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

SparkySy · Feb 13, 2022

@nicebutdim I totally agree with you, but it must have been done at some point after the original installation as the rest of that original installation is very well done, the rest is a mess but that's another story!
The only thing that could have happened is that the seal fairy paid a visit in the past and at some point after that it was re-sealed again by the DNO, perhaps after a meter change.

westward10 · Feb 13, 2022

Possibly an original fire alarm supply that has been repurposed. Pre control panels with back up batteries mains only operated systems were often connected direct to source of supply and that cable looks quite old.

SparkySy · Feb 13, 2022

It is indeed quite an old cable so that could be a possibility many thanks @westward10 you are a hive of useful information!

JBW175 · Feb 13, 2022

Found on a recent EICR, armour not earthed or glanded at either end, and thrown under a kitchen unit.

Raptor0014 · Feb 14, 2022

Nice, shiny copper on show.

brianmoooore · Feb 14, 2022

Raptor0014 said:
Nice, shiny copper on show.

Agreed, but better switch design would alleviate this problem. Deeper insertion depth, and more shroud built into the switch.

Raptor0014 · Feb 14, 2022

brianmoooore said:
Agreed, but better switch design would alleviate this problem. Deeper insertion depth, and more shroud built into the switch.

Completely agree. Some switches have ridiculously shallow conductor depth.

timhoward · Feb 14, 2022

"The end light is flickering".
Oh joy.... (and class 1 fitting too with no earthing unless the ants nest counts)

Raptor0014 · Feb 14, 2022

timhoward said:
"The end light is flickering".
Oh joy.... (and class 1 fitting too with no earthing unless the ants nest counts)
View attachment 95092

Maybe they misunderstood Ants living in the earth to Ants being the earth.

Either that or you’ve discovered a new species of electrical earthing Ant. Maybe you should get on the blower to a Mr D Attenborough.

SparkySy · Feb 14, 2022

Today's fun, back to the old split phase mill I looked at back in November. Originally made in 1940, moved here in 1969! All the capacitors had gone and the panel was in a very poor tinkered with state and frankly lethal!
Second pic, this is how it was when I first looked at it, the farm lads were turning it on with a stick!
First pic, replaced contactor assembly with a new starter and 4 new caps and we are up and running again!

littlespark · Feb 14, 2022

You got the “before” and “after” pics the wrong way round there…

SparkySy · Feb 14, 2022

Nah @littlespark that was how I left it.

Couldn't work out why it put the pictures that way round but I adjusted the statement at the top so it made more sense!

marconi · Feb 14, 2022

SparkySy said:
Today's fun, back to the old split phase mill I looked at back in November. Originally made in 1940, moved here in 1969! All the capacitors had gone and the panel was in a very poor tinkered with state and frankly lethal!
Second pic, this is how it was when I first looked at it, the farm lads were turning it on with a stick!
First pic, replaced contactor assembly with a new starter and 4 new caps and we are up and running again!
View attachment 95095 View attachment 95094

You even sorted out the short length of conduit for the supply and properly fitted a brass bush - before it was just poking through. 10/10.

nicebutdim · Feb 14, 2022

marconi said:
You even sorted out the short length of conduit for the supply and properly fitted a brass bush - before it was just poking through. 10/10.

Two brass bushes and a coupler. Much neater.

SparkySy · Feb 14, 2022

Well I thought it should be a professional job rather than the bodgery that was there before. And it's doing well for a 1940s mill it's had 1 new motor about 1978 and that's the 4th control panel. I thought it deserved some respect! And love!
Apparently it hasn't had any bearings greased for at least the last 20years so I left one of the farm lads to give it some more TLC!

westward10 · Feb 14, 2022

Aside from the exposed insulation what is going on here. This was done whilst two new dist boards were fitted in a shop.

marconi · Feb 14, 2022

westward10 said:
Aside from the exposed insulation what is going on here. This was done whilst two new dist boards were fitted in a shop.View attachment 95108

And what was not done?

littlespark · Feb 14, 2022

marconi said:
And what was not done?

polarity check, from the looks of things

westward10 · Feb 14, 2022

littlespark said:
polarity check, from the looks of things

Yep 21 circuits reverse polarity. No seals on anything so I swapped them over obviously plenty of testing took place.

westward10 · Feb 14, 2022

marconi said:
And what was not done?

Blue and brown are as5 about face.

