Domestic - Best way to leave temporary power during rewire

[eggyfried]

Hi all, apologies if this has ever been answered before, i only have 2 months post apprenticeship experience(i went travelling immediately after qualifying!) and about to start back in the trade as a mate.

Something i have often wondered since i never done many domestic installs during my apprenticeship was whats the best way to leave temporary power in a home that you are rewiring? Im assuming leaving a socket circuit on where the customer can plug in a lamp, use a kettle etc. I have heard of people fixing an RCD socket next to the board and connecting circuits into plug tops and plugging in?

 

[Deleted member 9648]

If it's occupied then it's normally a case of rewiring alongside existing circuits and then doing a swap over a circuit at a time to keep existing going a long as possible. I sometimes supply a new lighting circuit via a 13a plug temporarily.
Ideally though get them to move out for the duration. So much easier,no clearing up to make it livable each night and you only need to keep essentials like the freezer going. They can often be persuaded at the quote stage by the prospect of the job easily taking a couple of days less if they are not living in.

 

[amlu]

fix couple of sockets somewhere by consumer unit, run extension leads around the place (kitchen, washing machine, boiler, bedroom etc) , leave occupants some site/temporary lights overnight till you rewire the lighting circuits.

 

[GMES]

This is why I'm glad I don't do domestic.

 

[Andy78]

This is something that needs to be agreed with the customer before even starting. If every circuit is expected to be working at the end of every day then your pricing will be drastically different to a customer that will put up with extension leads.
Same goes for furniture and carpet moving.
Bear in mind that the customer's safety must be maintained while you are on and off site, with regards to lighting and smoke detection to name just a couple of points.

 

[shanky887614]

normally just chase and wire everything to existing points and keep existing connected, swap cables over to the old board till its all rewired then swap board or swap old onto new board and work from there

 

[jonny705]

When i have to do a re-wire in a occupied house , (which i try not to - as you never quote enough for the time it takes to move the junk back and forth.!)
I try to put the upstairs lighting circuit radial in , as loft is normally quick to mooch round poking the wires through removed exsisting ceiling rose, switch wires next , then they have lights on landing /upstairs.
Try to do boiler radial next so they have heat/water.
Then upstairs sockets- back to board .
Then downstairs light/socket circuits as floor boards will be up and down evrynight you dont finish!
I leave the cooker circuit till last as they can basically still cook! and a plug outlet is sufficient with extension lead for telly to keep them happy , and maintain freezer meltdown!
I will do an R1/R2 I/R test as i am connecting them up to old board, saves you later and know a nail aint gone through.
Try and but as many circuits in , before i ultimaly rip C/B , which i personally try and do first thing, case you have any problems , it gives you all day to sort them out :smile5:
But no exact science , just whatever way you think is best really.

 

[Knobhead]

This is why I'm glad I don't do domestic.

Don’t tell me you’ve never had to keep bits of plant running while ripping just about everything else to bits.

 

[GMES]

Don’t tell me you’ve never had to keep bits of plant running while ripping just about everything else to bits.

Yes but it's not usually a fridge freezer full of food lol.
For me Domestic is just to personal you are ripping someones home apart and most of the time they don't appreciate it.

It is a different world in the industrial sector as you know,. the customer will usually make sure you have all the assistance you need to help get the breakdown finished because you are the only person that is going to get their production up and running.

Also you are usually getting paid a hell of a lot more money in industrial and a lot more appreciated. I used to do a lot of Granutech tyre shredders ( the big American ones) and also various conveyor systems and it wasn't unheard of to have to go and scavenge and modify tempory conveyor belts to rig up a bypass route just so we could repair our section whilst still keeping the plant running.
And I bloody enjoyed every minute of, it is always a great feeling to walk out knowing you had got the customer out of trouble while everyone else was fast asleep.

 

[Knobhead]

There’s no way I’d work in house bashing.

Something else I’d never do, work on a freelance basis in a production environment. Too many pitfalls if you don’t know the process inside out. The repercussions could be disastrous in terms of loss of life and collateral damage.

It’s a great feeling when the plant starts up. How would you cope with making a decision that resulted in 300 people being laid off?

I’m not a people person and can’t cope with those that get in my way. IE householders, plant managers, etc, etc.

 

[Darkwood]

There’s no way I’d work in house bashing.

Something else I’d never do, work on a freelance basis in a production environment. Too many pitfalls if you don’t know the process inside out. The repercussions could be disastrous in terms of loss of life and collateral damage.

It’s a great feeling when the plant starts up. How would you cope with making a decision that resulted in 300 people being laid off?

I’m not a people person and can’t cope with those that get in my way. IE householders, plant managers, etc, etc.

You've hidden that well, I must admit Tony :ihih:

 

[trev]

Crikey, it's not difficult. Rewire the lighting circuits then temp them into the old CU. Wire the single point gear and temp them in if needed. Wire the RFC(s) and either temp them in or leave the old running until changeover day.
When changeover day comes you've already done best part of the testing so you save a bit of time

 

[pennychew]

You've hidden that well, I must admit Tony :ihih:

Haha! i had a little wry smile at that one as well!

 

[shanky887614]

There’s no way I’d work in house bashing.

Something else I’d never do, work on a freelance basis in a production environment. Too many pitfalls if you don’t know the process inside out. The repercussions could be disastrous in terms of loss of life and collateral damage.

It’s a great feeling when the plant starts up. How would you cope with making a decision that resulted in 300 people being laid off?

I’m not a people person and can’t cope with those that get in my way. IE householders, plant managers, etc, etc.

depends, i do a bit of house bashing from time to time.

when we get there the builders have already ripped out all carpets and floorboardw up etc.

we have a key and a set of drawings and are left to it no tight deadlines for us

 

[Knobhead]

You've hidden that well, I must admit Tony :ihih:

It was meant in all seriousness. If a decision has to be made, I’ll make it and god help anyone that goes against me.