What are your thoughts on people wanting to be ultra neat when wiring inside boards?

[rewireIT]

I get wanting to do a good job but does being super neat inside a board really make it a better job?

I don't see any advantage to it aside from aesthetics and if it's something that's not seen then....what's the point in obsessing over how neat it all looks?

To me it's a bit like a kitchen fitter making sure all the feet on his cabinets point the same way even though plinth is going on and covering them all up.

What do you's reckon?

 

[nicebutdim]

The most obvious reason is that it aides future works if each conductor in a circuit is readily identifiable, but there's a vast difference between taking pride in turning out neat work and obsessing over millimetre perfect placement of conductors.

Next would be the ease with which additions can be made - much easier to dress more circuits in a neat board, than negotiating your way through a birds nest.

I don't think the kitchen fitter analogy fits - that's more in line with ensuring plate screws are all oriented the same way, which, ironically, is much more common than fastidiously neat boards.

 

[xylophone]

It’s all ended up being a bit of a YouTube beauty contest to some extent

IMO the most important thing is that it’s easy to maintain for the next person… enough slack, tidy correctly ordered conductors etc. this does mean neat, not a rats nest but probably doesn’t have to be quite as “beautiful” as some YouTube examples.

 

[SparkySy]

So would you be happy to test this rats nest that was done a couple of months ago?
And has some obvious faults without looking properly, the original installer wouldn't sign it off and then wouldn't answer the customer's emails calls or texts, mm wonder why!

I was going to attach a picture of one I did a week or so ago for a comparison but it will not have it!

Personally I will always do a neat job of everything I do, it's why I get so much repeat business.
Take pride in your work, do it once and do it properly!
Sy

 

[James]

View attachment 109245
So would you be happy to test this rats nest that was done a couple of months ago?
And has some obvious faults without looking properly, the original installer wouldn't sign it off and then wouldn't answer the customer's emails calls or texts, mm wonder why!

I was going to attach a picture of one I did a week or so ago for a comparison but it will not have it!

Personally I will always do a neat job of everything I do, it's why I get so much repeat business.
Take pride in your work, do it once and do it properly!
Sy

Apart from some of the copper conductors being proud of the breakers, there is nothing “wrong” with it.
I agree that it could and probably should be neater but would it make it any safer?

part of me is playing the devils advocate
part of me is thinking conductors in the right holes, screws done up correctly, testing and certification in place, what’s the problem?

 

[freddo]

Why does it say network ---- on that cable?

 

[SparkySy]

@James
Neatness wouldn't make it any safer, but.
Hidden in there are some 1.0mm cables protected by 20mcb's and some 2.5mm radial circuits on 32a mcb's.
As well as cables left to fit and not enough spare ways for them.
There are also lighting circuits in with socket circuits it's a bit of a mess, there is also the RCD's maximum allowed leakage to consider, that's a lot of lights and sockets to hang off two RCD's.
And none of it is labeled properly.
I couldn't leave a job I'd done looking like that and walk away a happy contractor!

@freddo
I have no idea why it says that!

 

[nicebutdim]

Why does it say network ---- on that cable?

...rack

 

[rewireIT]

@James
Neatness wouldn't make it any safer, but.
Hidden in there are some 1.0mm cables protected by 20mcb's and some 2.5mm radial circuits on 32a mcb's.
As well as cables left to fit and not enough spare ways for them.
There are also lighting circuits in with socket circuits it's a bit of a mess, there is also the RCD's maximum allowed leakage to consider, that's a lot of lights and sockets to hang off two RCD's.
And none of it is labeled properly.
I couldn't leave a job I'd done looking like that and walk away a happy contractor!

@freddo
I have no idea why it says that!

Hmm i take all your points and you are right but...does any of that actually get impacted by the wiring not being nice to look at?

 

[nicebutdim]

Hmm i take all your points and you are right but...does any of that actually get impacted by the wiring not being nice to look at?

Any thoughts on other points raised in this thread, a number of which are very pertinent to the issue of neatness?