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Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - 1 Million Views!

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Darkwood

Darkwood

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Right ... Just been nudged to set this up by Paul.M and sounds a good idea following recent threads I've done in the Arms..

Rules....No Offensive material... edit if required before posting as this is the public arena.
Anything to do with the trade or in and around it ...H&S pic's welcome.

Beware plumbers!!!.jpg

I've posted this a few times and this is at a mates house following a kitchen refirb several yrs ago. :eek:mg_smile:

Beware plumbers!!!.jpg
 
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Dave OCD said:
Wow, you'd expect them to be sorting that out for free as it's their equipment and well past its sell by date !
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They'd change the head for free if they'd installed the earth - they clearly hadn't - or someone needed to pull the fuse - like a meter change. But the fee is for providing a PME earth, and fitting an isolator. The head - and the associated work, like digging a hole in the client's front garden - is effectively free
 
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happysteve said:
They'd change the head for free if they'd installed the earth - they clearly hadn't - or someone needed to pull the fuse - like a meter change. But the fee is for providing a PME earth, and fitting an isolator. The head - and the associated work, like digging a hole in the client's front garden - is effectively free
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Not a bad deal in the grand scheme of things
 
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Today's fun and games. A few interesting period features and no shortage of eyebrow raisers.

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My immediate suspicion about Neutral no 1 was correct:
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The lighting in double insulated 1-core had more recent CPC's added, and upstairs just about checked out.
Downstairs didn't - only the hall and lobby was giving an R1+R2. All other downstairs lighting had such a large induced voltage (27v) on the separate CPC that the the tester refused to do a continuity test, so there's a missing or broken link. This was also leading to interesting flashing effects of LED bulbs when turned off, lasting minutes in some cases.
 
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timhoward said:
Today's fun and games. A few interesting period features and no shortage of eyebrow raisers.

View attachment 106532
View attachment 106533
My immediate suspicion about Neutral no 1 was correct:
View attachment 106534

The lighting in double insulated 1-core had more recent CPC's added, and upstairs just about checked out.
Downstairs didn't - only the hall and lobby was giving an R1+R2. All other downstairs lighting had such a large induced voltage (27v) on the separate CPC that the the tester refused to do a continuity test, so there's a missing or broken link. This was also leading to interesting flashing effects of LED bulbs when turned off, lasting minutes in some cases.
Click to expand...

What's the white box before the meter?
 
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timhoward said:
Today's fun and games. A few interesting period features and no shortage of eyebrow raisers.

View attachment 106532
View attachment 106533
My immediate suspicion about Neutral no 1 was correct:
View attachment 106534

The lighting in double insulated 1-core had more recent CPC's added, and upstairs just about checked out.
Downstairs didn't - only the hall and lobby was giving an R1+R2. All other downstairs lighting had such a large induced voltage (27v) on the separate CPC that the the tester refused to do a continuity test, so there's a missing or broken link. This was also leading to interesting flashing effects of LED bulbs when turned off, lasting minutes in some cases.
Click to expand...
Is it badly fitted over the top of an older recessed board?
 
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timhoward said:
This is one of several properties on the same private estate, There is a substation on site and upstream distribution boards.
It's just an enclosure where the distribution circuit's SWA is badly terminated and the cores pass right through to the meter!
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It looks to me like either the owner or Mr do it all has done that work.
 
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MJPD29 said:
Is it badly fitted over the top of an older recessed board?
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Yes. It looks like they put in a new kitchen ring when they changed the board, as all other circuits are stranded zinc plated copper.
mainline said:
It looks to me like either the owner or Mr do it all has done that work.
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"Mr do it all" who was employed by the owner has just retired after many years tinkering with this installation. After a quick look around I've politely declined to touch anything until the relevant part of the installation has had an 100% EICR. This one was consumer unit 3 out of 12 that are for living accommodation (which we agreed to do first). There are a further 3 identical properties to look forward to!
 
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Dave OCD said:
That's strange because for something so non-compliant it's actually pretty neatly done - the 90 degree bend on the T&E where it goes vertical is very nicely done for example.
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I've since wondered whether the switchgear changed and the old arrangement had provision for the lighting circuit.
I need to go back here to take lots of photo's, there's a large transformer / rectifier for a pipe organ below the switched fuse. Behind the photo is the bell rope and a vintage (long broken) electronic bell so someone the other end of the church could signal when to start and stop ringing.
 
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littlespark said:
I’m getting itchy just looking at those loft pictures.

8.5kW…. What would you say that supply cable size is? I don’t think it’s 6mm from the photo
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My hands were itching for a while after. It is 6mm. I traced the route all the way from the CU to the shower point as I needed to check nothing else had been added to circuit in a random junction box somewhere.
 
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Paul.M said:
That was the fastest Sticky Thread in history! This should be fun for all of us. (ps I like your rules DW)


This is a house I was working on today, came across this. One word describes it,,,,,, FAIL

View attachment 28498

Just after taking that I knock a full box of washers and screws behind the cooker and had to pull it out to get them. Needed them or would not have bothered.

Great thread, post them pictures up lads.

View attachment 28498
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Excuse my ignorance, but what is wrong here, is it that the cooker is plugged in to a socket instead of a dedicated circuit of it's own? I'm a trainee, still learning. Cheers
 
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Mike_Rho said:
Excuse my ignorance, but what is wrong here, is it that the cooker is plugged in to a socket instead of a dedicated circuit of it's own? I'm a trainee, still learning. Cheers
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Regulations stipulate placement of outlet in relation to cooker. It may be that the load is fine on a 13A plug (or it may not be), but consider the effects of heat and condensation.

I'm also a lowly trainee, so others may be able to add more to this.
 
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Midwest said:
Curious @timhoward what will the remedy be? And I'm not trying to turn it ito a debate!
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It was already a lighting rewire as IR of zero on lighting circuits with everything outside disconnected. Every fitting inside has a hidden joint box above it so no easy way to break down circuits.
And it was already a new rfc for new kitchen.
As the sockets IR is around 7M and there are lots of joint boxes (mostly installed by plumber I think) and customer wants sockets moved and new sockets added it’s basically become a complete rewire. Lifting the boards confirmed we made the right call.
I might keep the cooker circuit as that seems to be in perfect condition.
 
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I worked as a subby on student let refurb, converting from 3 bed terraced house to 5 bed student house. Your pics reminded me. The house was probably 2-300 years old. The muck/dust in the floor/ceiling voids was something else, like grey soot. Place was completely gutted. Learnt to wait until the plumbers fitted their pipework, before we did our job. The only criticisms I had was locating the CU high up by the front door. Testing was a nightmare, have to keep getting off steps to let trades pass.

Good luck.
 
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Notching the joints was the plumbers way, and I think electricians back then followed suit, and probably still do to a certain degree, as sometimes needs must.

Brings back memories though of live nails poking out the floor, or the missus shouting up the stairs that there's water dripping from the ceiling.


If that wiring was staying, I would notch some nail plates into the floor board, better than having to junction box the cables just to divert them through some joist weakening holes.
 
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I wonder if the cowboy that did this lot will come back for his cigarettes!

Top tips I've taken from this job:

1. If you ever run out of fuse wire. Just use some copper instead.....
2. Can't be arsed to wire a circuit properly? Just borrow a neutral from within the CU and cut the live & CPC off
3. Pesky water bond getting in the way? Just cut it off....
4. Lost the screws to the consumer unit cover... just use socket screws and break the mounting point.
5. Broke the cover of your CU? Hold it together with some tape.

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