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Thanks for infoNicec Domestic Installation Certificate, and I received a Building Regulations Certificate of compliance through the post for the two new circuits.
Discuss DIY enthusiasts and electrical work. in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net
Thanks for infoNicec Domestic Installation Certificate, and I received a Building Regulations Certificate of compliance through the post for the two new circuits.
Domestic Installation Certificate
I bet you're shocked by that reply Pete.Thanks for info
No not reallyI bet you're shocked by that reply Pete.
Well, mildly surprised then.No not really
Is it typical for an electrician to expect the customer to identify and source their own power sockets, light switches etc? Most people would not have known where to start looking and if there was a ban on buying such components as a private individual I would have had a serious problem.
Its just like their own version of the on site guide, claiming its for installations upto 100amp, I never realised that they changed once you went over that!Silly question to everyone..... Is this Nicec just making up their own certs?
I don't see this cert in Appendix 6 of BS7671..
That's why people such as Pete999 keep going on regarding filling in of members profiles so that members can engage with them at the appropriate level.What about those of us that are not strictly diy'ers, just not qualified full time sparks?
I work in water displays/features/special FX. As such I'm involved in a lot of automation, in addition to designing and building panels up to distribute the on site supply to all the components. I do the work at our workshop as I need to test, change, test again, change again.. when I'm happy all the mains connections are stopped back out by me and re-instated by a spark, and the kit certified by them.
Obviously most diy'ers posting questions on here are not spending their days programming PLC's or configuring industrial motor inverters. But I ask questions, sometimes very basic ones, not because I don't understand the principal of how to do something safely, but because I want to set out on the right side of the regulations. And only a professional spark is connected enough with the world of ever changing regs to be upto date.
The idea of this forum saying only sparks can discuss method with each other, or stores should only sell to qualified people, would seem a little restrictive to those in a grey area such as myself. I do appreciate that giving advice to a real novice can be dangerous. The problem is that witholding advice can be dangerous too. Also, just plain unhelpful. Seems the forum could just ask members to state if they're qualified or not and if not, underline the fact that any advice is for information purposes only etc.
That's why people such as Pete999 keep going on regarding filling in of members profiles so that members can engage with them at the appropriate level.
Please tell me if you think that I am wrong, but if you can legally buy electrical equipment and install it in your own home, without any experience, training, testing, certification or building notification there is something seriously wrong?
You make some good points Mate, can I refer to your first paragraph, how many time have we seen on this Forum alone, a DIYer has come on with "help, I have just bought this light from wherever, and there are to many wires at the ceiling, how do I connect it up"I suppose the two most common things a diy'er might do is swap a light fitting or or switch/socket on a like for like basis. And whilst I accept people sometimes get this simple task wrong... The fact is that for anyone prepared to pay attention and do a little research it is a task that they can easily do correctly.
For any functioning human with shoe lace tying abilities, the task of checking for dead, and swapping wires neatly and making a good like for like connection just isn't such a challenge that they need to pay for professional help imo.
I accept that sometimes a person thinks 'well changing a light was easy so all electrical work is simple', and that tends to take people down a dangerous path...
Another thing to bear in mind is that as professionals you're far more likely to see the minority DIY work that goes wrong, not the majority that is fine.
It's also makes me a little said that the general public are becoming less and less practicly skilled, to the point that half my good friends would probably scratch their head if handed a Rawl plug!! So in the end you will probably get your wish, regulation inevitably expands. But for me, it just feels sad to further discourage home owners from developing their own basic skillset to carry out general maintenance.
One interesting consideration is that in a world where only a qualified spark can swap a light fitting, it would also likely be the case that only a qualified plumber can mend a cistern or fit a new washing machine. Would the sparks enjoy handing over their money to a plumber for a task virtually all could quite competently achieve in minutes themselves?
One interesting consideration is that in a world where only a qualified spark can swap a light fitting, it would also likely be the case that only a qualified plumber can mend a cistern or fit a new washing machine. Would the sparks enjoy handing over their money to a plumber for a task virtually all could quite competently achieve in minutes themselves?
You make some good points Mate, can I refer to your first paragraph, how many time have we seen on this Forum alone, a DIYer has come on with "help, I have just bought this light from wherever, and there are to many wires at the ceiling, how do I connect it up"
Just a sample of why things like this should be left to a professional and as for an Electrician connecting the water to a washing machine, what's wrong with that? nothing an Electrician will have seen how to do that many, many times, after all they are Tradesmen aren't they? well most are in my experience.
What is wrong is for someone with no practical experience attempting work that may seem like a simple operation, only to louse it up, to the point where it becomes dangerous. I have been to many Houses, big posh jobs, where Mr and Mrs Moneybags, who probably work in the city, earning Gazillions, don't own even a basic tool kit, they employ someone to do jobs for them, after all would you feel happy trying to do their job?
You make some good points Mate, can I refer to your first paragraph, how many time have we seen on this Forum alone, a DIYer has come on with "help, I have just bought this light from wherever, and there are to many wires at the ceiling, how do I connect it up"
Just a sample of why things like this should be left to a professional and as for an Electrician connecting the water to a washing machine, what's wrong with that? nothing an Electrician will have seen how to do that many, many times, after all they are Tradesmen aren't they? well most are in my experience.
What is wrong is for someone with no practical experience attempting work that may seem like a simple operation, only to louse it up, to the point where it becomes dangerous. I have been to many Houses, big posh jobs, where Mr and Mrs Moneybags, who probably work in the city, earning Gazillions, don't own even a basic tool kit, they employ someone to do jobs for them, after all would you feel happy trying to do their job?
but the RCD will trip as soon as a load is applied.Like for like replacement, while not notifiable, still needs a Minor Works certificate, certifying that the said work has been designed, constructed, inspected and tested in accordance with (current) BS7671.
Brings us back to "without any experience, training, testing, certification"
Even simple work can go wrong. A socket outlet with a neutral / earth swap will still function but any Class 1 appliance plugged into it can shock or kill.
So the DIY buys a nice new plug in socket tester to make sure it's connected right, but guess what ? His socket tester can't identify a neutral earth swap.
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