Who can do what works?

[Welsh99]

I have a couple of questions regarding small electrical works in a house, who can do them and whether a minor works cert is needed.

im trying to nail down an answer to the following.

i) Can a plumber / non-electrician replace a broken immersion heater in a water cylinder. i.e. unwire old one from the fused spur and wire in new one to fused spur? Is an qualified electrician needed? Is a minor works cert needed?

ii) With regard to replacing a like for like electric shower in a bathroom that has broken….can a plumber / non-electrician do this? Or is a plumber needed for wet part and electrician for electric side. Again, is a minor works certificate needed.

iii) With regard to replacement of a central heating component such as a zone valve or cylinder stat….is a minor works cert needed ? Can this work be undertaken by a plumber / non-electrician?

I’m trying to work out what plumbing works can be undertaken by anyone / a non-electrician and what works require both trades.

in the plumbing / heating trade there is cross over.

Many thanks for your time

 

[telectrix]

IMOanylikefor like replacement of a faulty accessory can be done by anyone competent. a MWC is optionalas you've not altered the circuit, but testing for safety is advisable. your average wet-pants won't have the necessary gear or the knowledge.

 

[Welsh99]

IMOanylikefor like replacement of a faulty accessory can be done by anyone competent. a MWC is optionalas you've not altered the circuit, but testing for safety is advisable. your average wet-pants won't have the necessary gear or the knowledge.

Thank you for your reply. Appreciated. So to change a zone valve or central heating pump needs both trades?

 

[loz2754]

I'm afraid there's no cut and dried answer to this question.
I'm an electrician. But I also install the plumbing for electric showers. I have also changed many immersion elements in my time.
If the works are for public housing, the housing association will usually expect the crossover jobs to be done by the same tradesperson.
Although some I have worked for send both trades.

 

[FatAlan]

IMOanylikefor like replacement of a faulty accessory can be done by anyone competent. a MWC is optionalas you've not altered the circuit, but testing for safety is advisable. your average wet-pants won't have the necessary gear or the knowledge.

As Tel. Competent is the key word. In my distant past I’ve replaced hot water tanks immersion heaters and soldered pipes on a DIY basis but only on a replace like for like basis. You still need to invest in tools and weigh the costs up against getting a pro in.

 

[James]

as water and electricity are not a good combination if there is a fault with inadequate protection.

I personally would never replace a shower or an immersion heater without filling in a minor works cert.
only takes 15 minutes, and if you have done the job correctly then you will have the details to fill in the blanks already.

if we don't test the supply after we have just fitted a new shower (even if it is a like for like replacement) how do we know that the nice new looking cable we have attached it to is not poorly connected to a chock block inside of the cavity wall where the earth has come undone?

rightly or wrongly, i normally change my opinion when it is a part like a valve or a stat that is part of a boiler control system.
after the fused spur, the supply normally goes to the boiler and i see the parts of the circuit after that point as part of the appliance wiring.

 

[Welsh99]

as water and electricity are not a good combination if there is a fault with inadequate protection.

I personally would never replace a shower or an immersion heater without filling in a minor works cert.
only takes 15 minutes, and if you have done the job correctly then you will have the details to fill in the blanks already.

if we don't test the supply after we have just fitted a new shower (even if it is a like for like replacement) how do we know that the nice new looking cable we have attached it to is not poorly connected to a chock block inside of the cavity wall where the earth has come undone?

rightly or wrongly, i normally change my opinion when it is a part like a valve or a stat that is part of a boiler control system.
after the fused spur, the supply normally goes to the boiler and i see the parts of the circuit after that point as part of the appliance wiring.

many thanks for this. So parts of the central heating system such as zone valves, cylinder and room stats don’t need mwc or an electrician with testing equipment etc to certify correct install. A plumber can do it as they aren’t connecting to the circuit directly They are working on the wiring of the appliance / system that is in turn connected to the fused spur. A bit like a white goods engineer working on a fridge etc replacing a part? Swopping a system or appliance component is okay as you aren’t actually wiring into the circuit as you would be with an immersion??

 

[James]

if you are competent then probably ok to continue with that type of thing.
however, you should check that your insurance covers you for the electrical work that you do (even if it is only a small part)

also, some customers may insist on electrical qualifications for ANY electrical work done.

 

[Welsh99]

As Tel. Competent is the key word. In my distant past I’ve replaced hot water tanks immersion heaters and soldered pipes on a DIY basis but only on a replace like for like basis. You still need to invest in tools and weigh the costs up against getting a pro in.

How do you evidence competency? what would someone challenging competency such as a local authority or court or insurance company be satisfied with. I would be practically competent to drive a 7.5 ton lorry but not legally competent as I don’t have the licence to cover it.

 

[snowhead]

Competency is a combination of Training, Knowledge and Experience.

To prove competency you'd need to;

Show evidence of Training e.g Certs.
Prove you had knowledge by explaining technical aspects of your work to someone with equal or greater knowledge of it than you, e.g an Assessor.
Show evidence of employment.

So if you did an online course on brain surgery last week and could explain the workings of the brain, you'd fail the test of competency by having no experience.

 

[Welsh99]

Many thanks for your replies. An interesting area.