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

[Raptor0014]

I once had SSEN tell me that a property I was at wasn’t 3ph. Despite that fact that I was staring at a 3ph service head, 3 lives and a neutral coming out and a 3ph meter with a CU on each phase. When they eventually did send someone out as 2 of the phases had no power, they agreed it was 3ph. Then they found damage to 2 of the phases at the transformer.

 

[brianmoooore]

Not all '3Ph' heads have 3 phase supplies. I know of several, including one of my own, with 230V with respect to neutral, on two of the fuses, but with 460V between them, and I know of one where two of the fuses are live, but are both connected to the same single phase.

 

[mainline]

We have just had another supply put in, 2 phase, no earth connection supplied.

Phoned Dno to see if they would allow TN, they refused connection, which doesn't make sense as all the other cottages are Tn.

A real pain for me as there are a few sub-mains battery-solar, cottage, stable, workshop and a large bio mass system.

 

[mainline]

That isn't an argument cpcs connect initially to the accessory.

You could over extend the cpc and loop it through the lug to the accessory so initially connecting to the back box first but would have thought is fine.

 

[pc1966]

Only other thing I can think is they never connected one as there’s quite a decent solar and battery setup (in terms of generation and storage) so maybe they did it to go full island mode and not rely on the distributor earth. But that’s just a pluck out of thin air guess.

To run in island mode (or any other backup power supply) requires you to have your own means of earthing, but that can be in addition to any DNO earth.

Obviously supply has to be disconnected in such modes!

I guess it might have been a TT system before the new cutout was installed and so the DNO simply left it?

 

[Dave OCD]

No I didn’t as it hasn’t ever had one connected. So didn’t touch anything on the cutout.

I’ll be back there in August as they want a circuit running for aircon. So will have a look then. But odd that the DNO didn’t mention it was available. They just said their records show it’s TT.

Only other thing I can think is they never connected one as there’s quite a decent solar and battery setup (in terms of generation and storage) so maybe they did it to go full island mode and not rely on the distributor earth. But that’s just a pluck out of thin air guess.

With a TNCS the supplier never connects a main earth conductor, that's down to us - they provide the terminal only.
I'd be tempted to arrange a quick visit from the seal fairy and have a little peek inside to see if there's a N-E link or one piece N & E block. I'd bet there is.

 

[Raptor0014]

With a TNCS the supplier never connects a main earth conductor, that's down to us - they provide the terminal only.
I'd be tempted to arrange a quick visit from the seal fairy and have a little peek inside to see if there's a N-E link or one piece N & E block. I'd bet there is.

I'm back in Aug anyway to do an Aircon circuit for them, so will have a look then. Just need to chat with the seal fairy...

 

[oscar21]

I'm the fall guy again. We do a fair bit of work for a property company, insurance work and such like and they have a few different teams as they are quite busy. I get a phone call "can I pop round to a job in the morning (done by the other team), the joiner cant find the cables for two heaters and handover is at the end of the day, spark broke his leg apparently

Bear with me, this will be a long one.

sodding electratech system, not messed with one for years. (my wagos trying to make sense of it.

First problem, newly decorated flat with 2 storage heaters removed for the renovation (flood I think) still all in one piece and full of bricks, they now look like they have been dropped out of a 1st floor window. No spur, and no cable so its saw time.

Nice live wires in the wall, certainly at night anyway.

Dismantle them ,try and straighten them out, re fit them an power them up only for the manager to say we cant leave them in I'll get two new panel heaters.

Then we find the towel radiator for the bathroom still in the bedroom, again no power, no outlet for it and its broke. (no pictures but I had to wire a new supply for a new towel rad as well so more holes) and convert to 24hr power etc.

 

[oscar21]

Next up as I'd messed around with the electratech system I thought I'd make sure the hot water still works for when they move back in. Couldn't get power to the two immersions no matter what I did so removed one of the switches.

Apart from the fact the earth is in the neutral terminal where are the immersion cables, snipped off and curled up in the loft, that's where. more problems.

Shower lid.

As well as a badly fitting lid, new 6mm supply and no RCD, no RCD for new hob supply either.

Not over yet - finds out the fridge socket is dead, I suspect it is the old kitchen storage heater supply but I cant get it powered up no matter what I do so I have to wire a new one. Take the kitchen plinth off to see if I can fish it anywhere without more damage and find this.

I sort of gave up at that point, couldn't reach it to do anything with it, job was 40 miles from home and everyone else had already gone back home so I just put the plinth back and convinced myself I'd never seen it.

Not sure what had gone wrong with that job really, was the spark that bad or have the other trades screwed him over, they do like to mess with stuff they shouldn't. I dread to think what else there is in that tiny 1 bed bungalow.

