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There is a banjo on the outside of the enclosure. I don't know why they didn't just use a larger consumer unit, one made of metal, instead of piffing about trying to attach extension boxes on the side linked with un-earthed bushes. These aren't a result of alterations, the photo shows the original installation. The earthing system is PME and it's inside a cupboard in the hallway of the house. I hope the customer never asks for an EICR. Every time we go out to do a small job it turns into an ordeal trying to bring the circuit you are working on up to some sort of standard. Replaced 3 lights only to find loose connections, no earth sleeving, no grommets, squashed conductors behind light switch, IP20 light fittings used outdoors, a faulty RCD and consumer unit cover missing a screw.

Above this was a poorly installed manual transfer switch left in place after the generator was removed, 2 open holes in that enclosure, 2 fused spurs with neons were bolted to the side to act as indicators. Tails into and out of the switch were just hanging and the switch handle had be forced on 180 degrees from its correct position.

I have since removed the transfer switch and wired the tails directly, replaced the RCD, blanked the hole visible in the photo and replaced the missing cover screw. So it's a bit better now.
 
There is a banjo on the outside of the enclosure. I don't know why they didn't just use a larger consumer unit, one made of metal, instead of piffing about trying to attach extension boxes on the side linked with un-earthed bushes. These aren't a result of alterations, the photo shows the original installation. The earthing system is PME and it's inside a cupboard in the hallway of the house. I hope the customer never asks for an EICR. Every time we go out to do a small job it turns into an ordeal trying to bring the circuit you are working on up to some sort of standard. Replaced 3 lights only to find loose connections, no earth sleeving, no grommets, squashed conductors behind light switch, IP20 light fittings used outdoors, a faulty RCD and consumer unit cover missing a screw.

Above this was a poorly installed manual transfer switch left in place after the generator was removed, 2 open holes in that enclosure, 2 fused spurs with neons were bolted to the side to act as indicators. Tails into and out of the switch were just hanging and the switch handle had be forced on 180 degrees from its correct position.

I have since removed the transfer switch and wired the tails directly, replaced the RCD, blanked the hole visible in the photo and replaced the missing cover screw. So it's a bit better now.

I bloody told you it was an external banjo. Where's Badegg?
 
Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - 1 Million Views! RuinedTails - EletriciansForums.net

So I'm currently rewiring a property. Last Friday I removed the old board (hence the rats nest of old red and black) and moved certain circuits over to the new board to provide heating and hot water (the cable with the red arrow supplying the old immersion circuit which now supplies the heating) and some power for the trades (mostly some socket outlets under the new CU, but also a socket by the back door for the kettle).

What a lovely job I made of those new tails right??? Didn't have enough to make them the same length or follow the same path.... LOL NOT!!

As installed they followed the same line as the main earth, they were not fixed because a smart meter was due to be installed so I thought I'd be nice and leave the guy plenty of slack, but they were following the same path as the earth ready to be fixed to the wall for support.

Now look at that garbage. There is absolutely no way they were too short (they followed the same route as the earth and had large loops of excess at the bottom where they looped into the meter). Now I have to splash out and replace them so I can dress them in nicely and not look like a bloody muppet. Not only that but I also have to clean up after him as he's left the mess from installing the gas meter bracket.

The guy who did it is no longer going to be doing smart meter installs... he's apparently moving on to vehicle charging installs, so look out South Wales... quality works coming your way from British Gas.

If by chance you (the person who did this) are reading this, then you need to learn a lot about doing a quality job. Yes you did me a favour by installing the isolator, much appreciated... maybe! But to be honest if it was a choice between getting an isolator and having to replace the tails so I can dress them in nicely and thus provide a quality install for my clients (my name is going to be there for years to come, you will be forgotten the moment the paperwork gets 'filed') or not getting an isolator and not having to replace the tails, I would have elected to not get an isolator. I deliberately left the tails free to make your life easier because I knew you were going to be visiting yesterday. To leave the tails loose and free like that is not acceptable for the finished install. They need to be supported and fixed to minimise mechanical movement. So... what looks betters... three neatly dressed cables that all follow the same path or three cables all following different lines... you've not even cut them to the same length ffs. Your inability (or unwillingness) to do a decent job is now going to cost me money... cheers!

