Electrical repairs

[jansman]

We had a full re-wire last year here at Chez Jansman. Great Sparkie, but a bugger to pin down to come and do a job!
Last week the pull-switch in the bathroom 'went', jammed in the off position. We have been managing with LED back-up lights. Rather impressed actually. However, I digress...
Sparkie away on holiday, and Her Ladyship givin'me earache! So I fixed itmyself.

Now,to some here that is no big deal. I have lived here 23 years, and back then I did all the repairs myself(I fitted my own woodstoves pre HETAS regulations). However, as I get older I tend to listen to the rules/regs brigade more often. Yes,Yes, I know I can replace a switch etc etc. but I am getting more cautious in my old age.
Anyhow, I bought a switch with the same wiring set-up, and it is better than before! I know it is easy for many, but these days you never know if you are breaking a building regulation or not. I do not want to damage my house , after all.
Anyhow, we are no longer on those Rolson 72LED lights-check 'em out, they are the Dog's Danglies!

My point? Nothing is beyond your scope, as long as you know when you are outside your ability.

[Yorkshire Andy]

These new P regs are a joke....

I know several electricians who have had to pack in "working on the side" so to speak" one was fully vat and registered legally speaking he can't even do perscribed work in his own house even though he does it all week long as the part P certifying is done by his employer after he tests it....


Another is a Maritime sparky (exempt from part P) even so they hounded him threatening court action unless he joined or ceased trading...

Its a money making racket pure and simple as if you have access to the correct equipment and are competent using it the only thing you are lacking is a bit of paper....

My dad and uncle used to do rewires on a weekend back in the 70/ 80s (dad was uncles electricians mate at work and my uncle was up on his tickets as it was back then,, when the only test kit you needed was a megga.

Its only forced this type of work underground so to speak and only an issue if someone finds out/ goes wrong...

Our house was rewired by uncle and dad well before part P came in so they know the installation better than anyone but now we cant do anything outside the scope of what your allowed to do..... (basicly no outside work . that in a bathroom or kitchen or add a new circuit

[jansman]

Exactly, Yorkshire Andy. The stove I am in front of is legal. Until I sell the house. WTF!

[Plymtom]

I was a sparkie till my wife got ill, foreman on jobs costing hundreds of thousands of pounds, I'll stop replacing worn out switches and sockets in my own home when I cant buy em any more, I do understand the need to keep it to those who know what they are doing but FFS I'd need a refresher course if I ever have to go back to it, you almost needed a lawyer to understand regs book jargon back then, I truly dread to think how worse they could have made it now.

[ForgeCorvus]

The whole idea behind the regs is to stop cowboys..... Problem is cowboys don't give a monkey's anyway so the only people who're falling foul are the ones who try to stay on the right side of the law.
If I didn't know better I'd think that big business was behind it


Manditory testing is only as good as those doing the testing....... Who might or might not be any good as sparkies in the first place (a bit of paper means gak-all when its said and done, I'd rather trust a man whos been doing the job )

[jansman]

The Son of a former colleague, served his apprenticeship as a Sparkie, qualified and is doing well. Working all over Europe.
However, he has not yet been qualified for 'signing work off'. However, his long-term unemployed Cousin has been on a GVT. course to sign work off. He cannot even wire a plug! WTF!!!!!

So I will continue to use my good old common sense.

[OctopusPrime]

You can do anything electrically wise... As long as you get a sparx to do the final conection, test it and sign it off
I added a new ring in and wired up my mums new shed with two sockets and a light, even had it's own seperate DB.

I just left the final connection unconected from the main DB. Call a sparx,

"Connect that and test the ring"
30mins in and out, got the cert... Cost me £80 (for his time)

[Oldarborman]

I hate anything electrical " you can't see it when it bites you" so I have a thing called a " Phil" who is my son in law and a time served sparky

[Yorkshire Andy]

You can do anything electrically wise... As long as you get a sparx to do the final conection, test it and sign it off
I added a new ring in and wired up my mums new shed with two sockets and a light, even had it's own seperate DB.

I just left the final connection unconected from the main DB. Call a sparx,

"Connect that and test the ring"
30mins in and out, got the cert... Cost me £80 (for his time)

not strictly true you can add a spur or replace sockets/ switches outside the prescribed higher risk areas.... eg kitchen or bathroom

[Hamradioop]

A lot of the Electrical Regs have been introduced as a result of Deaths. Electricity is dangerous stuff if you don't know what you are doing. Part P was another knee jerk reaction due to a MP losing a family member to Electricity. Any time politicians get involved something gets stuff up as they think laws and regs actually stop criminals and cowboys. I think I must have missed something?