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

[telectrix]

step 4. look in back of van. i have about 20, various ratings and types.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Step 5 find out where telectrix lives and steal one out the back of his van.

 

[SparkySy]

Found this today on a PRS EICR it was the places first test in 10 years after being built. Due to the lack of plastic pieces in the enclosure I can only assume the original installers knew they had done it and left it like that!

 

[telectrix]

bit of tape. it's only on the neutral.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Found this today on a PRS EICR it was the places first test in 10 years after being built. Due to the lack of plastic pieces in the enclosure I can only assume the original installers knew they had done it and left it like that!

Or did you break it trying to get out and blame other peaple. Lol

 

[SparkySy]

No buzz unfortunately I was just there to swap it for a non broken one! With installing & testing the new one I was there less than 20mins and Mr torqueey torque driver made sure I didn't do what they did!?

 

[MrPupsi]

Another EICR with a dodgy RCD.
Power off, cover off, quick start with a visual.

Saw this straight away.
Tried to tighten it, but wouldn’t tighten at all. Assumed they’d put it behind the clamp, so pulled the tail out.
They’ve actually managed to somehow snap the clamp so it will not tighten, so it’s just been resting in there ever since.

FYI, house was newly built 2 years ago!

 

[Mike Johnson]

That's the trouble with Torque screwdrivers. ?

 

[littlespark]

Another EICR with a dodgy RCD.
Power off, cover off, quick start with a visual.

Saw this straight away.
Tried to tighten it, but wouldn’t tighten at all. Assumed they’d put it behind the clamp, so pulled the tail out.
They’ve actually managed to somehow snap the clamp so it will not tighten, so it’s just been resting in there ever since.

FYI, house was newly built 2 years ago!

Ok.... so have you replaced it, or left them with the dodgy untight cable until you can replace?

 

[Dustydazzler]

So they snapped the screw clamp and just left it flapping in the wind. Lovely ?

 

[Dustydazzler]

That's the trouble with Torque screwdrivers. ?

You mean 18v impact drivers

 

[Mike Johnson]

No No the Torque driver is to jamb into the terminal to hold the conductor in place ? it would be the most useful thing I'm used mine for.

 

[Teddy Lop]

Found this today on a PRS EICR it was the places first test in 10 years after being built. Due to the lack of plastic pieces in the enclosure I can only assume the original installers knew they had done it and left it like that!
View attachment 83482

"They all do that sir"

 

[Dustydazzler]

No No the Torque driver is to jamb into the terminal to hold the conductor in place ? it would be the most useful thing I'm used mine for.

So use the torque screwdriver as a pry bar and one of these to tighten the terminations...?

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[Dustydazzler]

View attachment 83518
"They all do that sir"

One if first looked at this i thought you put the photo up the wrong way...but nope its the ruddy board on its side LOL

What's all the heat sleeve about ?

 

[Teddy Lop]

as if it's difficult to get a BG MCB.

That's the most depressing aspect, it was one thing when you were dealing with discontinued lines, but the CBF of it all is the worst.

I was pondering the other day why consumer unit manufacturers have such low opinion of sparks that they make everything with horrid multi-fit screw heads that fit everything somewhat and nothing perfectly, in the belief that electricians are all too lazy to select an appropriate screwdriver? Although as we note a good portion of installers (ill refrain from calling them electricians) CBFed to find the right bits!

 

[Teddy Lop]

One if first looked at this i thought you put the photo up the wrong way...but nope its the ruddy board on its side LOL

What's all the heat sleeve about ?

He sleeved all the redblack cables ! If only he'd have paid a little more attention to detail elsewhere... Such as a plastering syllabus...

Its a vertically integrated solution ill have you know, which as far as I'm aware negates the fire rating as the door doesn't gravity-shut....

 

[Mike Johnson]

Have to admit, many years ago the first time I used a PZ after a normal cross head, I was surprised how much more a terminal screw turned before I was happy with the tightness.

Are you sure its not the label 90 degs out. ?

 

[MrPupsi]

Ok.... so have you replaced it, or left them with the dodgy untight cable until you can replace?

Neither!

Bypassed the RCD for that half of the board, safest thing to do bar replace the RCD for the time being.

This does open another discussion of what to do in these situations though.

