Electrical course.

[larfinboy]

Hi all I wonder if you can help.
I currently work for the NHS, but was previously a carpenter/ joiner and have my NVQ level 2 in this, in fact the only reason I packed it in was because I always wanted to be in the ambulance service. (But wish I had not bothered now…!)
My wife and I have been doing renovation work to properties we have bought over the past few years to supplement our income, I would love to do an electricians course so that we can certify our own electrics as we always seem to pay a fortune for electrical work but I have no formal Electrical qualifications. Ideally I would go to college and get a qualification but shift work makes this impossible so any suggestions on a short course I could do? I don’t intend to work on sites or get any paid work from punters so will I need to complete a full course equivalent to say for example NVQ 3? I think I will need part P but not sure.
Although we live within London we have recently bought a property in Bognor Regis so my wife can see a lot more of her family, so I could do a course in London or West Sussex way.

Regards Chris

 

[derek]

There are no decent short courses they are all a con, they promise the earth but leave you ill prepared for the reality of working as an electrician. The reason why your electricians charge a fortune as you perceive it is because they spent 3 or 4 years or more learning how to do it properly. I'm sure as a chippie you wouldn't expect someone to be let loose on your house building the roof or doing the shuttering for a concrete basement after a few week course? It takes experience and that is why you pay the money. Learning electrical theory is an important part but the knowledge of how to apply it in practice is just as important.

 

[Pete999]

How would you feel lafinboy, if someone asked you where they could do a short course to learn how to become a Carpenter, not best pleased I suspect? stick to what you know and do the best you can:62:

 

[7029 dave]

I hate carpentry, never any good at it. lol

 

[larfinboy]

How would you feel lafinboy, if someone asked you where they could do a short course to learn how to become a Carpenter, not best pleased I suspect? stick to what you know and do the best you can:62:

I disagree completly. Good luck to any one who wants to better themselves, in fact if 7029 dave lived a bit closer I would teach him how easy it could be.. (or at least how to cut in a straight line)

The last bunch of comedians we used didn't even bond the bath and hand basin...! (It took several baths to figure out why I jumped every time I touched the taps.)
As a house renovator (not just a carpenter) I take pride in my work, I am fed up with so called trades people not taking pride in theirs which is another reason why I want to be able to certify my own work.
Why are you all so defensive about some one gaining extra skills?

 

[davesparks]

We do not bond baths and hand basins and haven't done for many years.

Receiving a shock from bath taps suggests a problem is present in the installation which could be anything up to a failure of the incoming supply.

We are not defensive about people gaining extra skills, but without working alongside a skilled electrician for a decent length of time you will not learn to do electrics properly.

Time and again people who have qualified from these short courses have been proven to be a danger to both themselves and the general public.

 

[Octopus]

I disagree completly. Good luck to any one who wants to better themselves, in fact if 7029 dave lived a bit closer I would teach him how easy it could be.. (or at least how to cut in a straight line)

The last bunch of comedians we used didn't even bond the bath and hand basin...! (It took several baths to figure out why I jumped every time I touched the taps.)
As a house renovator (not just a carpenter) I take pride in my work, I am fed up with so called trades people not taking pride in theirs which is another reason why I want to be able to certify my own work.
Why are you all so defensive about some one gaining extra skills?

So I'm guessing you didn't get their names from a reputable source nor paid a respectable sum for it to be done properly.

The problem with most "developers" is that they want 110% when paying peanuts, so they can make all the money.........,

 

[derek]

You should sign up for the C&G 2365 to level 3 which covers the theory, or you could do the C&G 2357 which incorporates the theory and practical aspect but would need to be working in the trade to complete this. Part P is a building regulation and as a developer you should be familiar with them all. There is no Part p qualification. You would still need to work along side a competent electrician for a few years in order to gain the required practical skills. There are many bad tradesmen in the construction industry, including time served sparks unfortunately. If you are serious about learning the electrical trade then may I suggest learning from someone who takes pride in their work and who has the requisite experience.

 

[larfinboy]

Derek, thanks for this.

 

[larfinboy]

We do not bond baths and hand basins and haven't done for many years.

Receiving a shock from bath taps suggests a problem is present in the installation which could be anything up to a failure of the incoming supply.

