Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - 1 Million Views!

dodger421 · Mar 19, 2021

I’m not sure if this was the electrical contractors or the internal bodge squad (aka the projects team), but this was fitted in the last few months as part of a new working area to feed an external container with a double socket, and a few lights in SY. There’s a heater element in an IBC that seems to be supplied from somewhere else too.

Brand new Contactum enclosure with RCD main switch. Buying Contactum MCB’s at the same time was clearly much more difficult than butchering the enclosure to fit the Crabtree.
I’ve not fully traced it out but I think the D16 feeds an RCD double socket in the container, because whoever installed it hasn’t heard of selectivity either!

EDIT: I forgot to add the SWA supply from the other side of the plant is glanded onto a rotary isolator that’s then glanded to the Contactum enclosure, presumably with galv conduit but it’s basically flush so probably not given the quality on display. I’ve not opened anything up, mostly out of fear that things can only get worse underneath the veneer of crap.

Dustydazzler · Mar 19, 2021

nibbled out the cover of board with side cutters , very creative solution

littlespark · Mar 19, 2021

Dustydazzler said:
nibbled out the cover of board with side cutters , very creative solution

side cutters?
Looks like he used his teeth!

(I got really confused there. You must have been editing your post as I pressed reply... thinking “that’s not what it says???”)

MrPupsi · Mar 19, 2021

On the same note, brand new board, couldn’t be bothered to get the correct fitting MCB.

Landlord said he had an EICR done a couple years ago and this wasn’t picked up then!

pc1966 · Mar 19, 2021

MrPupsi said:
On the same note, brand new board, couldn’t be bothered to get the correct fitting MCB.

Landlord said he had an EICR done a couple years ago and this wasn’t picked up then!

FFS it is not like they are hard to get or obsolete ones, I would imagine a 5 min trip to local Screwfix!

Also looks like the RCD's N fixing has been bent as screw appears no longer lined up to the access hole.

telectrix · Mar 19, 2021

pc1966 said:
FFS it is not like they are hard to get or obsolete ones, I would imagine a 5 min trip to local Screwfix!

Also looks like the RCD's N fixing has been bent as screw appears no longer lined up to the access hole.

do you mean the L? it's the bent busbar that's causing that.

Dustydazzler · Mar 19, 2021

Such a shame on a brand new install when the equipment is mutilated like that.

telectrix · Mar 19, 2021

as if it's difficult to get a BG MCB.

pc1966 · Mar 19, 2021

telectrix said:
do you mean the L? it's the bent busbar that's causing that.

Doh, yes! Posting before enough coffee this morning.

pc1966 · Mar 19, 2021

telectrix said:
as if it's difficult to get a BG MCB.

Step 1 - search for "BG MCB" on line
Step 2 - click on first link for Screwfix
Step 3 - order on web site, or write down number and get one locally for £3.69

telectrix · Mar 19, 2021

step 4. look in back of van. i have about 20, various ratings and types.

Mike Johnson · Mar 19, 2021

Step 5 find out where telectrix lives and steal one out the back of his van.

SparkySy · Mar 19, 2021

Found this today on a PRS EICR it was the places first test in 10 years after being built. Due to the lack of plastic pieces in the enclosure I can only assume the original installers knew they had done it and left it like that!

telectrix · Mar 19, 2021

bit of tape. it's only on the neutral.

buzzlightyear · Mar 19, 2021

SparkySy said:
Found this today on a PRS EICR it was the places first test in 10 years after being built. Due to the lack of plastic pieces in the enclosure I can only assume the original installers knew they had done it and left it like that!

Or did you break it trying to get out and blame other peaple. Lol

SparkySy · Mar 19, 2021

No buzz unfortunately I was just there to swap it for a non broken one! With installing & testing the new one I was there less than 20mins and Mr torqueey torque driver made sure I didn't do what they did!?

MrPupsi · Mar 20, 2021

Another EICR with a dodgy RCD.
Power off, cover off, quick start with a visual.

Saw this straight away.
Tried to tighten it, but wouldn’t tighten at all. Assumed they’d put it behind the clamp, so pulled the tail out.
They’ve actually managed to somehow snap the clamp so it will not tighten, so it’s just been resting in there ever since.

FYI, house was newly built 2 years ago!

Mike Johnson · Mar 20, 2021

That's the trouble with Torque screwdrivers. ?

littlespark · Mar 20, 2021

MrPupsi said:
Another EICR with a dodgy RCD.
Power off, cover off, quick start with a visual.

Saw this straight away.
Tried to tighten it, but wouldn’t tighten at all. Assumed they’d put it behind the clamp, so pulled the tail out.
They’ve actually managed to somehow snap the clamp so it will not tighten, so it’s just been resting in there ever since.

FYI, house was newly built 2 years ago!

Ok.... so have you replaced it, or left them with the dodgy untight cable until you can replace?

Dustydazzler · Mar 20, 2021

So they snapped the screw clamp and just left it flapping in the wind. Lovely ?

Dustydazzler · Mar 20, 2021

Mike Johnson said:
That's the trouble with Torque screwdrivers. ?

You mean 18v impact drivers

Mike Johnson · Mar 20, 2021

No No the Torque driver is to jamb into the terminal to hold the conductor in place ? it would be the most useful thing I'm used mine for.

Teddy Lop · Mar 20, 2021

SparkySy said:
Found this today on a PRS EICR it was the places first test in 10 years after being built. Due to the lack of plastic pieces in the enclosure I can only assume the original installers knew they had done it and left it like that!
View attachment 83482

"They all do that sir"

Dustydazzler · Mar 20, 2021

Mike Johnson said:
No No the Torque driver is to jamb into the terminal to hold the conductor in place ? it would be the most useful thing I'm used mine for.

