Worst DIY electrics

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Brigadier

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I just stumbled across this.

I'm not in any way electrically-proficient, so I'll defer to the author's opinions on this.

Doesn't look a quality install though ;)
 
Brigadier said:


I just stumbled across this.

I'm not in any way electrically-proficient, so I'll defer to the author's opinions on this.

Doesn't look a quality install though ;)
Click to expand...
I had a "competent person" come to change my CU...he said that the entire house was one big spur from a spur from a spur, the worst bodge he had ever seen.
Surpriused as this comment I asked if he had ever seen a house wired as radial circuits, as they do in 99% of the world...he said he had not although he had heard of radials circuits, just had never seen one not installed one.
But you too can become a competent person with training lasting a mere 6 weeks...
 
I've seen a lot worse.
Lofts are the place where bodgers like to hide their pieces of arts.
 
I did not watch it all, but seen a lot worse, I do agree with him it is hard to walk away from a job when you know there are so many faults, and it makes not difference if working as a volunteer or for wages, one has to watch ones back, and maybe you know jolly well when you leave circuits will be re-energised but as an electrician if dangerous you simply can't re-energise. I am not saying you need to drop tails cut of plugs etc. But you need to write a report and state what faults have been found and what advice has been given.

I may have done what he did, but no way would I make a video of it, same as working on a roof without a harness, or not wearing safety boots, one may do it from time to time, but no way would one make a video of doing it.
 
speaking of DIY bodge jobs. I'm starting a level 3 city and guilds electrical installation course at a local college in Sept. It comes as part of the skills funding so its a free course. What would having this level 3 city and guilds mean for me as a diy'er....does it make me a competent person?
 
ericmark said:
I may have done what he did, but no way would I make a video of it, same as working on a roof without a harness, or not wearing safety boots, one may do it from time to time, but no way would one make a video of doing it.
Click to expand...

I thought it unfair to shame the old guy, and not very charitable, making the video so very public. We do all at times make temporary shortcuts, with the intention to get an eventual roundtuit, but that video took the roundtuits to a whole new level. I must admit, I never thought to screw an adaptor to a wall, straight through from the front ;)
 
What's worse? Something obviously bad like this or something bad but hidden like reverse polarity tails?
 
A friend had an under-stairs cupboard with a distribution box on the back wall .All looked good till I put my head in the cupboard and looked up. The box had been moved from this position diy, a strip of around 30 terminal blocks screwed to the door frame contained every wire from the old position to the new position with around a metre of cable to allow the repositioning.
I backed out very carefully to avoid bumping my head on the terminal blocks .
 
My impression from watching the video,

Were there problems? yes.

Was the installation as bad as he made out? no.

Ultimately the main ring was intact, and after disconnecting one spur (purpose unknown, but suspected to be an outside supply) the insulation resistance was off the scale.

IMO unless there was old rubber cable or some similar issue that we did not see in the video then I don't think a rewire is needed. Some of the extension work may need to either be re-done or at least protected with FCUs but it didn't seem like the core installation was unsound.
 
plugwash said:
IMO unless there was old rubber cable or some similar issue that we did not see in the video then I don't think a rewire is needed. Some of the extension work may need to either be re-done or at least protected with FCUs but it didn't seem like the core installation was unsound.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but some of the examples of the extension work were a complete nightmare. It seemed as if there was more extended work, than original installation, the extended being of very poor workmanship. Really, it needs all of that extended disconnected, the basic installation checked out, then the extended work done properly.
 
Swwils said:
What's worse? Something obviously bad like this or something bad but hidden like reverse polarity tails?
Click to expand...
can't have electricty flowing in the wrong direction now can we....how would it ever get back to the power station that created it
 
foxhole said:
A friend had an under-stairs cupboard with a distribution box on the back wall .All looked good till I put my head in the cupboard and looked up. The box had been moved from this position diy, a strip of around 30 terminal blocks screwed to the door frame contained every wire from the old position to the new position with around a metre of cable to allow the repositioning.
I backed out very carefully to avoid bumping my head on the terminal blocks .
Click to expand...
did anyone die from this? house burn down? anyone seriously burnt?
 
old duffer said:
can't have electricty flowing in the wrong direction now can we....how would it ever get back to the power station that created it
Click to expand...

Not to worry, in such circumstances - the power stations will regularly send out a reply-paid box, in which to return all the surplus electrons.
 
old duffer said:
What would having this level 3 city and guilds mean for me as a diy'er....does it make me a competent person?
Click to expand...

"Competence" is having the skills, knowledge, experience and (in some settings) qualifications, to be able to carry something out to an acceptable standard.

Therefore, there are levels of competence.

You might feel competent to spur off a ring, but not to replace the CU.
 
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