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If you are a cowboy electrician !!!!
Way back a few years ago we had really bad 'proper' snow down here and nobody could get anywhere as it's all small roads that get gritted last, I had some housecalls to do, just 10 min maintenance type stuff and I seriously considered riding out on my then step-daughters horse to go and get to them, thought it would be a nice novelty piece for the local rag - 'the electrician that always delivers no matter what' kind of nonsense. Then all the Cowboy Electrician potential jokes occurred to me so I refrained!! 🤠
 
You'd have to really give it some with a screwdriver to damage a MCB or cable so a torque screwdriver I think is not worth the money but if you're doing anything that requires things like spanners, ratchets, hex keys etc then I'd use torque wrench or similar as it's very easy to overtighten fasteners/terminals as you have much more leverage and force
 
You'd have to really give it some with a screwdriver to damage a MCB
Not so sure I'm with you on that one - a pet hate is when the casing wants to split on a device terminal when you actually properly tighten it, even by hand
 
Some of these comments are just crazy...

SJD made the best comment... BS7671 which we use to cover our butts, if something goes wrong we can stand up in court and say it was not our fault cause we followed BS7671.... In there it states that electrical equipment must be installed by manufacturers instructions.. If the manufacturer specifies a certain torque level then how will you tighten it to that exact torque level without a torque screw driver? If you dont use a torque screwdriver you havent followed manufacturers instructions, if you havent followed manufacturers instructions you havent followed BS7671, if you havent followed BS7671 then you dont have a leg to stand on...

As for the impact driver, I hope that was a joke, I have one of those fancy Makita impact drivers, I still can break a no6 screw sometimes on the softest of setting with a bit of a slip and too many dugga dugga's.. They are great for quickly putting up cleats or screwing into wood etc but are too powerful no matter what setting you have it on for a terminal screw and risk causing damage that you sometimes cannot see..

There has been some great videos on both these topics by efixx, check it out..
 
Some of these comments are just crazy...

SJD made the best comment... BS7671 which we use to cover our butts, if something goes wrong we can stand up in court and say it was not our fault cause we followed BS7671.... In there it states that electrical equipment must be installed by manufacturers instructions.. If the manufacturer specifies a certain torque level then how will you tighten it to that exact torque level without a torque screw driver? If you dont use a torque screwdriver you havent followed manufacturers instructions, if you havent followed manufacturers instructions you havent followed BS7671, if you havent followed BS7671 then you dont have a leg to stand on...

As for the impact driver, I hope that was a joke, I have one of those fancy Makita impact drivers, I still can break a no6 screw sometimes on the softest of setting with a bit of a slip and too many dugga dugga's.. They are great for quickly putting up cleats or screwing into wood etc but are too powerful no matter what setting you have it on for a terminal screw and risk causing damage that you sometimes cannot see..

There has been some great videos on both these topics by efixx, check it out..

OP is a guy starting out as a trainee.

Thread went sideways as expected, but I think he gets the drift that no trainee will be expected to turn up on their first day with anything more than a basic range of tools - certainly not a torque screwdriver.

What I would suggest to the OP is keeping an eye on tools you intend buying in the future - maybe even a list on Amazon where everything can be kept in one place. As offers appear from various suppliers, you can save a significant amount. Even basic hand tools can vary by £10-20 from one place to the next, so plan ahead and keep costs to a minimum.
 
Some of these comments are just crazy...

SJD made the best comment... BS7671 which we use to cover our butts, if something goes wrong we can stand up in court and say it was not our fault cause we followed BS7671.... In there it states that electrical equipment must be installed by manufacturers instructions.. If the manufacturer specifies a certain torque level then how will you tighten it to that exact torque level without a torque screw driver? If you dont use a torque screwdriver you havent followed manufacturers instructions, if you havent followed manufacturers instructions you havent followed BS7671, if you havent followed BS7671 then you dont have a leg to stand on...

As for the impact driver, I hope that was a joke, I have one of those fancy Makita impact drivers, I still can break a no6 screw sometimes on the softest of setting with a bit of a slip and too many dugga dugga's.. They are great for quickly putting up cleats or screwing into wood etc but are too powerful no matter what setting you have it on for a terminal screw and risk causing damage that you sometimes cannot see..

There has been some great videos on both these topics by efixx, check it out..
I am extremely confident fitting an mcb without a torque screwdriver. Extremely confident. As for the non compliance unless your an incompetent idiot who can't tighten a terminal screw or tightens it to the point it splits the breaker it's not an issue. Starting out as an apprentice he most certainly does not need a torque screwdriver yet.
 
I am extremely confident fitting an mcb without a torque screwdriver. Extremely confident. As for the non compliance unless your an incompetent idiot who can't tighten a terminal screw or tightens it to the point it splits the breaker it's not an issue. Starting out as an apprentice he most certainly does not need a torque screwdriver yet.

Well done, the problem is still some muppet comes in after you and does not tighten it properly afterwards, this causes a fire in which the whole family die, it is found the fire was due to a lose connection, using building compliance certificate it is found that you recently installed the consumer unit..

You end up in the dock and the first thing they ask is "Do you have a torque screw driver"... Your answer is "No".... They show you the big blue book and ask "Do you know what this is?" You reply "Well yes its BS7671 18th edition"... They ask did you comply with BS7671 when installing the consumer unit?"... You reply "Well obviously yes"... They then ask "So how did you achieve the correct torque settings required by the manufacturer which is also part of BS7671 installing equipment to manufacturers instructions?"

You are going to rely on "Its alright judge I am extremely confident, I dont need to comply with BS7671 cause im not a complete idiot who cant tighten a terminal screw correctly, it must have been someone else after me."

