Things that make your blood boil...

[ETradesmen]

It's been a while since I've seen a thread started which allows fellow electricians to share their pet hates in the business and to let off some steam!

Lets keep it top three things you hate!

1. People who write 'spare' on consumer unit labels!
2. People who only use 1" of blue/brown sleeving on switched lives/neutrals!
3. People who twist earth conductors together at switches/sockets!


Come on guys, let it out!

 

[Andy78]

Doesn't take much to tip you over the edge :s

 

[Simonslimline]

CPC's twisted together in the same sleeving.

People who use this "method" need to stop doing it.

 

[davesparks]

What's wrong with using short brown and blue sleeving?

 

[ian.settle1]

What's wrong with using short brown and blue sleeving?

Makes ETradesman blood boil

 

[rapparee]

Not recharging the batteries for power tools.

 

[dansk]

customers holding a retainer "till they know it's all ok" (yeah just like at the supermarket eh?)

 

[7029 dave]

Looking at appendix K, conductors should be marked brown or L at it's termination. (switch wires)

 

[shanky887614]

Not recharging the batteries for power tools.

that really ****es me off i have 4 batteries in my makita drill box and when i go to use it sometimes im lucky to have one charged

 

[Andy78]

Not recharging the batteries for power tools.

Let me guess, you find this out after you have isolated and have everything half ripped apart

 

[davesparks]

Looking at appendix K, conductors should be marked brown or L at it's termination. (switch wires)

Yes, but that's not the issue. There's nothing to say that marking needs to be a certain length.

 

[Andy78]

customers holding a retainer "till they know it's all ok" (yeah just like at the supermarket eh?)

I actively encourage this if it means I get the bulk of the money quicker

 

[rapparee]

that really ****es me off i have 4 batteries in my makita drill box and when i go to use it sometimes im lucky to have one charged

I'm also going to add not recharging the mewp.

 

[rapparee]

Let me guess, you find this out after you have isolated and have everything half ripped apart

I'm lucky enough i work in a factory there is always a socket somewhere.

 

[sparksburnout]

How about part P assessors who make you fit a lock off to the CU main switch and then try and remove the cover............

 

[Tiny Spark]

1) circuits not labelled up with feed location and boards incorrectly or stupidly labeled.

2) badly wired plugs

3) people pulling off labels stuck on cables for ID

4) disorganised tool box
(Yes i really am that ---- about my jimmys!)

5) the age old "that should only take 5 mins, whats taking so long!?"

6) lazy terminations (loose or loads of copper on show)

Prob many more but they are some of my pet peevs.

 

[7029 dave]

Customers that know it all.

 

[Breeze]

CPC's twisted together in the same sleeving.

People who use this "method" need to stop doing it.

Dont worry all the people who did that are all retired or dead

 

[shanky887614]

Dont worry all the people who did that are all retired or dead

nope there not

 

[Breeze]

Customer who make a brew for themselves whilst talking to you

 

[Breeze]

nope there not

Sorry shanky is still alive

 

[7029 dave]

Customer who make a brew for themselves whilst talking to you

Get that all the time, bloody rude if you ask me.

 

[Leesparkykent]

......

 

[Breeze]

Have you had the apprentice carrying the cable

 

[Lucien Nunes]

not recharging the mewp.

Or as it usually seems to be, borrow the MEWP, fill it with plaster, run it flat, leave it outside at the bottom of a slope and forget to give the key back.

Hard hats in finished offices because 'on paper it's still a site until handover'

Sparks who can't spell 'neutral', 'fluorescent' or 'circuit'

 

[Breeze]

Yes, but that's not the issue. There's nothing to say that marking needs to be a certain length.

Sorry for the most pointless post ever but there is in the osg or regs, something along the line of not covering the entire cable,

 

[Leesparkykent]

I've also got a couple of drums of 10mm earth that I got from CEF recently and the ends of the drums are made out of some pathetic, thin, brittle wood that every time the drum comes out the van at the next job a big Chunk of the end of the drum is missing!

 

[Breeze]

When you go to CEF and every time you buy a double socket they charge you a different price

 

[davesparks]

Sorry for the most pointless post ever but there is in the osg or regs, something along the line of not covering the entire cable,

I don't think there is, unless you are thinking of the requirements for PENs?

 

[Richard Burns]

Perhaps I could say people who go to CEF and cause them to still be in business, but that would be horrible thing to say so I wont!:38:

When you go to CEF and every time you buy a double socket they charge you a different price

 

[Breeze]

I don't think there is, unless you are thinking of the requirements for PENs?

