Best advice for learning inspecting and testing.

[ihatevubuzelas]

Hello, I'm James, 24, currently beginning a slow journey to a career change as a domestic electrical installer. I have very little expierience in electrics, but my plan is to study electrics now, I'm going through the buildering regs, on site guide and inspecting and testing G3 books right now, and aswell as this, I will be offering my services for free to local domestic electricians, turning theory into practice I hope. After I feel confident enough, I will be looking to do the EAL scheme, aswell as the C&Gs, and the 17th edition, after these, I would like to continue working for free for sparkys, but aswell as doing small work, with family, friends, my overall goal is to be self employed as a domestic electrical installer.

What I'm asking here is, has anyone got any advice at how best to learn inspecting and testing? I know learning on the job is the best way, and I'll be doing that, and in terms of studying, I am a complete boffin and I revise, 3,4 hours a day after work (I'm very sad, but I love learning) I'd just like to know if it's possible to get some practical expierience by myself on this? any way of practicing at all? Obviously I don't want to offer to help a sparky, and then bother him all day with "oi, let me inspect that kettle) am I allowed to inspect and test stuff in my own house for example?

Infact, in terms of learning to be a domestic electrical installer, anyone got any advice on jobs I could legally do around my house, that will give me some decent expierience in electrics. I'm an obsessive personality, I like to master everything I do, so anyone got any advice?

Cheers, James.

pS: Anyone around the Southampton area who needs a mate (not a pub mate, I don't drink and I listen to classical music) but a sparkys mate, to help out, shadow, make tea, anything, I will do it for free.

 

[acat]

Best to put together your own test rig nothing special ring main with spur off it, single lighting two way lighting and another with intermediate switch in it radial to cooker with neon in it then along with GN3 get C Kitchers book on inspection and testing plenty of real life photos in that to show you rather than diagrams isbn for book is 978-0-7506-8449-1

Hope that helps


Chris

 

[Sintra]

Personally the best way to learn is to team up with an experienced and by the book tester i'm lucky that's how i learnt.
I served my time on large commercial industrial installations and was lucky enough to get paired up with the senior test engineer. This guy was by the book absolutely no short cuts and that has rubbed off on myself.
Without 5 years with this man i would not be in the position i am in now.
Hopefully your offer of free labour with a good spark will teach you all of the practical skills required including testing and inspecting.

Good luck on your quest.

 

[c.boy]

Lol!!!! Youre in the wrong game pal!! Sounds like you should be a scientist or something!!! Classical music!! 24???? Hell no!!! You wouldnt be getting near ma tranny!! Anyway master the basics firsts a sat my apprenticeship and never got to touch a tester till my third year!! We dont really test kettles either!! Thats p.a.t testing which is monkey work!! As a said start at learning circuits first then worry bout testing a later date

 

[Golden_Boy]

Best to put together your own test rig nothing special ring main with spur off it, single lighting two way lighting and another with intermediate switch in it radial to cooker with neon in it then along with GN3 get C Kitchers book on inspection and testing plenty of real life photos in that to show you rather than diagrams isbn for book is 978-0-7506-8449-1

Hope that helps


Chris

I agree with the above... What tester have you got ( or thinking of getting ) as before you can test anything you need an instrument to do it with ( and they aint cheap ) Best of luck with your new chosen career.

 

[J@mes]

SLIGHTLY off topic...Isn't it VUVUZELA?

 

[ezzzekiel]

Thats p.a.t testing which is monkey work!!

Been paying the bills doing a lot of monkey work lately then

Buy a all in one tester, a copy of Gn3 (Idiots guide to testing - cant go wrong big pictures and everything)

Start at home on a test rig, then your own house until you have a good understanding of all test procedures, then try and pick up some training from a local firm.

