Where do these cowboys come from?

[Bob Geldoff1234]

I was called out to a fault today where the newly fitted consumer units RCD was tripping when the cooker was switched on.The cooker had been checked by an appliance engineer and deemed to be fully working with no faults.
So I turned up to be presented with a nice new shiny MK metal clad dual RCD board.Upon removing the lid I was presented with this

Also notice the top of the board as below....

Upon asking about the board change the customer said that they had bought the board and a nice young guy had fitted it for £100!
The board was not labeled what so ever with grommets missing etc.
No paperwork had been supplied and no testing done.

The fault on the cooker was found to be the neutral put in the opposite bar to the one it should have been in.This was quickly rectified but i started to write a list of what was wrong(I am sure there are even more than this)

1.Mains tails not double covered 25mm.
2.Main earth was only 6mm feeding the unit.
3.No grommets or bushes in any holes.
4.Huge hole where tails entered unit (easily stick a finger in there) and no bushed glands for tails.
5.Green/yellow sleeving missing off a lot of earth wires.
6.No mains gas or water bonding.
7.Unit not marked up and no warning labels anywhere.
8.No test certs or Part P supplied.
9.Consumer unit only fixed with 2 screws at the top and none at the bottom so the board was flapping.
10.Old rubber cable still connected(showing a very low neutral to earth fault.
11.A twin and earth with just its earth and neutral connected but not the live with very low tests showing.
12.Mains tails sticking out of main switch with copper showing.

13.Four 2.5mm cables in one breaker.
14.40 amp breaker feeding cooker circuit.(I would have put it on a 32amp)
15.Muliple lighting cables in one breaker.
I am sure there are many more faults that I haven't been bothered to find so feel free to chip in.

The customer said "Should I call him back to put it right?"
I said you should only call him back to give him a slap and would not want this guy touching any electric ever again.
I have given the customer a quote to redo the consumer unit again with bonding,testing,certification etc but by the way he was talking about getting the young lad back then I doubt I will be doing anymore work.

 

[Toneyz]

It's a metal consumer unit at least it will contain the fire.

 

[Rosco]

Until it comes out the chimney hole in the top

 

[Pete999]

It's a metal consumer unit at least it will contain the fire.

Not with that bluudy gert hole it wont

 

[Pete999]

I was called out to a fault today where the newly fitted consumer units RCD was tripping when the cooker was switched on.The cooker had been checked by an appliance engineer and deemed to be fully working with no faults.
So I turned up to be presented with a nice new shiny MK metal clad dual RCD board.Upon removing the lid I was presented with thisView attachment 43750

Also notice the top of the board as below....



View attachment 43751

Upon asking about the board change the customer said that they had bought the board and a nice young guy had fitted it for £100!
The board was not labeled what so ever with grommets missing etc.
No paperwork had been supplied and no testing done.

The fault on the cooker was found to be the neutral put in the opposite bar to the one it should have been in.This was quickly rectified but i started to write a list of what was wrong(I am sure there are even more than this)

1.Mains tails not double covered 25mm.
2.Main earth was only 6mm feeding the unit.
3.No grommets or bushes in any holes.
4.Huge hole where tails entered unit (easily stick a finger in there) and no bushed glands for tails.
5.Green/yellow sleeving missing off a lot of earth wires.
6.No mains gas or water bonding.
7.Unit not marked up and no warning labels anywhere.
8.No test certs or Part P supplied.
9.Consumer unit only fixed with 2 screws at the top and none at the bottom so the board was flapping.
10.Old rubber cable still connected(showing a very low neutral to earth fault.
11.A twin and earth with just its earth and neutral connected but not the live with very low tests showing.
12.Mains tails sticking out of main switch with copper showing.View attachment 43753

13.Four 2.5mm cables in one breaker.
14.40 amp breaker feeding cooker circuit.(I would have put it on a 32amp)
15.Muliple lighting cables in one breaker.
I am sure there are many more faults that I haven't been bothered to find so feel free to chip in.