My point is even if you have actually done a good job, the fact that you cant show you complied with BS7671 could get you in trouble..

I am not saying its the first tool an apprentice needs but as soon as they are fully qualified and the buck is stopping with them then I would say yes it is important just to cover yourself.

I have to say it is amazing how tight 2.5nm actually is and I bet you would be surprised how far off you actually are, and how inconsistent you are, I don't care who you are how long you have been doing it you cannot get the correct torque setting using your arm alone and as its basically now a requirement of BS7671 if you are not using one you are not complying with BS7671, if your not complying with BS7671 then are you not really a bit of a cowboy? Honestly for the cost just buy one and you will be amazed how much more you need to tighten some of the terminals especially the higher range 2.5-3nm, you really have to hold on and crank it.
 
You might not need a torque screwdriver for day to day use, but I'd suggest you need one in your toolbox once you are completing jobs like consumer unit changes. So that you have the means to tighten terminals to manufacturer's specifications, even if you think you can do it accurately enough without.

Years ago, my college tutor told us of a court case, where an electrican was asked about the content of his toolbox, and it didn't include a torque screwdriver. He was then asked how me managed to tighten the terminals to the correct values. He had no defence. Don't recall the rest of the details (I think something caught fire).

Hi,i reckon that college tutor would struggle to provide the details of that case,to make his point....

Any electrician,could justifiably state,that his ability to know if the terminals were adequately tightened,was due to training,and experience.

Tracing the cause of a fire,to a possible loose terminal,is a reasonable expectation,pending investigation,but asserting that the reason for it,was initial incorrect torque,would be extremely tricky.

As we all know,terminals can become "less torqued",for many reasons,temperature,vibration.....even repeated switching of MCB's on a busbar with some movement in it.

I have many instances where the correct torque,has resulted in either a terminal which was not sufficiently tight....or one which sheared off,before the correct torque was reached ......a manufacturer's instruction,should never trump a qualified opinion.

I think many of these types of story,are intended as instructional rhetoric,with the good intention, being a lecture point....which i can half understand.

I would like to think,that if the electrician in the story,had said he used his torque screwdriver,and the using of it allowed his defence.....the opposing brief,in order to justify his 800 dabs an hour,then asked him ".....and of course,you know the torque was correct,because you have a current and regular calibration of this device...." 😉

There are a lot of electricians out there,who terminate correctly and adequately,while a torque screwdriver sits in their tool bag,like the squeeky penguin,at the back of the shelf,on Toy Story 😗
 
Well done, the problem is still some muppet comes in after you and does not tighten it properly afterwards, this causes a fire in which the whole family die, it is found the fire was due to a lose connection, using building compliance certificate it is found that you recently installed the consumer unit..

You end up in the dock and the first thing they ask is "Do you have a torque screw driver"... Your answer is "No".... They show you the big blue book and ask "Do you know what this is?" You reply "Well yes its BS7671 18th edition"... They ask did you comply with BS7671 when installing the consumer unit?"... You reply "Well obviously yes"... They then ask "So how did you achieve the correct torque settings required by the manufacturer which is also part of BS7671 installing equipment to manufacturers instructions?"

You are going to rely on "Its alright judge I am extremely confident, I dont need to comply with BS7671 cause im not a complete idiot who cant tighten a terminal screw correctly, it must have been someone else after me."

My point is even if you have actually done a good job, the fact that you cant show you complied with BS7671 could get you in trouble..

I am not saying its the first tool an apprentice needs but as soon as they are fully qualified and the buck is stopping with them then I would say yes it is important just to cover yourself.

I have to say it is amazing how tight 2.5nm actually is and I bet you would be surprised how far off you actually are, and how inconsistent you are, I don't care who you are how long you have been doing it you cannot get the correct torque setting using your arm alone and as its basically now a requirement of BS7671 if you are not using one you are not complying with BS7671, if your not complying with BS7671 then are you not really a bit of a cowboy? Honestly for the cost just buy one and you will be amazed how much more you need to tighten some of the terminals especially the higher range 2.5-3nm, you really have to hold on and crank it.
To summarise loosely, because i don't have a screwdriver families will die? Thank god I don't get involved in domestic work I'd be a mass murderer by this stage
 
I am not saying its the first tool an apprentice needs but as soon as they are fully qualified and the buck is stopping with them then I would say yes it is important just to cover yourself.

First year apprentices shouldn't be working unsupervised and certainly not on DBs. As such it's fairly apparent that they won't need a torque screwdriver this early in their career.
 
You can pick up a Draper vde torque screwdriver set for about 70 quid on Amazon , so in reality if I were an apprentice I might be tempted to get a torque sooner or later.
 
Amazon are known to make mistakes. I ended up with two wiha torkies.

I sent the extra one back of course. 😌
 
First year apprentices shouldn't be working unsupervised and certainly not on DBs. As such it's fairly apparent that they won't need a torque screwdriver this early in their career.

Um I think thats exactly what I said, I said as soon as they are fully qualified and the buck stops with them.. A fully qualified electrician that is responsible for their work is clearly not an apprentice..
 
To summarise loosely, because i don't have a screwdriver families will die? Thank god I don't get involved in domestic work I'd be a mass murderer by this stage

Wow totally missed the point.. Thats not what I said and the worst summary.. A better summary would be using a torque screw driver proves you complied with BS7671 which covers your --- in the event of a problem even it it was not your fault...

Your argument is the same as someone that can drive but does not have a driving license.. Why do they need a driving license, they can drive, they have not got into an accident so why do they need one?
 

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