Not sure. I know I've read it somewhere, I will look tomorrow

 

[Breeze]

Perhaps I could say people who go to CEF and cause them to still be in business, but that would be horrible thing to say so I wont!:38:

Perhaps you have a choice of wholesalers where you live, unfortunately its CEF near me for the gear you need there and then

 

[Leesparkykent]

When you go to CEF and every time you buy a double socket they charge you a different price

Haha yes, had this with some lamps the other day. I kept tight lipped that I had brought the same lamps and same amount the day before and the price was about £25 more 2nd time. In the end I told him the crack he went red in the face and gave me some crap about not knowing how the last bloke could of give me them for that price,but as he did he would have to honer the same price etc. They just try and see what they can get away with. I hate using CEF unless it's my local branch and even then they are about number 4 on my list out of who I would go to 1st lol.

 

[Breeze]

Haha yes, had this with some lamps the other day. I kept tight lipped that I had brought the same lamps and same amount the day before and the price was about £25 more 2nd time. In the end I told him the crack he went red in the face and gave me some crap about not knowing how the last bloke could of give me them for that price,but as he did he would have to honer the same price etc. They just try and see what they can get away with. I hate using CEF unless it's my local branch and even then they are about number 4 on my list out of who I would go to 1st lol.

Yes just so convenient for me when I on a callout for the local letting agent

 

[Welchyboy1]

Porcelain tiles

IKEA light fittings that dont come with a ceiling hook

 

[Englishman]

What's wrong with using short brown and blue sleeving?

And red! I'm forever nicking red sleeving when I come across loads of it over the switch line, it comes in useful when it's missing.

As for twisted earths, there is a firm near me who work on all the mansions going up, the ----- who owns them specifies it.

As for my hates, badly or non existent labelling on CUs is one, another is stupidly short cables, both at accessories and the CU.

And the length of the cpc flying lead on hager rcbos isn't even remotely amusing.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Yes just so convenient for me when I on a callout for the local letting agent

I do have an account, but I tend to pay by card over the counter when using CEF as kept getting nasty surprises on my invoices at the end of the month (Tried charging me £12 for a MK 60898 mcb once lol). It's handy to have the account though as it's a national and use it when not working locally for the odd bit of material.

 

[sparkdog]

"Its worked fine like that for 50 years".......Yes missus,its probably going to fry someone or incinerate any minute now.
DIY socket wiring where the cable is so short you can hardly even get at the terminals...They must wire it and then pull the slack through.
SWA earthed with jubilee clips.

 

[Leesparkykent]

When someone has split the strands on 10mm bonding cable either side of the single screw on a bonding clamp and the strength of your little finger could pull it out of the clamp. I always lug mine.

 

[NDG Elecs]

1. Customers
2. Clients
3. Punters

Not that I'm ungrateful or anything...

 

[Welchyboy1]

Having to unscrew every mcb and take the busbar out then do it all up again just to add an mcb to a CU

 

[NDG Elecs]

4. The new EIC form. Looks a PITA. Still, it keeps the IET bods busy.

5. DBs that are a complete nest when you take off the cover and you can't find the cables to do your testing without dismantling half the board first.

6. Tradepoint. They make my blood vapourise rather than boil. Without being flippant I truly detest their counters.

 

[PEG]

Sorry for the most pointless post ever but there is in the osg or regs, something along the line of not covering the entire cable,

I think a case could be made,for NOT covering the entire exposed cable,as a small piece of marker,is instantly obvious as a marker on a conductor which you can identify its' original colour also.
Any exuberance of covering up the existing insulation colour,could require excessive effort,to determine what it was covering.

I once worked with a lad who routinely removed the neutral insulation,up into the sheath,then slid a piece of live (insert colour) over the bare conductor back in place...
I pointed out the now severing of the insulation,but he had "always done it"...so,there we are...

Oh,and pet hates....Long-winded examples of minor thread whinge deviation...:yes:

 

[NDG Elecs]

PEG I would like to wager that you will never use the phrase "minor thread whinge deviation" ever again in your life!

Shame really as it has a nice ring to it!!

 

[Knobhead]

People asking damn fool questions about what gets me annoyed!

 

[Besoeker]

In my case, not a lot seriously irks me, far less makes my blood boil.
Perhaps that's age. I like to think of it as maturity.

It would be dishonest of me to deny that there is nothing that niggles me.
Poor use of the language is one. Everyone has free and mandatory education up to age sixteen and possibly that may be extended.

That we see, and continue to see, poor written language skills saddens me. It inclines me to think that our education system is failing us.

 

[stevethesparks]

That we see, and continue to see, poor written language skills saddens me. It inclines me to think that our education system is failing us.

Its hard when coupled with poor parenting - of which I put the majority of faults with some specimens.

 

[cliffed]

Grommets missed on flush ko boxes
Cables up to 2.5mm not bend over
Power cables in dado boxes,in & out on both sides,instead of entering on one side
Electrician who can't test
Untidy cabling,not fixed properly
Not using a level
Cheers

 

[snowhead]

People asking damn fool questions about what gets me annoyed!

That's the most annoying thing about Forums, I wish they'd stop it.

 

[snowhead]

CPC's twisted together in the same sleeving.

People who use this "method" need to stop doing it.

Dont worry all the people who did that are all retired or dead

nope there not

There's another one still here.

It was done for good reason originally.