By the way... did you check the boiler after you changed the gas meter? What about the old gas fire? I suspect the answer is no... how do I know this? Because when I turned the power back on to put the kettle on, the boiler came up with a fault code (not surprising given it had no gas) so I turned it off knowing you would be checking it (because you'd stated you would be). Imagine my surprise when I turned it back on and it still had the fault code on it, requiring me to press the reset button... hmmm!

Now either you're just incapable of doing a good job, or because it was your last day on the smart metering job you just wanted an early finish. I hope it's the latter, but if it's not... if you wouldn't mind sending me a running list of places you do en EV install, I suspect I may be able to pick up quite a bit work running round after you tidying/fixing things.

And if in fact you are reading this and are offended by my comments... sorry but you bought it on yourself. If those tails were nicely dressed in ready to be clipped... like they were before you started... this picture/post wouldn't exist. Use it as a life lesson... you should always do your best work... and if you can't do that dealing with things like electricity and gas, then you shouldn't be working with them.
 
View attachment 62356

So I'm currently rewiring a property. Last Friday I removed the old board (hence the rats nest of old red and black) and moved certain circuits over to the new board to provide heating and hot water (the cable with the red arrow supplying the old immersion circuit which now supplies the heating) and some power for the trades (mostly some socket outlets under the new CU, but also a socket by the back door for the kettle).

What a lovely job I made of those new tails right??? Didn't have enough to make them the same length or follow the same path.... LOL NOT!!

As installed they followed the same line as the main earth, they were not fixed because a smart meter was due to be installed so I thought I'd be nice and leave the guy plenty of slack, but they were following the same path as the earth ready to be fixed to the wall for support.

Now look at that garbage. There is absolutely no way they were too short (they followed the same route as the earth and had large loops of excess at the bottom where they looped into the meter). Now I have to splash out and replace them so I can dress them in nicely and not look like a bloody muppet. Not only that but I also have to clean up after him as he's left the mess from installing the gas meter bracket.

The guy who did it is no longer going to be doing smart meter installs... he's apparently moving on to vehicle charging installs, so look out South Wales... quality works coming your way from British Gas.

If by chance you (the person who did this) are reading this, then you need to learn a lot about doing a quality job. Yes you did me a favour by installing the isolator, much appreciated... maybe! But to be honest if it was a choice between getting an isolator and having to replace the tails so I can dress them in nicely and thus provide a quality install for my clients (my name is going to be there for years to come, you will be forgotten the moment the paperwork gets 'filed') or not getting an isolator and not having to replace the tails, I would have elected to not get an isolator. I deliberately left the tails free to make your life easier because I knew you were going to be visiting yesterday. To leave the tails loose and free like that is not acceptable for the finished install. They need to be supported and fixed to minimise mechanical movement. So... what looks betters... three neatly dressed cables that all follow the same path or three cables all following different lines... you've not even cut them to the same length ffs. Your inability (or unwillingness) to do a decent job is now going to cost me money... cheers!

By the way... did you check the boiler after you changed the gas meter? What about the old gas fire? I suspect the answer is no... how do I know this? Because when I turned the power back on to put the kettle on, the boiler came up with a fault code (not surprising given it had no gas) so I turned it off knowing you would be checking it (because you'd stated you would be). Imagine my surprise when I turned it back on and it still had the fault code on it, requiring me to press the reset button... hmmm!

Now either you're just incapable of doing a good job, or because it was your last day on the smart metering job you just wanted an early finish. I hope it's the latter, but if it's not... if you wouldn't mind sending me a running list of places you do en EV install, I suspect I may be able to pick up quite a bit work running round after you tidying/fixing things.

And if in fact you are reading this and are offended by my comments... sorry but you bought it on yourself. If those tails were nicely dressed in ready to be clipped... like they were before you started... this picture/post wouldn't exist. Use it as a life lesson... you should always do your best work... and if you can't do that dealing with things like electricity and gas, then you shouldn't be working with them.
Good to see you are still alive, well and working.
Welcome back after your period of absence
 

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