The big difference in the electric terminology and installation regulations and practice in each country!

This is, should be, and can always be an awesome thread if everybody who contributes to it really well. Less bants (with can be misunderstood) and more facts and sharing of info.

It's connecting (pardon the pun) electricians from various countries and it's nice to see some positive (ha) connections between us all in this weird time of so much disconnection globally in community spirit and whatnot.

Let's try and keep this thread a brilliant one.

It's also when the forum first switched to a global domain. So it's something people can be drawn to and contribute to and feel part of the forum even as a newbie. :)

Welcome to all I say. :D
 
The concept of a global electrical forum is baffling. It's nice to chat and knock ideas around, but there are so many detail differences in practice that a thread like this is bound to lead to confusion at times and it's quite hard to offer practical advice. Like the enquiry yesterday from a new poster in the US about disconnecting a cable from a meter socket. We don't have meter sockets in the UK and if we did, we wouldn't be allowed to remove cables from them. Sockets, yes, and meters, yes, but meter sockets? To a UK spark, that thread reads like 'What cheese do I put in my car bicycle?'. It's best for the poster to get local advice from someone who services car bicycles and knows which cheese is compatible with which :)
 
Two of the Americanisms I can’t get my head around. A motor starter is a “bucket”, and a motor terminal box a “pecker head”?????
 
Carl S said:
Two of the Americanisms I can’t get my head around. A motor starter is a “bucket”, and a motor terminal box a “pecker head”?????
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Where have you heard those? As you know I split my time 20/30/50% between the UK/Germany and the USA. Not heard of those expressions before.
 
Carl S said:
Two of the Americanisms I can’t get my head around. A motor starter is a “bucket”, and a motor terminal box a “pecker head”?????
Click to expand...
Hi everyone and yes the OP is local and we can pull meters, and if needed we can take the wires loose on the customer side of the meter and replace if needed. I’ve took the wires on the OP side of the meter or the socket wires hot because the neutral was corroded or not making a good connection ( our neutral is white) and I didn’t have to call the OP to disconnect the power. Yes we call the motor control center which has what we call buckets and yes we call the cover on the motor a peckerhead i don’t know where that slang came from. It’s been called since I’ve been doing electrical work and that was around 1980
 
Megawatt said:
Hi everyone and yes the OP is local and we can pull meters, and if needed we can take the wires loose on the customer side of the meter and replace if needed. I’ve took the wires on the OP side of the meter or the socket wires hot because the neutral was corroded or not making a good connection ( our neutral is white) and I didn’t have to call the OP to disconnect the power. Yes we call the motor control center which has what we call buckets and yes we call the cover on the motor a peckerhead i don’t know where that slang came from. It’s been called since I’ve been doing electrical work and that was around 1980
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I’m am assuming that y’all call the OP as the power company or inspector
 
Megawatt said:
I’m am assuming that y’all call the OP as the power company or inspector
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We call the power company a couple of things. We have the DNOs or district network operators, who own and run the distribution network, transformers etc including the cable into each property and the main fuse(s) for that property.
We also have the energy supplier who own and maintain the meter for each property. That's who the householder pays their bills to.

The fuse and meter are sealed and we, as electricians, are not supposed to break these seals or tamper with this equipment.

Here is a map of the UK showing the DNO companies. The energy supplier is whoever the householder chooses.

www.energynetworks.org

Who’s my network operator?

Your network operator can tell you who your energy supplier is, if you're unsure or don't know.
www.energynetworks.org www.energynetworks.org
 
Andy78 said:
We call the power company a couple of things. We have the DNOs or district network operators, who own and run the distribution network, transformers etc including the cable into each property and the main fuse(s) for that property.
We also have the energy supplier who own and maintain the meter for each property. That's who the householder pays their bills to.

The fuse and meter are sealed and we, as electricians, are not supposed to break these seals or tamper with this equipment.

Here is a map of the UK showing the DNO companies. The energy supplier is whoever the householder chooses.

www.energynetworks.org

Who’s my network operator?

Your network operator can tell you who your energy supplier is, if you're unsure or don't know.
www.energynetworks.org www.energynetworks.org
Click to expand...
 
Carl S said:
Two of the Americanisms I can’t get my head around. A motor starter is a “bucket”, and a motor terminal box a “pecker head”?????
Click to expand...
Never heard that before Carl, how about " Receptical" for a socket and although being replace "Knob and Tube" "Romex" "MC Cable" "Pliers are "Klein's" and the best one I ever heard "Pony Panel" I'll leave you lot to work that one out.
 
Lucien Nunes said:
The concept of a global electrical forum is baffling. It's nice to chat and knock ideas around, but there are so many detail differences in practice that a thread like this is bound to lead to confusion at times and it's quite hard to offer practical advice. Like the enquiry yesterday from a new poster in the US about disconnecting a cable from a meter socket. We don't have meter sockets in the UK and if we did, we wouldn't be allowed to remove cables from them. Sockets, yes, and meters, yes, but meter sockets? To a UK spark, that thread reads like 'What cheese do I put in my car bicycle?'. It's best for the poster to get local advice from someone who services car bicycles and knows which cheese is compatible with which :)
Click to expand...
We will cater for all. Don't worry. :)
 
Dan said:
We have traffic from Russia. Just nobody registered yet from what I can see.
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Could be restricted Dan, may sound odd in this day and age but believe it still goes on especially with the older generation, which my Friends belong to. 1984 lives on I'm afraid.
 