So use the torque screwdriver as a pry bar and one of these to tighten the terminations...?

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Dustydazzler · Mar 20, 2021

Teddy Lop said:
View attachment 83518
"They all do that sir"

One if first looked at this i thought you put the photo up the wrong way...but nope its the ruddy board on its side LOL

What's all the heat sleeve about ?

Teddy Lop · Mar 20, 2021

telectrix said:
as if it's difficult to get a BG MCB.

That's the most depressing aspect, it was one thing when you were dealing with discontinued lines, but the CBF of it all is the worst.

I was pondering the other day why consumer unit manufacturers have such low opinion of sparks that they make everything with horrid multi-fit screw heads that fit everything somewhat and nothing perfectly, in the belief that electricians are all too lazy to select an appropriate screwdriver? Although as we note a good portion of installers (ill refrain from calling them electricians) CBFed to find the right bits!

Teddy Lop · Mar 20, 2021

Dustydazzler said:
One if first looked at this i thought you put the photo up the wrong way...but nope its the ruddy board on its side LOL

What's all the heat sleeve about ?

He sleeved all the redblack cables ! If only he'd have paid a little more attention to detail elsewhere... Such as a plastering syllabus...

Its a vertically integrated solution ill have you know, which as far as I'm aware negates the fire rating as the door doesn't gravity-shut....

Mike Johnson · Mar 20, 2021

Have to admit, many years ago the first time I used a PZ after a normal cross head, I was surprised how much more a terminal screw turned before I was happy with the tightness.

Are you sure its not the label 90 degs out. ?

MrPupsi · Mar 20, 2021

littlespark said:
Ok.... so have you replaced it, or left them with the dodgy untight cable until you can replace?

Neither!

Bypassed the RCD for that half of the board, safest thing to do bar replace the RCD for the time being.

This does open another discussion of what to do in these situations though.

I would have rather just replaced the RCD but I don't have authorisation to from the letting agency as they couldn't get hold of the landlord, but couldn't just leave it switched off as the tenants would just switch it on again after I left, even after telling them not to.
I could have swapped the RCD over but would have cost me at least an hour in travel both ways to get the correct part, swap it over and then I'd have to hope that the landlord would be happy to pay me for my troubles.

What would you have done in this situation?

Mike Johnson · Mar 20, 2021

The problem is insisting on the letting agent giving you instructions without being too confrontational to someone that possibly appointed you in the first place and loosing future appointments.

littlespark · Mar 20, 2021

Big van, lots of spares.

I would ask for details of whatever was tripping before going to a fault. Even a photograph of the CU so you know makes.

I know it’s not always handy, so I do have a box of common rcd, MCBs, main switches etc. Something will fit. I know I’m going to have to go back with the correct part at some point.

SparkySy · Mar 20, 2021

I carry a similar box of get you out the sh1te gear including some flexible 16mm link cables that have come in handy a couple of times when the stuff I had on the van wouldn't bodge in satisfactorily for a temporary solution!

nicebutdim · Mar 20, 2021

Mike Johnson said:
That's the trouble with Torque screwdrivers. ?

Quite possibly it was backed right off the thread from the factory and started badly. Minimal force would then be required to strip the thread.

Regardless of how it happened, someone knew exactly what they done and made the decision to leave it that way, rather than put it right

DJAndy · Mar 20, 2021

Not sure if you'd consider this dodgy, but it was rather annoying when the fixture needed replacing

SparkyChick · Mar 20, 2021

Teddy Lop said:
View attachment 83518
"They all do that sir"

I would guess they swapped out a plastic Wylex board and just banged it in an unpopulated MK. At least they covered the unused bus-bar nubs... other than that... wow, just WOW!

Simon47 · Mar 20, 2021

Teddy Lop said:
Its a vertically integrated solution ill have you know, which as far as I'm aware negates the fire rating as the door doesn't gravity-shut....

There is no requirement for it to. There isn't even a requirement for a door. The idea that the CU is supposed to "contain" any fire is just a myth.

Dartlec · Mar 20, 2021

Teddy Lop said:
View attachment 83518
"They all do that sir"

Err - leaving aside the "slight" lean, why did they use an MK board/main switch then use Wylex RCDs and MCBs? Bodged together whatever they had in the van from the last job?

Dartlec · Mar 20, 2021

Teddy Lop said:
He sleeved all the redblack cables ! If only he'd have paid a little more attention to detail elsewhere... Such as a plastering syllabus...

Its a vertically integrated solution ill have you know, which as far as I'm aware negates the fire rating as the door doesn't gravity-shut....

I know no one likes putting the two colour label on, but this seems like a sub-optimal solution!

Dartlec · Mar 20, 2021

DJAndy said:
Not sure if you'd consider this dodgy, but it was rather annoying when the fixture needed replacing

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View attachment 83532

Always know it's going to be a fun EICR when you see all the earths like this when you take the CU front off....

Seems to have been standard practise once upon a time, like the twisted earths outside of the round junction boxes...

DJAndy · Mar 20, 2021

Dartlec said:
Always know it's going to be a fun EICR when you see all the earths like this when you take the CU front off....

Seems to have been standard practise once upon a time, like the twisted earths outside of the round junction boxes..

This one had CPC, Line, Switched live, & neutral twisted. Two different entrance holes for the cables.

WHY would anyone do that?

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