I would have rather just replaced the RCD but I don't have authorisation to from the letting agency as they couldn't get hold of the landlord, but couldn't just leave it switched off as the tenants would just switch it on again after I left, even after telling them not to.
I could have swapped the RCD over but would have cost me at least an hour in travel both ways to get the correct part, swap it over and then I'd have to hope that the landlord would be happy to pay me for my troubles.

What would you have done in this situation?

 

[Mike Johnson]

The problem is insisting on the letting agent giving you instructions without being too confrontational to someone that possibly appointed you in the first place and loosing future appointments.

 

[littlespark]

Big van, lots of spares.

I would ask for details of whatever was tripping before going to a fault. Even a photograph of the CU so you know makes.

I know it’s not always handy, so I do have a box of common rcd, MCBs, main switches etc. Something will fit. I know I’m going to have to go back with the correct part at some point.

 

[SparkySy]

I carry a similar box of get you out the sh1te gear including some flexible 16mm link cables that have come in handy a couple of times when the stuff I had on the van wouldn't bodge in satisfactorily for a temporary solution!

 

[nicebutdim]

That's the trouble with Torque screwdrivers. ?

Quite possibly it was backed right off the thread from the factory and started badly. Minimal force would then be required to strip the thread.

Regardless of how it happened, someone knew exactly what they done and made the decision to leave it that way, rather than put it right

 

[DJAndy]

Not sure if you'd consider this dodgy, but it was rather annoying when the fixture needed replacing

 

[SparkyChick]

View attachment 83518
"They all do that sir"

I would guess they swapped out a plastic Wylex board and just banged it in an unpopulated MK. At least they covered the unused bus-bar nubs... other than that... wow, just WOW!

 

[Simon47]

Its a vertically integrated solution ill have you know, which as far as I'm aware negates the fire rating as the door doesn't gravity-shut....

There is no requirement for it to. There isn't even a requirement for a door. The idea that the CU is supposed to "contain" any fire is just a myth.

 

[Dartlec]

View attachment 83518
"They all do that sir"

Err - leaving aside the "slight" lean, why did they use an MK board/main switch then use Wylex RCDs and MCBs? Bodged together whatever they had in the van from the last job?

 

[Dartlec]

He sleeved all the redblack cables ! If only he'd have paid a little more attention to detail elsewhere... Such as a plastering syllabus...

Its a vertically integrated solution ill have you know, which as far as I'm aware negates the fire rating as the door doesn't gravity-shut....

I know no one likes putting the two colour label on, but this seems like a sub-optimal solution!

 

[Dartlec]

Not sure if you'd consider this dodgy, but it was rather annoying when the fixture needed replacing

View attachment 83531​

View attachment 83532

Always know it's going to be a fun EICR when you see all the earths like this when you take the CU front off....

Seems to have been standard practise once upon a time, like the twisted earths outside of the round junction boxes...

 

[DJAndy]

Always know it's going to be a fun EICR when you see all the earths like this when you take the CU front off....

Seems to have been standard practise once upon a time, like the twisted earths outside of the round junction boxes..

This one had CPC, Line, Switched live, & neutral twisted. Two different entrance holes for the cables.

WHY would anyone do that?

 

[loz2754]

This one had CPC, Line, Switched live, & neutral twisted. Two different entrance holes for the cables.

WHY would anyone do that?

Knobskulls.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Twisting solid cores is proper badgers imo , I know the americans Canadians love twisting cores within an inch of their life. But there really is no need to. Just put them into the connector side by side for goodness sake...

 

[Dartlec]

This one had CPC, Line, Switched live, & neutral twisted. Two different entrance holes for the cables.

WHY would anyone do that?

I suspect some DIYers think it makes a better connection when they use choc bloc connectors and struggle to get several cables properly terminated - but they will never have had to go round and deal with it a few years later (similar with insulation tape) but that looks like a commercial or non-domestic.

No idea if it was ever taught as good practise for apprentices, but it's very common with older (<70s) socket wiring.

 

[Dartlec]

Twisting solid cores is proper badgers imo , I know the americans Canadians love twisting cores within an inch of their life. But there really is no need to. Just put them into the connector side by side for goodness sake...

Ideal tried to re introduce wire nuts back over here a few years back - fortunately seems like they didn't succeed...

 

[DJAndy]

I suspect some DIYers think it makes a better connection when they use choc bloc connectors and struggle to get several cables properly terminated - but they will never have had to go round and deal with it a few years later (similar with insulation tape) but that looks like a commercial or non-domestic.

