A little bit of knowledge...

[hightower]

In the pub so it's behind closed doors.

Went to a job last night, communal area of some flats. Light has been permanently on for years, flat 1 wanted the light switched with PIRs and arranged with the other residents to have the work done. So the job was to make the light switch with two PIRs - one installed out the front door, one installed in the communal area - so that coming home on a night, or leaving on a dark morning the light would trigger.

There was a three-core already installed that I could utilise (tested fine) but had been bypassed. Basically, some tinkering Tom had (years ago) removed one side of a two way switch (wires left dangling live - well, a bit of tape to help) and then wired the other side to bypass the switch totally thus leaving the light permanently on.

Anyhoo, I wanted two PIRs in parallel, which means that if one turns on the other is going to have a voltage present on the switch line - something I don't think electronic PIRs would be too keen on, so I opted for the traditional relay style PIRs to make sure.

I took the light down to fish for the wires to adjust the setup - I needed a neutral at each PIR, so was changing it so that each three core had a line and neutral and a switch return.

Cue flat 2 returning home, "what you doing?"

Me: I'm installing a couple PIRs to allow the light to be switched
Him: Why?
Me: Because that's what I've been asked to do. Something about turning the light off when it's not needed
Him: Do you know how much they cost to run? Pennies!
Me: Look, I'm only doing what I've been asked to do. If you've a problem, you need to take it up with your residents association.

He went in to his flat but came out a few minutes later

Him: Why are you messing with the light then if you just need to install a PIR in place of that switch?
Me: I'm installing two PIRs, I need to get a neutral to the PIR so I'm altering it up here
Him: You don't need a neutral for a PIR
Me: The way I'm wiring this, I do
This followed with a little bit of Punch and Judy style "You don't", "I do" and then I said "look, I'm discussing this no more"

He disappeared in to his flat and came out again two minutes later with a print out of an electronic PIR that said no neutral needed and said "here you are, it says right there" before disappearing back in to his flat before I had a chance to respond.

I didn't see him again after that. When I finished I explained to flat 1 what had happened and explained why I needed to get a neutral to the PIR to achieve what he wanted, just in case flat 2 started making his mouth go.

He was understanding and basically said he was a bit of a know-it-all, I responded "a little bit of knowledge...". Flat 1 said he wouldn't be surprised if it was flat 2 that did the unsafe bypass all those years ago.

Anyhoo, wall of text, just had to get it off my chest as he really annoyed me. What stories have you got of people being a complete pain in the a***?

 

[Spoon]

But the customer is always right.......

 

[telectrix]

But the customer is always right.......

only when there's a z in the month.

 

[Wilko]

Just a shame you weren't on an hourly rate. Usually I do my best to seem interested, say at least one "yes, I understand" and then carry on. In this chaps case, I'm wondering if he's taking a feed off these lights into his flat for a few free electrons? No good now if it's going to go off from time to time

 

[Richard Burns]

One that annoyed me. (In very brief)
An old and tatty installation~: I would recommend a full EICR to check this; oh no just have a quick look round and tell me how it is.
OK it is old but seems serviceable but there have been a lot of DIY changes and I cannot tell more without testing.
Can you add a socket: start wiring, the ring is not a ring I will have to find the fault, why didn't you tell me this before we started I would have done things totally differently, and on and on!

Also your SWA outside is damaged where it is buried only 20mm deep on the gravel drive, I can come in Monday to fix after the builder has opened up the cable on Saturday; Arrive Monday, drive reinstated, "oh yes the builder has sealed the cable and fixed it for much less than you were going to charge."
Next week "the RCD is still tripping", unearth the cable to find it totally unchanged, get moaned at for having to replace the cable as originally stated.

Rant over

 

[LeeH]

I don't think I could keep my cool dealing with the general public.

Hats off to you all.

 

[telectrix]

recently fell out with a gypsy guy. chalet with veranda. 14 lights on veranda, all with different size/length flexes. access below verandah just a crawl space. he blew his top when i refused to choc block, tape, and stuff under.

 

[HandySparks]

recently fell out with a gypsy guy. chalet with veranda. 14 lights on veranda, all with different size/length flexes. access below verandah just a crawl space. he blew his top when i refused to choc block, tape, and stuff under.

Reminds me that I was called out to a mobile home recently for complete loss of power. I explained that it would be emergency rate, but the bloke said OK. When I got there I found that the supply was via a long length of SWA to a cluster of garage CUs, all with their covers off. Then another SWA into the bottom of the home. CU in the MH, also with missing cover, I found line supply but no neutral. Peered into the crawl space under the MH and could see a choc block joint in the cable hanging over a large puddle. Puddle was a bit whiffy, probably due to a leak in the main drain. Told the customer that the fault was likely underneath, but that I wasn't going to crawl through a puddle of pi$$ to fix it. Suggested he get the drains fixed first. There were indications that I wasn't the first one to have turned the job down.

 

[Wilko]

Neighbour has popped over and said his driveway lights are tripping and can I have a look please. Not raining here today, so I've walked over. He's already dug up a bit of the drive and pulled up 3 bits of SWA that look like they've been taped and buried in the dirt. Ugly, can't believe it worked beyond the first wet spell. I'm pretty sure he's done it. Walked up to house to look at the board. It's TT, 10m (ish) of meter tails, no sw fuse, no RCD in sight, lots of spaghetti. So tripping means a hard fault somewhere. I tried to explain the safety risks, not just the lights but the whole installation but he doesn't want to know. So I've decided I just can't help him unless he lets me fix the lot. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds...

 

[PEG]

Never,ever,ever deal with the general public...ask cameron and clinton
I get asked on occasion,to intervene in issues which may concern a "third party",and usually get the individual who has involved me,to explain to the randomer,thus...any mention of "My mate down the pub,says..." or "I've googled it,and..." guarantees my exit.

Although,a few years ago,i was fixing a pals boat,on his drive,while he was at work...an elderly lady opposite,asked me if i could tell the three university chuggers on her doorstep,to leave.

They were all liveried up,in a major homeless charities uniform,and had been bullying her,tag-team style,for a good 30 minutes...

They got that 10 minutes of their education, completely free of debt or exam