Jim_e_Jib · Feb 14, 2022

westward10 said:
Yep 21 circuits reverse polarity. No seals on anything so I swapped them over obviously plenty of testing took place.

Did you also swear profusely after cutting yourself on the perfectly angled ends of the cable tie markers?

Dustydazzler · Feb 14, 2022

I am convinced that people cut their ties on the angle like that just so the next bloke cuts themselves

freddo · Feb 14, 2022

While we are on meters, found today. Clear identification:

littlespark · Feb 14, 2022

freddo said:
While we are on meters, found today. Clear identification:
View attachment 95119

I think this is just some muppet taking the pis

DPG · Feb 15, 2022

littlespark said:
I think this is just some muppet taking the pis

At least it's an easy fix!

littlespark · Feb 15, 2022

DPG said:
At least it's an easy fix!

Really?!

You got to get fuse pulled…test…. disconnect from isolator… cut a couple inches off each tail and reterminate.
Torque driver for that, of course…
Then check for polarity… retest…..

This could take a whole day? sucks teeth

Dustydazzler · Feb 15, 2022

littlespark said:
Really?!

You got to get fuse pulled…test…. disconnect from isolator… cut a couple inches off each tail and reterminate.
18V IMPACT DRIVER driver for that, of course…
Then check for polarity… retest…..

This could take a whole day? sucks teeth

Corrected for you

littlespark · Feb 15, 2022

Impact drivers only for mcb’s, dusty…

Cutting tails with a pair if scissors as well, eh?

Mike Johnson · Feb 15, 2022

At least there wasn't any copper showing.

Dustydazzler · Feb 15, 2022

Mike Johnson said:
At least there wasn't any copper showing.

I always leave a bout an inch of copper on show so the next bloke can get his test probes on it to test polarity

Dustydazzler · Feb 15, 2022

littlespark said:
Impact drivers only for mcb’s, dusty…

Cutting tails with a pair if scissors as well, eh?

Garden shears

Mike Johnson · Feb 15, 2022

Dustydazzler said:
I always leave a bout an inch of copper on show so the next bloke can get his test probes on it to test polarity

No need to test on that installation the electrician had very thoughtfully marked the cable's.

UKMeterman · Feb 20, 2022

Is this the correct way to earth? https://www.facebook.com/700228559/videos/242465814768477/

freddo · Feb 20, 2022

Callout yesterday to lights flickering and arcing sound in lounge light due to loose connections. Sorted that and wanted to do some tests/checks before I left, found this. Meter, cutout and 2 way(!) consumer unit for the house all mounted in a low level lounge cupboard. I only really found this as I had to move the customers stuff out of the cupboard to get at the CU. Wasn't about to leave that as it was so accessible and there were children in the house so I removed it and left an electrical danger notice explaining to the customer the urgent need to upgrade the earthing, bonding and RCD protection, and to have a full EICR carried out. Took a load of loop readings from the 2 circuits, highest was 0.41 ohms so I wasn't too bothered with the lack or RCD protection. Probably should have phoned EDF and kicked up an absolute stink but I didn't have time for that and 2014 was a long time ago. The sticker on the meter cover wasn't broken but the name information had been ripped off and the crimp seal was blank, presumably the meter fitter hiding their tracks. Perhaps regular EICRs should be encouraged more for non-rented properties.

Mike Johnson · Feb 20, 2022

Obviously lost its lower cover, did the owner have it somewhere? sort of thing you find on the floor and stick in a cupboard.

Teddy Lop · Feb 20, 2022

Paignton pete said:
To be fair those brick lights a near impossible to waterproof.

I find the best way with anything on a retaining wall is to empty the guts into the nearest bin, fit a g4 lampholder and feed via a transformer...

brianmoooore · Feb 20, 2022

If you can't make it waterproof, arrange for it to have an effective drain.

Raptor0014 · Mar 2, 2022

What do you do if you decide to cut corners and realise your enclosure won’t take an armoured gland, but you need to earth the armour to your 2 core SWA?

Et voila

I do despair sometimes with some of the things I see. I wouldn’t mind but it’s not even tight.

Dustydazzler · Mar 2, 2022

Seen this LOADS of time , done with an earth clamp or hose pipe clamp

I even witnessed a NIC sparks do this on site and he said it was an 'acceptable' solution to a problem

telectrix · Mar 2, 2022

IMO, that's about as acceptable as Rudolph pulling Santa's sleigh after a vindaloo.

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