 

[ihatevubuzelas]

Hey thanks for some good replies so far. To the guy who mentioned Chris Kitcher, I know him, I spoke to him on the phone recently about what route to take, he's a top bloke, and I like his approach to teaching (youtube) and yes, I will be buying his book.
What tester am I buying? I have no idea, the most expensive one always seems a good way to go.
To the guy who said I'm in the wrong game for liking classical music, and should be a scientist? what music would you advise me instead? I like a bit of folk music (seth lakeman) and some jazz, but if you're suggesting hip hop, heavy metal? or even listening to radio one, then I think I'll have to really considering being a scientist, or being a very odd domestic installer.
Yes it is Vuvuzela, not Vuvuzela, excuse my ignorance.
As for the learning the circuits before learning testing, that is the way I will do it, I just like to build a plan in my head first of all areas I will need to cover, and then I go from there.
Thanks for all suggestions so far though people, the building a circuit at home idea is a good one, and I will get straight on that.
Once again, if anyone needs any help for free around the Southampton area, or Tunbridge Wells, Eastbourne, I will travel a long way for any expierience, and I will do all manner of work, my tea and coffee making is very poor, as I don't drink either, but I buy a mean bottle of coca cola when sent to the shops. So I'm not without talent.

 

[ezzzekiel]

megger 1552/ 3 is prob the prefered choice

 

[8145keith]

Good luck mate, we all have to start some ware.
Dont give up.
regard KJ

 

[Adam W]

I agree with building your own test rig - it could be on a bit of plywood, with a consumer unit with some flex on the end and a plugtop (plugged into an rcd incase you get something wrong) so you can plug it in when you're ready to do the live testing.
I have used Fluke and Metrel multifunction testers which tbh seemed pretty much the same, but Fluke seem to be more widely used. Obviously the more you pay the more features you get, ie the higher end store all your results so you can download them to a pc, but that is something you can live without.

As regards the classical music the best sparks i've worked with used to tune my radio to classic fm on site, which would annoy a lot of people, but classic fm in the mornings is a lot less annoying than Chris Moyles.
One guy i worked for was a bit of a goth - he loved his heavy rock, but always had classic fm on in his van, and no music at all in the office which gives it a library atmosphere.

 

[Golden_Boy]

I agree with building your own test rig - it could be on a bit of plywood, with a consumer unit with some flex on the end and a plugtop (plugged into an rcd incase you get something wrong) so you can plug it in when you're ready to do the live testing.
I have used Fluke and Metrel multifunction testers which tbh seemed pretty much the same, but Fluke seem to be more widely used. Obviously the more you pay the more features you get, ie the higher end store all your results so you can download them to a pc, but that is something you can live without.

As regards the classical music the best sparks i've worked with used to tune my radio to classic fm on site, which would annoy a lot of people, but classic fm in the mornings is a lot less annoying than Chris Moyles.
One guy i worked for was a bit of a goth - he loved his heavy rock, but always had classic fm on in his van, and no music at all in the office which gives it a library atmosphere.

IMO Test rigs unfortunatly dont mirror the real world and the tests you carry out on it will always be perfect ( unless of course you make a hash of it ) If you can get another sparks to indroduce the odd fault on your test rig that would be much more helpfull.

Long Live Deep Purple..........

 

[ihatevubuzelas]

Cheers for more tips people. Yeah of course the best way to learn will be on the job, shadowing/ watching a proper sparky, I'm fully aware of that, and my hope is to do exactly that, but I don't want to rely on that only, I want to do as much for myself as I can, so if I can learn all I can theory wise, silly as it sounds but watch dvd's, videos, clips of sparkys performing the different inspecting and testing measures, then when I do get the chance to do these things on the job/ shadowing proper electricians, they I'm hoping I won't be bothering him, asking stupid questions and just be completely lost.

I know I probably sound naive, but I thrive on learning, a week ago I had zero club on inspecting and testing, this week I know all the different methods, what needs testing, why it needs testing, and thanks to Chris Kitcher on youtube, aswell as a few others, I have atleast an idea of what's involved in testing now, so it's already paying off, even if it's a miniscule amount.

