by ericmark »
Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:49 am
All switches will arc when switched and we use a variety of methods to reduce both the arc and effect. It may be acceptable or it could be a faulty switch and the more current drawn the more arcing is likely. For me as an electrician to look at the arc and say that’s acceptable or that’s not and you need to change the switch is easy. But to describe to a third party what is acceptable is another story. What sort of load is on the switch (socket) and if you move same load to another switch (socket) do you get same result. Earths are tested with earth fault loop impedance tester but any of the cheap plugs with neon testers will show if an earth is there and is better than nothing. We call them martindale testers like all vacuum cleaners are called hovers and we would always test any socket changed to ensure no silly mistakes if you remove 20 sockets and one has line and neutral other way around easy to make a mistake so always one plugs in tester just like washing hands after going to loo.
Eric
