means of an earth-loop impedance test in
accordance with IEE Regulation.
 her figure below shows the path of leakage current from an
earth fault on a 2-wire final circuit. The path of the leakage
current is from the earth fault (F) along the protective
conductor to the consumer's earthing terminal and thence to
the consumer's earth electrode. From here the fault current
passes through the general mass of earth to the supply
authority's earth electrode at the supply transformer,
through the transformer winding and along the line through
the consumer's wiring to the fault. This path is called the
line-earth loop, and it is this loop which is to be tested.
21
22
A line-earth tester such as the Megger line-earth tester would
be used. The operation of this instrument is as follows:
 The instrument passes a short duration current through the
loop, the value of the current depending upon the
impedance of the loop as well as up on the voltage of the
tester.
 The current passes through a 10ohm resistor in series with
the loop, and the voltage drop across it is measured by
means of a ballistic instrument which is calibrated to read
directly the loop impedance in ohms.
 It is necessary to conduct this test in order to establish that
the test value does not exceed that provided in lEE Wiring
Regulations.

23
 5.4 Completion and inspection certificates
 On completion of a new installation or of a major alteration,
and after inspection and testing as described in this chapter,
the installation contractor is required to give a completion
certificate. This certificate, which is shown in full in the
regulations, gives certain details of the installation including
the number of appliances, etc., the method of earthing, and
the value of the earth-loop impedance.
 The certificate states that the work has been done in
accordance with regulations. It also recommends periodic
testing and inspection. An inspection certificate should
accompany and be attached to the completion certificate.
This certificate, which is much lengthier than the previous
certificate, gives the results of the full range of tests of the
installation. The form of this certificate is also given in full in
the regulations. 24
Assignment of electrical installation
Total mark 60%
1, Draw the block with your assumption dimension using AutoCAD software or appropriate
pencil.
2, calculate number of lamps in each dormitory or class room
3, Calculate the sub-feeder cable size for this room if the average ambient temperature of the
local area is taken as 35C.
4, Choose the rating of the MCB and the branch circuits breakers.
5, wired the Locate the approximate area and location of each lamps with appropriate switch's
and sockets.
Given :- Assume the power rate of single florescent lamp 40W
power rate for single general propose sockets is 200W
for single refrigerator consider 400W
if there is motor or different loads please see the rated value of the single load and
count it
Group 1 block 53
Group 2 block 60
Group 3 block 61
N.B Please use A3 paper for the wiring and location of each lamps with appropriate switch's
and sockets.
25