I think you have to realise. most of the post Soviet era Russians are a Savvy lot.
But the Soviet era generation are still scare witless of the tap on the shoulder "Ah come with me Tovarich we need a talk, welcome to Lubiyanka".
 
Remember rewiring some accommodation wi th Staff members from my maintenance gang 2 Sparkies, truing to teach them the 3 plate wiring system was a bit of a chore, they got it in the end, happy days, something and some names I will never forget, happy days. like to think I left my mark, well maybe.
 
Pete999 said:
Remember rewiring some accommodation wi th Staff members from my maintenance gang 2 Sparkies, truing to teach them the 3 plate wiring system was a bit of a chore, they got it in the end, happy days, something and some names I will never forget, happy days. like to think I left my mark, well maybe.
Click to expand...
Had to supply Boris the Sparky with UK accessories, wondered why the number of switches and sockets was getting out of control, till I was invited for Dinner and Vodka (lots of Vodka) one day at the Russian Foreman's Gaff, MK stuff everywhere, you have to laugh.
 
I worked for a time on the Falklands, job wise power 24/7 so as UK, but on the camp (countryside) farms only had power so many hours a day, two slots, a morning one to bring freezers down to temperature and allow use of vacuum cleaner etc. Evening slot again to bring freezer down to temperature and get rid of need for candles which it seems had caused many a house fire.

Smaller farms had auto start generators, that would start when anything switched on, but there was a problem going to toilet at night, so battery banks, and DC lighting was used.

This was 1985 to 1990 no mobile phones, even wired phones were single wire and did not work in wind, or where wires had broken inside the mine field, all coms was really 2 meter ham radio, and these also needed batteries to work.

I am sure now they have phones and even internet, but it was a different world where there was no 24/7 230 volt power.
 
Pete999 said:
Another one "MASTER , ELECTRICIAN"
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I believe in the US an apprentice becomes a journeyman when he qualifies, then becomes a master electrician once he has enough experience. I think the master electrician is similar to the JIB approved electrician grade.

I believe this mirrors the way trade apprenticeships worked in this country hundreds of years ago.
 
davesparks said:
I believe in the US an apprentice becomes a journeyman when he qualifies, then becomes a master electrician once he has enough experience. I think the master electrician is similar to the JIB approved electrician grade.

I believe this mirrors the way trade apprenticeships worked in this country hundreds of years ago.
Click to expand...
I have never worked for a union so we don’t come up thru the union way.electricians in the USA or at least myself I have had some great classes but unfortunately I had to come thru the school of hard knocks or the on the job training. Don’t get me wrong I’ve made a lot of mistakes and blew up some stuff but I learned from my mistakes
 
Did they had the equivalent of A, B and C certs, then...…. I'll bet you had to go to Harvard or Yale to get the C...:cool: ;)
 
pirate said:
Now, now Andy78, that's a tad pedantic of you! LOL!
Plus, you ended your sentence with an unnecessary preposition. If we are trying to assist our American friend with the correct terminology for our superior electrical items, we should be careful not to let him think our grammar is inferior...
Click to expand...
So, perhaps we should start every sentence with a conjunction, that will really make him feel at home.
 
No JK...that is not a sentence, Miss MacKenzie at primary school would hit you with a ruler!
Oh...I see the point now!
It's what i go to school for...some members may not get that.
Odd though, that Miss MacKenzie would probably allow the use of a preposition at the end of a sentence, especially as it made her famous!

Oh...ok...

go for it!

 
pirate said:
No JK...that is not a sentence, Miss MacKenzie at primary school would hit you with a ruler!
Oh...I see the point now!
It's what i go to school for...some members may not get that.
Odd though, that Miss MacKenzie would probably allow the use of a preposition at the end of a sentence, especially as it made her famous!
Click to expand...

Thats the trouble with teachers, they think they know best;

https://www.writing-skills.com/hit-or-myth-you-cant-start-a-sentence-with-and-or-but

Googles good ain't it.
 
Megawatt said:
call the cover on the motor a peckerhead ... was around 1980
Click to expand...
Memorable "slang" names help apprentices keep track of things.
The important bits and the odd occasional tool ,never there (always abandoned somewhere ) or in need of a trip to the van to get 2nd spare.
My sons part apprenticeship , included Silly... for Silicone gun. ( Apologies if that's more of a Wet-pants = Plumber's tool)
-A bit of fun at times to break up the day-
Covers are an important safety item. :)
 
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Megawatt

Megawatt

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If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
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The big difference in the electric terminology and installation regulations and practice in each country!
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