Forum for traders only

[ses]

Is it me or is this forum becoming more and more an information point for joe blogs to gain basic information and then go and bodge his her own electrics or then start telling us sparkies how to do our job

Im all for people improving knowledge but im amazed at members handing out sometimes detailed information to these ppl

Its no wonder our industry is being devalued and everybody thinking electrics are easy

We ought to think more wisely before handing out such information i think and just give members of the public access to post if they need an electrician

Im sure ill be slated for saying this but i think we should protect our skills and knowledge and only impart it to others in the trade otherwise its a complete farce

Yes its easy to tell someone how to wire a lighting circuit or socket but how about all the knowledge and calculations behind it

We might as well tell our customers how to rewire there own house and put us all out of work

 

[brman]

If the DIYers don't get the info here they will go and get it from a DIY forum or a mate down the pub. At least here we can point out what needs to be done to do it properly and when they need to get a spark in.

 

[ses]

That is a valid point but should we not be discouraging them from attempting to do work themselves

 

[Simlec]

Our industry was devalued when T+E was introduced to the market

 

[brman]

That is a valid point but should we not be discouraging them from attempting to do work themselves

I thought generally people do. Most for the threads I have seen have not taken too long to get to the "you don't know what you are doing, get someone who does" post.

 

[ses]

True and when b and q started selling on mass to the public

 

[Sintra]

If someone is going to do work themselves then they will although I would always recommend they use a tradesman. There is nothing wrong in gaining knowledge in other fields whether or not you intend to use that knowledge practically.
Have you never had a go at anything else plumbing, mechanics, joinery etc because I know I have.

 

[monkeyelectric]

Some people will always do diy electrics even if they don't really know what they're doing so at least if they come here and ask they can get advise to do the job properly so they don't kill themselves or others instead of just tackling it blind, it becomes obvious really quickly sometimes that people are out of their depth and should get a spark in and they're normally told so. Its some of the so called sparks that come on and ask basic questions about work they're doing in paying customers houses that should be stopped, i can't believe some of the questions asked sometimes.

 

[Adam W]

If the DIYers don't get the info here they will go and get it from a DIY forum or a mate down the pub. At least here we can point out what needs to be done to do it properly and when they need to get a spark in.

And if the customer doesn't want to get an electrician in they'll have a go them self. Does this mean electricians should operate as a charity?

 

[Sintra]

My view is if you explain the complexities and dangers to a person with little or no knowledge then they will more than likely not undertake the job.

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My view is if you explain the complexities and dangers to a person with little or no knowledge then they will more than likely not undertake the job.

 

[ses]

Yes some electricians do scare me as well
And yes i like improving my own knowledge and adding strings to my bow but i see that as more of improving and advancing my business

This topic going on know with the op and the detached outbuilding is a joke the op states they are just curious but i am i the only person who thinks they are basically being told how to do the whole job

Whats the point of us training for a long time and learning a skill if we just hand out our hard earned knowledge so easily

I think we should be firm and say look get a qualified electrician in

The members on here cover a wide geo so im sure we can help the joe public and also help out traders by pushing work

 

[brman]

And if the customer doesn't want to get an electrician in they'll have a go them self. Does this mean electricians should operate as a charity?

Not at all, but as pointed out I wouldn't mind some occasional advise on stuff like plumbing and decorating. Doesn't mean I won't call a plumber if I need one.
If we are not careful we will stop giving advice to each other just in case it looses us business.

 

[ses]

And where are the ppl tellong that op the dangers and hazards

 

[ses]

There is more than enough work out there for everyone

 

[Adam W]

I tend to ignore threads asking for DIY advice - there will be things to consider which I would do without even thinking about, while they might not occur to the kind of person who needs to ask the question. I've noticed that often after the DIYer has been recommended to get an electrician in some helpful person will usually come in ignoring that and try to tell them how to do it.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Our industry was devalued when T+E was introduced to the market

Mr Chapel pimping us out to all asundry, and then getting into bed with plumbers, wasn't exactly an high point in our industry

 

[wade88]

Lets be honest and consider the nature of most forums anyway. "typically" speaking, long served members and often new ones, join the forum to learn something or seek advice, once that advice has been gained, and a little chit chat has taken place amgonst members, this whole exercise becomes as much an ego polishing mechanism than anything else. If it was simply intended to be a forum that was ONLY used by sparks to discuss problems THEY are exp during work and jobs (which i imagine this forum originally was) then the screening process to allowing new members to join should be tightened and or reviewed.

Instead, Joe Bloggs turns up and asks which end of a screw driver to use when holding the live conductor between his teeth, breast feeding the baby, everyone just jumps at it to give the most knowledgeable and thorough answer possible

a) to appear to know their stuff
b) to be helpfull
c) some clowns *ahem Geordie* just want to increase their post count

etc, you get the idea. But i think despite the opinions that handing out hard earned advice to strangers will put us all out of work and on the dole argument, is a little far fetched. If they dont get what they need to know here, they will walk into B&Q and pick up a how to pamphlet on "giving your self cardiac arrest due to macro shock to the heart", or better known as the guide to changing a socket in their eyes, but the DIY'er, a proud and feared advisary, will endevour, whatever the abuse, to wire his own garage, to install a 3 phase masturbation device, to built his electric chair if the wife plays up, no matter how much we moan.

