I‘ve worked in the electrical industry for a decade and this page records some projects that I have worked on.
Electrical DIY
A survey by the charity Electrical Safety First, part of the Electrical Safety Council, found a growing trend in electrical DIY.
People these days look to youtube tutorials to save money. After all, only a third of under 25s say that they can change a light fitting and a quarter say they can fit a plug. So DIY is popular, especially when you are watching the pennies.
Given that 350,000 people are injured each year by electrical incidents and over half of all fires in the UK are caused by dodgy electrics, the importance of any work being done by a competent person is essential. However, almost half of under 25s and 37% of over 35s surveyed, would consider doing electrical DIY.
Let’s be sensible, any person should be able to change a light bulb and fit a plug, but let’s draw the line at new spot lights for the kitchen or a shaver unit for the bathroom. You don’t always need an electrician, but if you’re not sure how to do it then you do. Above all use common sense – always isolate the power supply first.
One significant difference for example, when an electrician comes they will isolate the power and test that the supply is dead. Whereas the lay person will simply switch off a circuit breaker and start work.
Turning a light switch on and a lamp not coming on doesn’t prove that there’s no power at the ceiling rose or the light switch. In most cases switching off the light switch and then changing the light bulb is okay, but not okay for opening light switches and ceiling roses to work with unterminated or exposed cables.
Electrical Safety First promotes that an electrician should be used for all electrical work, but of course a reasonably intelligent person would not need an electrician to change a light fitting.
In fact there’s no regulation requiring an electrician for any work, it’s a competent person the regulations demand, but of course should something go wrong probably the only way to show that you are competent is with electrical qualifications.
April 2017
This cable marked HALL was found coincidentally in the HALL.
King’s Square, City Road.
Just 100 metres from the last site I worked at, it’s a small world.
This was the second worst job ever and the worst paid. I’ve never worked so much for so little but I had no choice because I was waiting to start new work at the Royal Opera House on the 24th of April and I needed to stay afloat.
It sounded good at first, price work at £210 to complete a single flat, £230 for a two bedroom. But it soon became apparent that it would take three days to complete one room.
I was onsite at 7.30am and left at 5.30pm, I took no breaks all day. For this enthusiasm I was paid an average of £40 per day. I had never been cheated like this before. Some companies are out to rip people off, this was one of them – Laser Electrical.
The CCU with no tails or entry point.
April 2017
King’s Square, City Road.
Just 100 metres from the last site I worked at, it’s a small world.
This was the second worst job ever and the worst paid. I’ve never worked so much for so little but I had no choice because I was waiting to start new work at the Royal Opera House on the 24th of April and I needed to stay afloat.
It sounded good at first, price work at £210 to complete a single flat, £230 for a two bedroom. But it soon became apparent that it would take three days to complete one room.
I was onsite at 7.30am and left at 5.30pm, I took no breaks all day. For this enthusiasm I was paid an average of £40 per day. I had never been cheated like this before. Some companies are out to rip people off, this was one of them – Laser Electrical.
This cable marked HALL was found coincidentally in the HALL.
The CCU with no tails or entry point.
March 2017
250 City Road, Old Street.
I started on a Friday and by the following Friday it was over. It should have been work for a year installing the temporary site supply for Wyse Power. But it appears I was only there to replace someone who went on their holiday. This is the rub sometimes when you work for an agency.
March 2017
250 City Road, Old Street.
I started on a Friday and by the following Friday it was over. What should have been a long job was no more than a week. Unfortunately it was only work with temporary supplies for Wyse Power.
Electrical posts from the blog
