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

JBW175 · Oct 25, 2022

When you find rubbish like this in your own house.

Wall coming down and getting rewired anyway.

timhoward · Oct 25, 2022

It looks like the electrician lost the race to the plumber. No sign of any screw holes on wall. Estate build in 2014, possibly been like it since new.
This road is always interesting, the CU's are generally behind a garage door rail or high in a kitchen cupboard. The curse continues....

UNG · Oct 25, 2022

Looks like the outer sheath on all those cables has shrunk

James · Oct 25, 2022

could it be that originally all the cables went into the board but someone has pulled it away from the wall and now everything is stretched tight and the inner cores are showing?

mainline · Oct 25, 2022

James said:
could it be that originally all the cables went into the board but someone has pulled it away from the wall and now everything is stretched tight and the inner cores are showing?

I think UNG was being funny.

It looks like the board was wired to be fitted to the wall, but a pipe turned up before it could be fixed.

James · Oct 25, 2022

I know
and some other words

timhoward · Oct 25, 2022

James said:
could it be that originally all the cables went into the board but someone has pulled it away from the wall and now everything is stretched tight and the inner cores are showing?

That was my first guess too. I couldn't see any evidence of it ever being screwed to the wall. I was there to advice on wiring for a proposed new kitchen so good chance its being changed anyway.

timhoward · Oct 27, 2022

James · Oct 27, 2022

Maybe it was the same guy?
Post in thread 'Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement!'
Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - https://www.electriciansforums.net/threads/dodgy-trade-pictures-for-your-amusement.101061/post-1799827

nicebutdim · Oct 27, 2022

James said:
Maybe it was the same guy?
Post in thread 'Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement!'
Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - https://www.electriciansforums.net/threads/dodgy-trade-pictures-for-your-amusement.101061/post-1799827
View attachment 103104

No way that guy would ever use grey as L2

mainline · Oct 27, 2022

Raptor0014 said:
What’s more amazing is the customer is adamant it’s not DIY. He had another electrician in who left the job half way through and hasn’t been back in touch. I’m guessing he’s fell out with ‘Dave from the pub’.

I’ve disconnected the lot. Initially he was a bit miffed I’d disconnected it all. But I said that’s what needed to be done as it’s not safe. Explained to him a few options of how it can be resolved and he’s asked for a quote and when I have availability.

Can you tell him I'm sorry i didn't finish the job off, but it was due to the covid.
Regards Dave

ipf · Oct 27, 2022

DB replacement....

For some reason, I wonder why

, the Schedule was from an EICR on the
original DB.....?

Raptor0014 · Oct 29, 2022

Text from a previous customer.

“Hi Carl, sorry to message you on the weekend so no rush to reply.
I thought I’d installed the wireless heating system on my apartment fine but now the boiler isn’t turning on. The wireless control unit is talking to the panel that the boilers connected to. However, the unit is then not turning the boiler on so currently no heating in the apartment.”

So I said send me a pic of what you’ve done……

After explaining that all he’s done is supply power and there should be some other wires. I asked him to take that plate off and show me what was behind it……

Now, I’m not sure here, but I think his boiler must be faulty as those conductors must be irrelevant…….

Mike Johnson · Oct 29, 2022

Why do DIY's always put the cable on the wrong side of a screw terminal?

DPG · Oct 29, 2022

Mike Johnson said:
Why do DIY's always put the cable on the wrong side of a screw terminal?

Good observation. Tightening the screw will loosen the connection

westward10 · Oct 29, 2022

It has a square captive clamp washer under the terminal screw so it shouldn't matter but the housing rarely prevents them from twisting.

DPG · Oct 29, 2022

westward10 said:
It has a square captive clamp washer under the terminal screw so it shouldn't matter but the housing rarely prevents them from twisting.

Trust Westy to spoil things.

pirate · Oct 29, 2022

Not exactly the correct place to post this, but I didn't want to start a new thread, sorry.

On another forum we got this query:
"Hi guys can some clever person tell me how I insert a bulb in a single socket. I ask because contrary to the overall advice from the general membership is erroneous."
Not exactly clear, but a few folk did answer, asking for clarification, and a photo or two so we could try to assist.
a mention was made of the bulb being a lamp...reply from the OP was that a lamp was the thing you screwed the bulb into, and why couldn't someone just come up with a solution to his question...

I think I came up with a good solution, but he wasn't impressed...

Mike Johnson · Oct 29, 2022

westward10 said:
It has a square captive clamp washer under the terminal screw so it shouldn't matter but the housing rarely prevents them from twisting.

Not true the square clamp under the screw does nothing to prevent the cable from twisting clear left or right, it's a placebo to the fixing, turning the clamp screw fixing clockwise is always going to be beneficial to the eventual overall continuity of the circuit.

westward10 · Oct 29, 2022

Mike Johnson said:
Not true the square clamp under the screw does nothing to prevent the cable from twisting clear left or right, it's a placebo to the fixing, turning the clamp screw fixing clockwise is always going to be beneficial to the eventual overall continuity of the circuit.