We are not defensive about people gaining extra skills, but without working alongside a skilled electrician for a decent length of time you will not learn to do electrics properly.

Time and again people who have qualified from these short courses have been proven to be a danger to both themselves and the general public.

Thank you for the info, that will explain why they never bonded the tub, we have had no other problems since the tub has been bonded but will get an electrician to have a look at our installation.

By the way where is the evidence to suggest that short courses are dangerous?
If I had seen anything to suggest that on the internet I would not have asked the question in the first place, surely if they are dangerous some organization would be shutting them down!

 

[larfinboy]

So I'm guessing you didn't get their names from a reputable source nor paid a respectable sum for it to be done properly.

The problem with most "developers" is that they want 110% when paying peanuts, so they can make all the money.........,

Obviously you did not read my opening forum question stating we paid a fortune for the work, and we have not made a fortune. We had also got their names from word of mouth recommendation, but as all tradesmen (and women) you are only as good as your last job.
If you are unable to be helpful could you kindly keep your opinions to your self!

 

[Octopus]

Obviously you did not read my opening forum question stating we paid a fortune for the work, and we have not made a fortune. We had also got their names from word of mouth recommendation, but as all tradesmen (and women) you are only as good as your last job.
If you are unable to be helpful could kindly keep your opinions to your self!

That's a bit of a sweeping statement. A fortune to you could be not much to somebody else! Unless you give examples I'd keep making these generalisations to yourself.

 

[larfinboy]

[Quote, That's a bit of a sweeping statement. A fortune to you could be not much to somebody else! Unless you give examples I'd keep making these generalisations to yourself.Quote]

You mean like yours...!?

 

[Octopus]

[Quote, That's a bit of a sweeping statement. A fortune to you could be not much to somebody else! Unless you give examples I'd keep making these generalisations to yourself.Quote]

You mean like yours...!?

Yup. You started it and with no examples we have nothing to go on

 

[davesparks]

Thank you for the info, that will explain why they never bonded the tub, we have had no other problems since the tub has been bonded but will get an electrician to have a look at our installation.

By the way where is the evidence to suggest that short courses are dangerous?
If I had seen anything to suggest that on the internet I would not have asked the question in the first place, surely if they are dangerous some organization would be shutting them down!

The evidence is all around us, but it's not the courses that are dangerous. It is the people who do the courses then come out thinking they are qualified to work on electrics who are dangerous!

Personally I have had:
two short course qualified people work with me who didn't last more than two days because they didn't have a clue, and I had to undo and redo their work as it was so bad.
One CU replacement by a short course qualified person with the tails round the wrong way (polarity reversed) which is extremely dangerous.
One dangerous garage installation by a short course qualified person.
One external socket circuit in SWA where the SWA only had a couple of strands in the glands or glands not tightened, 3 twin sockets all on a continuous spur taken from an internal socket which was already a spur.
I have reported these cowboys to their schemes and to trading standards whenever possible.

Some of our number stood up in front of the government department responsible for part P and explained the situation to them and they have issued a report and started to take action.

There is a campaign slowly gathering momentum to boycott the schemes who are the architects of this damned nonsense.

 

[larfinboy]

So a short domestic installers course (I have been doing my home work) would be good enough to re wire a house, if I stick to the course material and don't think I am a fully qualified sparks...?

 

[davesparks]

No, not good enough to rewire a house at all. On a short course you will learn a bit about the regulations, a bit about testing and how to wire a couple of lights and a couple of sockets on a sheet of plywood.

You will not learn any of the skills needed to rewire a house.

 

[Lifis]

So a short domestic installers course (I have been doing my home work) would be good enough to re wire a house, if I stick to the course material and don't think I am a fully qualified sparks...?

Not a spark but domestic installer. To call your salve spark you will need to achieve Am2 qualification. I think

 

[derek]

To be a spark you need to be competent, A competent person is someone who has relevant practical skills, experience and technical knowledge for the nature of the work undertaken, able at all times to prevent danger and injury to themselves and others. These short courses will not get you any of these in my opinion as even the knowledge of the theory will not be in your long term memory as all you do is cram for exams using short term memory which is then immediately forgotten.