This was in the emergency stair case of a large building converted to flats so I'd like to think it wasn't DIY.

Probably the kitchen fitter.

 

[Dartlec]

This was in the emergency stair case of a large building converted to flats so I'd like to think it wasn't DIY.

Probably the kitchen fitter.

On the level of competence in electrics, DIYers often far exceed kitchen fitters, in my experience!

 

[ipf]

On the level of competence in electrics, DIYers often far exceed kitchen fitters, in my experience!

Unless they start fiddling about with kitchens, you mean?

 

[Dartlec]

Unless they start fiddling about with kitchens, you mean?

not necessarily in some of the cases I've seen.. though they are probably kitchen "fitters" rather than kitchen fitters to be fair.... ?

 

[littlespark]

Landlord I work for sent me this pic.

She maybe shouldn’t have entered the property when the tenant wasn’t there, but she had an appointment with him and he never turned up.
Hasn’t paid his rent and apparently moved in with someone else.

I EICRd this property before he moved in, and I’ll have to do it again when he moves out.
There’s also a missing smoke detector, and cigarette burns on the worktop.

How do you “accidentally” break a switch? If it got struck by something, the whole plate would be smashed.

 

[James]

Landlord I work for sent me this pic.

She maybe shouldn’t have entered the property when the tenant wasn’t there, but she had an appointment with him and he never turned up.
Hasn’t paid his rent and apparently moved in with someone else.

View attachment 83544

I EICRd this property before he moved in, and I’ll have to do it again when he moves out.
There’s also a missing smoke detector, and cigarette burns on the worktop.

How do you “accidentally” break a switch? If it got struck by something, the whole plate would be smashed.

That’s disgusting, just look at the angle of those screw heads.
how can someone leave it like that?

 

[Dustydazzler]

i could forgive the missing switch you can get over that by using a small screwdriver to turn it on and off BUT those screws... YUK

 

[Mike Johnson]

I can forgive the screws, it's the can't be bothered to not loosen them and pull the face plate forward to paint, instead paint the face plate.

 

[DPG]

I can forgive the screws, it's the can't be bothered to not loosen them and pull the face plate forward to paint, instead paint the face plate.

Someone I know used to paint right over the sockets when he decorated. Looked abysmal.

 

[telectrix]

Someone I know used to paint right over the sockets when he decorated. Looked abysmal.

he then got a job with Laura Ashley.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Someone I know used to paint right over the sockets when he decorated. Looked abysmal.

Same here, i once did an eicr on a house where they had painted over all the downlights when they re-decorated

 

[Teddy Lop]

Someone I know used to paint right over the sockets when he decorated. Looked abysmal.

Seen it a few times typically in a council houses. they paint a room, say, blue. They paint the wall blue, the skirting board, the switches, the fireplace, the mantle, the radiator, the TRV, the door, the door handle, the window sill, the window frame, a bit of window, a bit of carpet, the dog, (the cat was too quick and used its claws)

 

[Simon47]

No idea if it was ever taught as good practise for apprentices, but it's very common with older (<70s) socket wiring.

FWIW my late father taught me to twist the wires together. He'd have been learning the trade in the 40s & 50s.

 

[telectrix]

twisting conductors was common practice with stranded imperial cable . trouble with twisting solid core , apart from being a nightmare for testing, is metal fatigue. leading to snapped conductors and poor connrctions.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Especially if you need to un-twist them for any reason, they inevitably snap.
I am not sure the American/Canadian fascination with twisting cores into tight bunches.
I know they have Wago/Ideal connectors over there, but seem to prefer Fire Nuts and twisting...

 

[ipf]

twisting conductors was common practice with stranded imperial cable . trouble with twisting solid core , apart from being a nightmare for testing, is metal fatigue. leading to snapped conductors and poor connrctions.

Correct. As you know, twisting involved 7 and 3 strand cabling, pre 60's/70's. It was carried over to solid core but, as is the norm with changes, the dangers weren't really covered in general, training wise, for a good few years. How many of us saw cable breakages due to twisting, though. A case of experience, learning as we were going along.

Like doubling up a cable at a terminal. I was always taught to but, over the years, have come to a completely different conclusion.....unless I feel it's necessary.

And what about crimping. We made a terminal eyelets out of the cable itself, especially with large earthing/bonding cables. Totally frowned upon these days. Think of all the 3 phase busbars with shell washers... ?