Well it is true the Achilles heel is that poor retention of the square shaped washer allows it to shift. The square shaped washer having said that it not allowed to fully turn unlike the circular washer you are commonly referring to whereby the conductor can be repelled by the action of the screw to the motion of the washer.

brianmoooore · Oct 29, 2022

Mike Johnson said:
turning the clamp screw fixing clockwise is always going to be beneficial to the eventual overall continuity of the circuit.

On everything except a 5A Wylex rewireable fuse.
Winding the wire clockwise around the screw results in it being pulled tight and placed under stress that will eventually cause it to fail. Anticlockwise, and you control the slack by pulling the wire still on the card.

cireland · Oct 29, 2022

I used to put a little squiggle in the middle then when you tighten it, it pulls almost straight.

Mike Johnson · Oct 30, 2022

brianmoooore said:
On everything except a 5A Wylex rewireable fuse.

This Dinosaur has not seen one of those for years.

littlespark · Oct 30, 2022

Exactly as Westy explained.

Now if you’ve got 2 conductors, and a square captive washer… do you put one on each side of the screw?

nicebutdim · Oct 30, 2022

littlespark said:
Exactly as Westy explained.

Now if you’ve got 2 conductors, and a square captive washer… do you put one on each side of the screw?

Yes.

If both won't fit on one side, you'd have no option.

brianmoooore · Oct 30, 2022

littlespark said:
Exactly as Westy explained.

Now if you’ve got 2 conductors, and a square captive washer… do you put one on each side of the screw?

Yes, it removes the bending moment on the screw. Ideally, a single cable should be bent through 180 degrees for the same reason.

littlespark · Oct 30, 2022

pirate said:
Not exactly the correct place to post this, but I didn't want to start a new thread, sorry.

On another forum we got this query:
"Hi guys can some clever person tell me how I insert a bulb in a single socket. I ask because contrary to the overall advice from the general membership is erroneous."
Not exactly clear, but a few folk did answer, asking for clarification, and a photo or two so we could try to assist.
a mention was made of the bulb being a lamp...reply from the OP was that a lamp was the thing you screwed the bulb into, and why couldn't someone just come up with a solution to his question...

I think I came up with a good solution, but he wasn't impressed...

View attachment 103155

2 pin bulb into a 3 pin socket? You absolute rebel

mainline · Oct 30, 2022

Mike Johnson said:
Not true the square clamp under the screw does nothing to prevent the cable from twisting clear left or right, it's a placebo to the fixing, turning the clamp screw fixing clockwise is always going to be beneficial to the eventual overall continuity of the circuit.

If the square clamp did nothing

littlespark said:
Exactly as Westy explained.

Now if you’ve got 2 conductors, and a square captive washer… do you put one on each side of the screw?

Or use ring/forked crimp terminal

ipf · Oct 30, 2022

brianmoooore said:
On everything except a 5A Wylex rewireable fuse.
Winding the wire clockwise around the screw results in it being pulled tight and placed under stress that will eventually cause it to fail. Anticlockwise, and you control the slack by pulling the wire still on the card.

Might be a good idea for someone who's new to them or has done very few.
Clockwise for me, though, leaving enough slack to allow for the tightening. When you've done thousands you tend to acquire an eye for it.

westward10 · Oct 30, 2022

Snapped 5A fuse wire, never happened to me

ipf · Oct 30, 2022

Oh, for a coupling and a couple of bushes.......and a bit of a rethink all round.

littlespark · Oct 30, 2022

ipf said:
Oh, for a coupling and a couple of bushes.......and a bit of a rethink all round.

View attachment 103183

I cant figure out how they did that… unless the shrouds were cut open and put back round afterwards.

UNG · Oct 30, 2022

littlespark said:
I cant figure out how they did that… unless the shrouds were cut open and put back round afterwards.

Your assuming it is properly terminated SWA looking at it closely i'm not so sure

ipf · Oct 30, 2022

littlespark said:
I cant figure out how they did that… unless the shrouds were cut open and put back round afterwards.

It's only SY cable and, if it's warm enough, the shrouds will bend.

A crap job done in SY and 3c blue flex. there's even SY glands fitted but no protective wire earthing.

ipf · Oct 30, 2022

How to finish a job off with class.....
MK 6g switch backbox with Crabtree guts and looks lovely with that trunking.

mainline · Oct 30, 2022

freddo · Oct 30, 2022

Emergency light test switch installed 17' above floor level.

freddo · Oct 30, 2022

Just found these too:
Socket 'installed' for electric fireplace.

Lightswitch, the wad of tape is to stop the bare earth wires touching the switch terminals.

Shower cable joint under floorboards.

freddo · Oct 30, 2022

And one final one (I should have organised these into one post). The place I was working Friday had an entire office suspended ceiling held up with 1.5mm2 copper wire like this. I don't know how it hasn't collapsed.

timhoward · Oct 31, 2022

freddo said:
Shower cable joint under floorboards.

A creative mis-use of a Henley block....
It's got me wondering who would know enough to know they exist but also think that's ok!

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