 

[oscar21]

What I did in the end was what I could, no chance of getting merlin stuff on a friday afternoon so I had to fly to toolstatioin and buy a couple of garage units and pinch the RCD's MCB's out of them. I managed to at least make it safe(ish) if not compliant, I ditched the electratech system altogether, there wasn't a control panel for it in the flat anywhere anyway, probbly been snipped off and binned.

I've saved the best until last as well (no picture unfortunately) Bearing in mind all this work, complete property renovation, client put in hotel etc was all caused by a water leak, and when I was in the loft messing with the immersions there was a bit of water dripping from the tank area, the 20mm overflow pipe from the cistern tank hadn't been glued into the elbow and it had fallen off. Tradesmen, you just cant get a decent one anymore.

 

[Simon47]

I can only guess that while his back was turned, the other trades just did what suited them.
At a previous job, amongst other stuff I did the internal networking. The builders were a right p.i.t.a. One time I'd removed a twin network socket from a wall that was coming down, coiled the cable up neatly, and tucked it away on top of a purlin where it couldn't come to any harm. Couple of days later I walk pst and notice it's been pulled from the purlin, dropped in a tangle on the floor, and something's been dropped that's fully cut one of the cables.
Any time anything of mine was in the way they'd just shift it - never so much as a "by the way, we had to move ...", I just find stuff not where I left it. There was one occasion when I was really tempted to borrow a big sledge from maintenance - it's not like the joiner couldn't have left my cables sat neatly in the purlin when he fitted the window recess, but oh no, they all had to be pulled out and left dangling like washing lines.
And I won't describe the state my Gilbows were in when I finally found them after the roofers had been using them for a while :-(

 

[freddo]

What I did in the end was what I could, no chance of getting merlin stuff on a friday afternoon

I absolutely love those Merlin blanks that turn into labels! Haven't seen those in ages. I'm sure the Bs are filled in incorrectly there though!

 

[Simon47]

... the 20mm overflow pipe from the cistern tank hadn't been glued into the elbow and it had fallen off. Tradesmen, you just cant get a decent one anymore.

Plumbers, don't you just love 'em.
We have a rental flat, with another above. Tenant told us that there was water dripping from kitchen ceiling - so I go upstairs and inform the owner, he says he'll call out his plumber. His plumber says there's no leak he can find.
Water still dripping from our ceiling, so go and see chap upstairs who lets me have a look - a few seconds later I've found the leak (from the cold water connection to the WC ballcock). OK, it wasn't an obvious leak, as in visibly dripping, as the water was running down the pipe and disappearing into the boxed off bit hiding all the pipes. So leave him to call his useless plumber out again to fix it. But, the delays have meant that our kitchen ceiling is now sagging.
Roll forward a bit, chap upstairs rings me (while I'm on holiday elsewhere in the country) asking if I know where his stop tap is - which as it happens I did from when I'd been looking into the previous leak. No idea if I could blame his plumber, but the chap was watching TV when he heard a bang and water was gushing out from under his kitchen units. Turned out one of the flexibles to the taps had failed - no idea if it was pipe failure or not connected properly. So that's the end of half of our kitchen ceiling which we pull down so it doesn't fall down when it feels like it.

So when the tenant moves out (moving onwards and upwards) we get the kitchen ceiling replaced, as well as applying multiple coats of paint to cover the water marks in other rooms.

Roll forward a couple of months, water dripping from ceiling again. Chap upstairs gets his plumber out - who can't find a leak. Plumber asks me if he can make a hole in our bathroom ceiling (where the bulk of the water is coming through this time) and I agree a small hole "say, an inch or so" for him to put a camera through.
So, what do I find when the tenant tells me the water hasn't stopped ? He's left the fan dangling on it's cable, partially dismantled the ducting, and cut a hole about a foot square in the ceiling and left it. The **** told me that the water wasn't coming from upstairs, it was coming in through the fan ducting - despite the fan ducting being dry, and the concrete blocks ABOVE it being wet. Yes, a plumber who believes in water flowing uphill on it's own.
Upstairs to see the neighbour again - we do actually get on alright. For some unrelated reason he has the bath panel off, and with a torch and mirror I can see up the box and see a pipe going drip ... drip ... drip.
So that's the new kitchen ceiling with water marks, a gaping hole in the bathroom ceiling, and water marks across the living room ceiling.

I sometimes get asked if I know a tradesman for something or other. As I tend to do most work myself I don't really know what any of the locals are like - apart from the handful of plumbers I wouldn't trust to change a tap washer without supervision.

 

[Simon47]

I absolutely love those Merlin blanks that turn into labels! Haven't seen those in ages.

