W
Wilko
Metal light fitting just in the right place to grab to steady yourself too
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- Dec 26, 2012
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silly bugger. it's a RCD test socket.plug in a vacuum cleaner.. RCD trips. all good.
Maybe it's because i wear an eye-patch, but something doesn't look quite right...
being colour-blind in my good eye doesn't help!
Maybe that's why my RCDs trip all the time...
being colour-blind in my good eye doesn't help!
Maybe that's why my RCDs trip all the time...
Oddly, I never had a problem with the old colours, but the new harmonised ones are so difficult for me...
Never mind, I was able to use up a couple of metres of the old stuff when fixing that bl**dy TV on the wall...I mean, who's going to see it anyway, buried under an inch of plaster?
My wife said the same when I had a bit of an unfortunate accident..
"No-ones's going to see it under an inch of plaster! LOL!"
Cruel, I thought...
Never mind, I was able to use up a couple of metres of the old stuff when fixing that bl**dy TV on the wall...I mean, who's going to see it anyway, buried under an inch of plaster?
My wife said the same when I had a bit of an unfortunate accident..
"No-ones's going to see it under an inch of plaster! LOL!"
Cruel, I thought...
This is more like it...
![WP_20180504_14_43_19_Pro[1].jpg](https://www.electriciansforums.net/attachments/wp_20180504_14_43_19_pro-1-jpg.42052/ "WP_20180504_14_43_19_Pro[1].jpg")
That cable top right just came up for a breath of air...
then disappeared into the concrete "conduit"to the left
That cable top right just came up for a breath of air...
then disappeared into the concrete "conduit"to the left
Which then runs straight as a die along the wall...
![WP_20180504_14_43_26_Pro[2].jpg](https://www.electriciansforums.net/attachments/wp_20180504_14_43_26_pro-2-jpg.42053/ "WP_20180504_14_43_26_Pro[2].jpg")
the neat concrete haunching bottom right protects the water supply pipe
the neat concrete haunching bottom right protects the water supply pipe
Anyway, yesterday something tripped the RCD, apropos of f**k all, as we say in Glasgow...
long story short, assuming it was the kettle, notorious here in Spain, but having no luck with that, unplugged everything else in turn. Turned out to be the microwave oven, which, when plugged in, but not switched on, tripped the RCD sometimes almost immediately, sometimes after a few minutes...oddly even when switched off, if I opened the door the turntable was turning...
Binned the microwave, connected the other stuff, all was well. Plugged the microwave into a separate circuit, and it tripped the RCD again, so really binned it for good, and bought a new one. Unfortunately, in finally pulling out the mains plug, the socket fell out of the wall...
The sockets are very flimsy, and screw into a very flimsy plastic back-box which is secured in the wall by being coated with plaster, squished in, the excess plaster wiped out, and left to dry.
The grey plastic box had just cracked round the screws.
long story short, assuming it was the kettle, notorious here in Spain, but having no luck with that, unplugged everything else in turn. Turned out to be the microwave oven, which, when plugged in, but not switched on, tripped the RCD sometimes almost immediately, sometimes after a few minutes...oddly even when switched off, if I opened the door the turntable was turning...
Binned the microwave, connected the other stuff, all was well. Plugged the microwave into a separate circuit, and it tripped the RCD again, so really binned it for good, and bought a new one. Unfortunately, in finally pulling out the mains plug, the socket fell out of the wall...
The sockets are very flimsy, and screw into a very flimsy plastic back-box which is secured in the wall by being coated with plaster, squished in, the excess plaster wiped out, and left to dry.
The grey plastic box had just cracked round the screws.
The new box is very flexible and the knockouts virtually shatter when you squeeze them with your thumb...quick visit to A&E to get the plastic shards out of my eye...and back to work.
A wee single screw holds everything together. I fitted the new box without plaster. The terminals are odd...each cable has two, so you loop in and out (no space for squeezing an extra in!) and when you tighten the screw, it clamps both wires at the same time, a square washer thingy clamping the bare ends...I quite like that, actually.
Finally, you assemble the components, click them into a metal frame that screws onto the back box, and snap on the outer cover.
The combined socket and switch on the left are much older and far better made. The rocker switch is for under-cupboard lighting, not for the socket...and, oddly, it isn't just tee'd off the back of the socket, but is actually wired into the separate lighting circuit...bet they don't bother nowadays.
Just to complete the picture, this circuit was wired as you see in blue, brown and green/yellow singles in conduit. The other socket circuit is wired in singles too, black, blue and yellow, where black is live, obviously...and all the sockets have the live on the left pin...not that it matters as you can put the plugs in upside down if you want.
Ah, that's the rain off! Bye for now!
Finally, you assemble the components, click them into a metal frame that screws onto the back box, and snap on the outer cover.
The combined socket and switch on the left are much older and far better made. The rocker switch is for under-cupboard lighting, not for the socket...and, oddly, it isn't just tee'd off the back of the socket, but is actually wired into the separate lighting circuit...bet they don't bother nowadays.
Just to complete the picture, this circuit was wired as you see in blue, brown and green/yellow singles in conduit. The other socket circuit is wired in singles too, black, blue and yellow, where black is live, obviously...and all the sockets have the live on the left pin...not that it matters as you can put the plugs in upside down if you want.
Ah, that's the rain off! Bye for now!
I know a 'Spark' who would find fault with every install on these pages untill you saw the work he produced and yes....it could all be his.
- Dec 26, 2012
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- If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
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That looks good! It's an instantaneous shower, so feeding the T&E down the hole for the cold water supply will keep the cable cool, in case it might be undersized...
That JB lid looks like it isn't fitting well...maybe ditch those bare earth wires and connect to the cold water feed?
The final pic...I've guessed that one too! The cover isn't on yet! Plenty copper on show, so when it burns out you can just snip the charred stuff off and re-connect without having to strip any more insulation off....or am I missing something?
That JB lid looks like it isn't fitting well...maybe ditch those bare earth wires and connect to the cold water feed?
The final pic...I've guessed that one too! The cover isn't on yet! Plenty copper on show, so when it burns out you can just snip the charred stuff off and re-connect without having to strip any more insulation off....or am I missing something?
That looks good! It's an instantaneous shower, so feeding the T&E down the hole for the cold water supply will keep the cable cool, in case it might be undersized...
That JB lid looks like it isn't fitting well...maybe ditch those bare earth wires and connect to the cold water feed?
The final pic...I've guessed that one too! The cover isn't on yet! Plenty copper on show, so when it burns out you can just snip the charred stuff off and re-connect without having to strip any more insulation off....or am I missing something?
That JB lid looks like it isn't fitting well...maybe ditch those bare earth wires and connect to the cold water feed?
The final pic...I've guessed that one too! The cover isn't on yet! Plenty copper on show, so when it burns out you can just snip the charred stuff off and re-connect without having to strip any more insulation off....or am I missing something?
- Dec 26, 2012
- 2,236
- 3,348
- 7,698
- If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
- United Kingdom
- What type of forum member are you?
- Practising Electrician (Qualified - Domestic or Commercial etc)
Got it pretty much bang on. The CPC was up in the attic, must have been Class 2 shower
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