I'm looking for any ways possibly that I can legally get expierience in testing and inspecting, but I'm getting ahead of myself, I need to master the circuits and calculus, I need to to do everything, it's going to take ages, and I'll have to do a lot of unpaid work and it will be bloody hard, and I'm going to do it.

 

[Des 56]

I am not in any way trying to put you off,rather just adding a few cautious comments

Many apprentice and newly qualified sparks (some on this forum even)they find that, even with a few years under their belt,when it comes to test and inspection,quite a lot of the knowledge and techniques needed to Test and inspect installations competently, this competence comes as a progression,only after the initial years of completion of training and thereafter using the experience gained to apply that experience as well as the testing knowledge

I dont believe that a person,however dedicated,can reduce the time period of experience needeed before reaching your target, in order to test and inspect competently

Test and inspection is not a high bar that cannot be climbed,it is a natural part of being an electrican
However,doing it for existing installations requires an understanding of those installations and hardworking trainees and new sparks realise that along with their knowledge and qualifications,time in the trade gaining experience is esential
One step at a time, or in a rush the feet tend to slip from the rungs far more readily

However,good luck to you, because, you seem to be a focused individual who will get where he desires in time

 

[robskiing]

Top advice des ive seen lads armed up with every qualification going but when it comes to starting jobs big or small havent got a clue .With the testing you have to do the nitty gritty side to understand when faults arise ive been doing it years and still learning.

 

[ezzzekiel]

IMO Test rigs unfortunatly dont mirror the real world and the tests you carry out on it will always be perfect

agree totally, but its the best way to learn how to use your test equipment and carry out testing procedures, the real world throws up a whole different kettle of fish

 

[ihatevubuzelas]

Thanks Des, I am aware that this is a long process, and I'm by no means trying to fast track myself into this. However, apprenticeships aren't open to me, so I'm having to find the next best thing, I am against the short courses, unless I can do those on top of having studied a lot for myself, and also had done a lot of time with sparkys already.

For what I want to achieve in electrics, and that is becoming a domestic electrical installer, and one day (years from now) being self employed, and become a trustworthy, loyal, well mannered local installer, that I can do whilst juggling home life and looking after children (my wife is the mega money maker, and I'll never be able to earn 100k a year plus. I just want to learn a good skill, and this is something I'm very interested in.

I do wish I had known I wanted this at 16 or 17, or had a parent who forced me into it, but I've heard about people older than 24 re-training and doing this, so I'm confident I can.

But thanks again Des for your opinion, which is 100% correct, and that's the struggle I'm going to face, getting the hands on, practical expierience, and that will of course take years, and I'll likely never stop learning. But now at the beginning, the best I can do is study and learn as much as I can book wise, and then get as much practical expierience as possible.

 

[ezzzekiel]

mmm where to start?
according to paperwork im a fully qualified electrician - do i class myself as one - no. I started late in life at about 33. I tend to cover domestic work which im fully capable of and do a lot of 3phase small commercial also. A lot of the practical side was self taught due to not been given a chance although once i was up to speed i found getting work with ther sparks relatively easy.
My opinion is its down to the individual (while at college there was some great theory guys, but i dont think they could knock a nail in)
The main thing is to know your limitations, any work you not sure on either dont do or get some help from another spark (you will become accquainted with these during your career) Spent best part of ten years now working and studying but you wont catch me messing on with motors etc.. as its not my field and dont suppose i will ever go ino it however completing full training gives you the teory and understanding to work things out and have an understanding of exactly whats happenin where short courses will simply drill bare baone basics into you and not provide any real knowledge.

 

[blackiel]

Go for it mate,Totally understand your way of thinking,set up a rig,put some faults on,after doing the perfect scenario stuff first,having done the perfect way will give you an idea what to expect with a fault on,draw a floor plan of your house,then work out what way youd rewire it,cable routes etc,all best done with a bit of classical in the background,later include phones,satellite,tv,etc....Be Lucky!!