I for one, own about 12 Haynes manuals, even for cars i have never owned, but you will not catch me going to the garage for anything less than a 3 spanner job. Not a chance. I will be damned if i wil let some spanner monkey charge me £250 to change a break disc. Electrics and the common man are no different, and let us not forget.... albeit sparks requiring the significant addition of an actual IQ above 91, we as a breed are the SMART ones, but Mr. Joe Bloggs sees "tradesman" as effectively tool weilding idiots, therefore anything we can do, he can do better....until he drops dead

It's better to push in the right direction i believe, then let the DIY folk go about their business making the world unsafe.

 

[richy3333]

Wade, where have you seen those 3 phase masturbation devices. I've trawled the net and can't find any

Isn't this just the 'same old, same old' thread that has been discussed to death time and time again? How many posts will it be before we start moaning about Electrical Trainee on this thread? (****, I've already mentioned the dreaded word)!

 

[Octopus]

Its not only the DIYers that are taking over its the "young" sparks who can't be arsxd to read a book or use Google.

I tend to waiver between ignoring them or suggesting they get a sparky in

Look at the thread by "susie" yesterday - I was astonished at her knowledge and the information being dished out, including by one mod. She even sent me a pm, which I was sorely tempted to copy and paste - in which did say she was doing some of it herself despite her OP saying the opposite.

 

[Adam W]

I for one, own about 12 Haynes manuals, even for cars i have never owned, but you will not catch me going to the garage for anything less than a 3 spanner job. Not a chance. I will be damned if i wil let some spanner monkey charge me £250 to change a break disc. Electrics and the common man are no different, and let us not forget.... albeit sparks requiring the significant addition of an actual IQ above 91, we as a breed are the SMART ones, but Mr. Joe Bloggs sees "tradesman" as effectively tool weilding idiots, therefore anything we can do, he can do better....until he drops dead

Ah but if you weren't supposed to fix your own car, the likes of Halfords wouldn't sell everything to do it including instruction manuals to the general public. Don't hate the player hate the game :smug2:

Of course the reality is they sell these things because people are prepared to pay good money for them, and they can make money, which is what makes the world go round. Same with B&Q selling DIY stuff and TradeSkills4U selling 17th edition and Part P courses. Or Jimmy Carr etc 'legally' getting around paying the same amount of tax the rest of us would have had to; he didn't break the law and there are companies which facilitate tax avoidance, so does that make it fine because he was playing the game, or is it morally questionable?

 

[Sintra]

Murdoch I will give out information to whoever I want. As stated I would rather explain the job to someone rather than let them do it blind which they are going to do anyway no matter how many times you tell them to get in a spark. We all have to remember this is a public forum and not just for sparks. It is each members own choice as to what posts they reply to.

 

[Engineer54]

Forum for traders only, ...what like 17 day and Electrical Trainee's?? lol!! :earmuffs::smilielol5:

 

[brman]

Guys, what is the problem, there is already a forum for you lot.......
grumpy-old-git.com

:lol: :earmuffs:

 

[Geordie Spark]

Lets be honest and consider the nature of most forums anyway. "typically" speaking, long served members and often new ones, join the forum to learn something or seek advice, once that advice has been gained, and a little chit chat has taken place amgonst members, this whole exercise becomes as much an ego polishing mechanism than anything else. If it was simply intended to be a forum that was ONLY used by sparks to discuss problems THEY are exp during work and jobs (which i imagine this forum originally was) then the screening process to allowing new members to join should be tightened and or reviewed.

Instead, Joe Bloggs turns up and asks which end of a screw driver to use when holding the live conductor between his teeth, breast feeding the baby, everyone just jumps at it to give the most knowledgeable and thorough answer possible

a) to appear to know their stuff
b) to be helpfull
c) some clowns *ahem Geordie* just want to increase their post count

etc, you get the idea. But i think despite the opinions that handing out hard earned advice to strangers will put us all out of work and on the dole argument, is a little far fetched. If they dont get what they need to know here, they will walk into B&Q and pick up a how to pamphlet on "giving your self cardiac arrest due to macro shock to the heart", or better known as the guide to changing a socket in their eyes, but the DIY'er, a proud and feared advisary, will endevour, whatever the abuse, to wire his own garage, to install a 3 phase masturbation device, to built his electric chair if the wife plays up, no matter how much we moan.

I for one, own about 12 Haynes manuals, even for cars i have never owned, but you will not catch me going to the garage for anything less than a 3 spanner job. Not a chance. I will be damned if i wil let some spanner monkey charge me £250 to change a break disc. Electrics and the common man are no different, and let us not forget.... albeit sparks requiring the significant addition of an actual IQ above 91, we as a breed are the SMART ones, but Mr. Joe Bloggs sees "tradesman" as effectively tool weilding idiots, therefore anything we can do, he can do better....until he drops dead

It's better to push in the right direction i believe, then let the DIY folk go about their business making the world unsafe.

That's another one !!!! :hurray: :jester:

 

[Eggster71]

Maybe the standard 1st reply should be along the lines of

"What earth do you have? How's your main bonding and what are your Zs and IPF."

After all we generally need to confirm all this before starting....

 

[wade88]

That's another one !!!! :hurray: :jester:

Sorry fella as i was typing you just naturally fell into it. Glad i could have been of service to further help add to your numbers however

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And not add to "those" numbers before someone makes a crack. Filthy bunch of scabs