The customer said "Should I call him back to put it right?"
I said you should only call him back to give him a slap and would not want this guy touching any electric ever again.
I have given the customer a quote to redo the consumer unit again with bonding,testing,certification etc but by the way he was talking about getting the young lad back then I doubt I will be doing anymore work.

Domestic Installer, or Cowboy, was he? cus he certainly ain't an Electrician.

 

[elsparko]

buy cheap buy twice, obviously this "young guy" hasnt got much experience with the regs, who doesnt upgrade the tails when upgrading a board?!

sorting out crossed neutrals is an easy job, most of the time its visual, although looking in that board id guess visual was out of the question.

no excuse for the shoddy "dressing" of cables, plenty of length on them

 

[elsparko]

i like the new hager boards, with the square knockouts with the adaptor for supply tails

i seem to be coming across alot of smoke alarms that dont have permanent lives, just grabbed the switched live from the light fitting " be alright innit" by the time the battery has run dry the fitter is long gone

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

That is down right dangerous... thing is if you reported the stupid kid doing this work to building control etc, you could in theory get the homeowner fined upto £5k.. never heard of the homeowner being fined though but that idiot responsible needs stopping in case he ends up hurting somebody.

 

[Midwest]

I think that needs reporting to some authority, not sure who, Trading Standards perhaps, but the installer needs stopping.

 

[Dave OCD]

Totally atrocious ! You can't help but wonder about the intelligence or indeed common sense of the client though - you don't need to be an electrician to see that's an awful job done. Sadly there's an obsession amongst many of getting everything done as cheap as possible.

 

[rapparee]

 

[123]

Absolutely terrible job, I mean who in their right mind would fit an MK Consumer Unit?

 

[Octopus]

Makes you wonder if the customer went for the cheapest price ...

 

[Dave OCD]

buy cheap buy twice, obviously this "young guy" hasnt got much experience with the regs, who doesnt upgrade the tails when upgrading a board?!

sorting out crossed neutrals is an easy job, most of the time its visual, although looking in that board id guess visual was out of the question.

no excuse for the shoddy "dressing" of cables, plenty of length on them

I often don't, if the existing 16mm tails are of sufficient length and in good order and the DNO fuse is 60 or even 80 amps I don't see the need. How many domestic installs actually need 25mm tails - especially when the incoming supply is 16mm ?! And 25mm can be a right pain to work with when space is tight....

 

[Dave OCD]

Absolutely terrible job, I mean who in their right mind would fit an MK Consumer Unit?

I recently repositioned one that had been recently [badly] installed by a NIC.... electrical genius. I must say that the steel and particularly the front cover seemed surprisingly thin and flimsy. The much maligned BG boards are far superior IMHO.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I was called out to a fault today where the newly fitted consumer units RCD was tripping when the cooker was switched on.The cooker had been checked by an appliance engineer and deemed to be fully working with no faults.
So I turned up to be presented with a nice new shiny MK metal clad dual RCD board.Upon removing the lid I was presented with this

thanks for showing my work .

 

[buzzlightyear]

which s88ty part of Blackpool was it N,C,S,

 

[westward10]

Wouldn't surprise me if that was done by the home owner.

 

[mattg4321]

Wouldn't surprise me if that was done by the home owner.

Nail, head.

Otherwise he would've called in the 'young kid' to attempt to rectify. Why did OP get the call?

Reminds me of a job recently. Get there to fit new light fitting to find
1. Old light fitting removed, new fitting bracket fitted (badly) to ceiling
2. Reds all connected together, blacks all connected together
3. Remove switch to find both conductors removed from switch and taped up.
4. Big scorch mark on backbox of switch

Apparently he'd only removed the old fitting and fitted bracket to make it easier for me. Must think we've never seen it before!!!!

 

[westward10]

I'd rather be a hammer than a nail.

 

[buzzlightyear]

The customer said "Should I call him back to put it right?"
I said you should only call him back to give him a slap and would not want this guy touching any electric ever again.
I have given the customer a quote to redo the consumer unit again

considering he put it in then a EICR is in order not a EIC.
your customer needs to speak to local b/c. before work is carried out .

