Periodic Inspection in a Victorian Terrace House

Location: London Borough of Islington, UK

David, a NICEIC-certified electrician, kneels beside a vintage fuse box in a converted 1890s townhouse. Damp plaster dust coats his hi-vis jacket as he unzips his kit. His priority: compliance with the **18th Edition Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) before the landlord’s EICR (*Electrical Installation Condition Report*) deadline.  

He selects his digital multifunction tester its CAT IV 600V rating crucial for UK mains voltage. First, earth electrode resistance**: probes jam into rain-sodden garden soil near the external Consumer Unit. The display flashes  23Ω – safely below the 200Ω threshold mandated by *BS 7430*.  

Back in the kitchen, David checks ring final circuit continuity. Clips attach to live/neutral at the socket while he measures R1+R2 at the CU. The tester beeps: 0.38Ω – well within *Regulation 612.2.1* limits.  

"Right, RCD trip times," he mutters, flipping the tester to  30mA residual current mode. A simulated fault triggers the safety switch: **<21 ms** at 230V. He ticks his clipboard – *Section 643.8 compliance verified*.  

Finally, **insulation resistance** between circuits. With all loads disconnected, 500VDC pulses through ageing cables. The readout holds steady at >199 MΩ – no dangerous leakage in the fabric-lagged wiring.