Not a sparky but have a HNC, what do I need to be deemed competent ?

[Codemonkey]

Hi All,

First a bit of background. I currently work as an electronics engineer and have done for over 20 years now. Way back when I started, I did a BTEC ONC and then HNC in Electrical & Electronics Engineering. I appreciate that this doesn't make me a competent electrician. I'd like to be able to do work on my own house (being a tight northerner) and maybe in the future consider it as a bit of a semi-retirement plan working self employed, so...

What I'd like to know is, given my existing qualifications, what would I need to do to become deemed a competent domestic electrician ? I know at the very least I'd need to do the 17th Edition wiring regs but what else ?

I understand that any work done must be Part P certified, am I correct in believing that work done can be inspected by the local authority ?

There seem to be plenty of threads about electricians wanting to do the HNC, but not people with the HNC wanting to become electricians!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Lee

 

[shanky887614]

Hi All,

First a bit of background. I currently work as an electronics engineer and have done for over 20 years now. Way back when I started, I did a BTEC ONC and then HNC in Electrical & Electronics Engineering. I appreciate that this doesn't make me a competent electrician. I'd like to be able to do work on my own house (being a tight northerner) and maybe in the future consider it as a bit of a semi-retirement plan working self employed, so...

What I'd like to know is, given my existing qualifications, what would I need to do to become deemed a competent domestic electrician ? I know at the very least I'd need to do the 17th Edition wiring regs but what else ?

I understand that any work done must be Part P certified, am I correct in believing that work done can be inspected by the local authority ?

There seem to be plenty of threads about electricians wanting to do the HNC, but not people with the HNC wanting to become electricians!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Lee

yes building control can inspect but it costs say £200 a time and they have to be notified before work is carried out.

 

[telectrix]

if you are competent to carry out work in your own house, then just get on with it. as for notification of work, get the 2382 ( 17th), and then join a scam like elecsa. all you need is 17th, cheque book, and a bit of blagging.

 

[rapparee]

if it's his own house would building control need to be notified?

 

[telectrix]

technically, yes, but who cares? the part p police? they only care when MP's relatives are injured.

 

[moospark]

Labotomy?

 

[telectrix]

lobotomy even. total removal of brain, he could be a plumber.

 

[Simonslimline]

Also not forgetting that not all work is notifiable anyway. Good to have a read up IMO.

 

[Codemonkey]

Thanks for the replies folks. So, if later I wanted to be able to do a bit of work self employed, would I just need 17th edition ? Basically what I'm getting at is do I also need to go and do all the other multitude of C&G courses ? Any courses that I do take will have to be part time weekend or evening (or very short full time done during holidays from the day job) so don't want to do stuff needlessly!

 

[trev]

If I were you I'd be thinking about upgrading your quals to HND at the very least and looking at getting into the engineering side of things.

 

[Codemonkey]

If I were you I'd be thinking about upgrading your quals to HND at the very least and looking at getting into the engineering side of things.

Thanks but I already work as an electronics engineer (I used to design emergency lighting and security systems, currently doing embedded systems design) and have done for the last 24 years. A HND would be a waste of time really as I've not had a problem getting jobs without one, if I were wanting to spend years studying again I'd go for a degree.

All I'm really interested in is what would be required for me to be able to eventually work as a self employed sparky doing domestic work. I'm getting sick of working for a giant corporate entity and would like a get out option as a back up plan should they make me redundant like they did many of my colleagues. Working as a self employed electronics engineer would be nice (developing own products), but the cost of certifying products (CE & FCC marking etc) are quite prohibitive for one man in his shed type companies.

 

[shanky887614]

Thanks but I already work as an electronics engineer (I used to design emergency lighting and security systems, currently doing embedded systems design) and have done for the last 24 years. A HND would be a waste of time really as I've not had a problem getting jobs without one, if I were wanting to spend years studying again I'd go for a degree.

All I'm really interested in is what would be required for me to be able to eventually work as a self employed sparky doing domestic work. I'm getting sick of working for a giant corporate entity and would like a get out option as a back up plan should they make me redundant like they did many of my colleagues. Working as a self employed electronics engineer would be nice (developing own products), but the cost of certifying products (CE & FCC marking etc) are quite prohibitive for one man in his shed type companies.

im sure if you really worked hard then workimg as a one man band would be viable.

a relative on my stepdad's side is a very clever engineer and does this, he is getting on a bit now.

he designed a fair bit of mining machinery including support's etc