 

[elsparko]

if i had an asset worth 100 grand+ i wouldnt skimp on maintenance, what happens if the house burns down and it turns out the insurance wont cover you because you had a plumber fit a distribution board?

its like the diyer who takes down a light fitting, is confronted with permanent live at fitting, takes it all apart and then tries to put it back together without the faintest idea of what cable does what! and after having made a 2 minute job a 30 minute job calls in an electrician to get the job done for the same price as it would have been to begin with!

 

[123]

if i had an asset worth 100 grand+ i wouldnt skimp on maintenance, what happens if the house burns down and it turns out the insurance wont cover you because you had a plumber fit a distribution board?

its like the diyer who takes down a light fitting, is confronted with permanent live at fitting, takes it all apart and then tries to put it back together without the faintest idea of what cable does what! and after having made a 2 minute job a 30 minute job calls in an electrician to get the job done for the same price as it would have been to begin with!

I generally charge more to fix the lighting ****ups after they have made a mess of it after having a go themselves. It generally takes longer as well, so a justifiable charge.

Have had a few where, for some reason only know to them they have connected the looped live to the earth of the metal light fitting.

 

[JK-Electrical]

I thought the whole purpose of Part P being introduced was ostensibly to put an end to these rogue installs and raise industry standards?

 

[andyb]

I'd rather be a hammer than a nail.

I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail.

 

[elsparko]

I often don't, if the existing 16mm tails are of sufficient length and in good order and the DNO fuse is 60 or even 80 amps I don't see the need. How many domestic installs actually need 25mm tails - especially when the incoming supply is 16mm ?! And 25mm can be a right pain to work with when space is tight....

i swap like for like, old tatty red/black meter tails look grubby on a new board, pop those old tails in the scrap bag

 

[Dave OCD]

I quite like the old red and black insulated and sheathed tails, the copper seems nicer to work with, more pliable. Give them a wipe over.

 

[pirate]

Westy said "I'd rather be a hammer than a nail."
yes, if I could...if I only could...I surely would...
To date, I seem to be the fekn nail!

 

[static zap]

...
To date, I seem to be......

" Pirate putting the F in Nail!"
Take the satisfaction that if your a nail in the bottom of a door.
You will be found by a wood butcher's electric plane , after the carpet fitters have been in!

 

[JK-Electrical]

Westy said "I'd rather be a hammer than a nail."
yes, if I could...if I only could...I surely would...
To date, I seem to be the fekn nail!

See you Jimmy

 

[pirate]

See you Jimmy!
I've got the hat!

 

[Baker1988]

I thought the whole purpose of Part P being introduced was ostensibly to put an end to these rogue installs and raise industry standards?

Yeah it was I think but its only notifiable work really so any one can change a light in the living room or so. also how can part p be enforced on a diyer who's working on there own home it can't really unless someone gets hurt from it I suppose then they can but then its already too late

 

[pirate]

Nae part P in Scotland, cos we're all bampots and dae oor ain electric, ok?
DIY in Scotland? Aye!

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

Nae part P in Scotland, cos we're all bampots and dae oor ain electric, ok?
DIY in Scotland? Aye!

Wtf? I canna understand yers

 

[pirate]

WTF?
Ah cannae unnerstaun' youse!

Corrected that for you Bob Geldoff!

 

[JK-Electrical]

Wtf? I canna understand yers

 

[static zap]

Nae part P in Scotland, cos we're all bampots and dae oor ain electric, ok?
DIY in Scotland? Aye!

No Part P .... (YES)
all Bampots ..... Translation Needed !
Dae oor ain (lectric) == DIY (YES) .... already translated

 

[JK-Electrical]

No Part P .... (YES)
all Bampots ..... Translation Needed
Dae oor ain (lectric) == DIY (YES) .... already translated

Urban Dictionary: bampot - https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bampot

 

[pirate]

Good video, JK! Clearly illustrates the best way to assess the length of earth sleeving to cut for a particular CPC! I mean, how else would you do that???

Static Zap, a bampot is a fully qualified, all-round, certified and experienced eejit!

An eejit is a fully qualified, all-round, certified...


bampot!

Simple, really!

 

[buzzlightyear]

See you Jimmy!

see me.