I hadn't twigged what was going on there, other than thinking the labelling was a bit odd. Very clever.

 

[freddo]

Very clever.

You don't get creativity like that now. The little pocket and hinged cover to store the timer instructions is a nice touch too.

 

[LewisM]

Builder studded the wall off and added 4 sockets and forgot to add the earth's

 

[mainline]

That's probably because the carpenter told him that It's got an RCD and doesn't need an earth to work

 

[happysteve]

For sale: MEM 404ELH C, BS4293 ELCB. Test button and trip times all good.

Immaculate condition, some minor cosmetic damage only.

No low-ball offers, I know what I have...

 

[mainline]

For sale: MEM 404ELH C, BS4293 ELCB. Test button and trip times all good.

Immaculate condition, some minor cosmetic damage only.

No low-ball offers, I know what I have...

View attachment 108793

I don't get paid for another month, could you hold onto it until then.

 

[happysteve]

I don't get paid for another month, could you hold onto it until then.

You sure you can afford it, son? It is a particularly fine example.

In all seriousness, was quite pleased to add this to my collection:

 

[timhoward]

No low-ball offers, I know what I have...

How about a swap?
I can offer two deceptively useful MEM fuses (30A and 5A) in good working order, complete with hard-to-find asbestos liner which you'd struggle to buy anywhere, and a matching pair of ceramic wire-nuts:

 

[James]

Can I buy the liners? i think i could cut them up to fit some smaller fuse holders!!!!

 

[SparkySy]

We use to roll the flash pads up and stuff them in our nostrils to stop the silica dust from giving us lung problems, mouth was accounted for as that was sucking on a capston full strength!

 

[Dave OCD]

You sure you can afford it, son? It is a particularly fine example.

In all seriousness, was quite pleased to add this to my collection:

View attachment 108795

Very similar if not identical to Wylex MCBs of that era.

 

[happysteve]

Very similar if not identical to Wylex MCBs of that era.

Yep, got one of them, too...

 

[Raptor0014]

I think they misunderstood the meaning of running the cables upstairs!

 

[Raptor0014]

It’s ok, it’s under the floor/above the ceiling. No one will ever know…

Found whilst I was adding in some additional sockets.

So sorted it whilst I was in there.

 

[timhoward]

I'll just leave this here. (I'm privately slightly impressed at the creative thinking!)

 

[mainline]

It's a new wago adapter, john down the pub sells them.
If you want Cpc its extra.

 

[mainline]

This is from another thread, but had to post it here because it's double dodgy.

 

[nicebutdim]

Been wondering where that striped cables goes.

 

[mainline]

Been wondering where that striped cables goes.

That's the new neutral

On the fiddle ______________

https://ibb.co/qRhctQk Came across this setup today, upon further investigation i noticed the distributors neutral terminal completly slackened off in the meter (looked intentional) is this to prevent any possible current from returning via the meter? With the 1g switch (just above DB) turned...

www.electriciansforums.net

 

[nicebutdim]

That's the new neutral

On the fiddle ______________

https://ibb.co/qRhctQk Came across this setup today, upon further investigation i noticed the distributors neutral terminal completly slackened off in the meter (looked intentional) is this to prevent any possible current from returning via the meter? With the 1g switch (just above DB) turned...

www.electriciansforums.net

I'd seen the thread, but hadn't clicked the link. Now I know what the incoming neutral is connected to

 

[Raptor0014]

This is from another thread, but had to post it here because it's double dodgy.

It’s the new TNCS consumer unit. That installer is ahead of the curve!

 

[Other_Tucker]

I'll just leave this here. (I'm privately slightly impressed at the creative thinking!)
View attachment 108909

Apart from the wrong there is so much right with this, connectors fitted perfectly, it works just as well electrically as a dodgy inline join. Has the IP rating of the commando plug and fits so neatly that it makes every other 16A termination looks like we've bodged them. 10*

 

[freddo]

Apart from the wrong there is so much right with this, connectors fitted perfectly, it works just as well electrically as a dodgy inline join. Has the IP rating of the commando plug and fits so neatly that it makes every other 16A termination looks like we've bodged them. 10*

It almost looks like a proper product, the body exactly fits the pug inside, proper adaptor terminals, plug in 2 halves etc. The plug inside appears not to have an earth contact an earth so no problems there.

 

[timhoward]

Fault tracing a tripping B20 RCBO with a sockets radial, giving L+N to E IR of 0.03M and some interesting crackling above the kitchen ceiling when I tested it! Flat roof above....
When breaking down the circuit, this is how I found this socket:

The next socket one along was the last one testing clear and the cable changes from grey to white between the two.
(For today I left all but two sockets connected and finished up with IR of 176M.)

 

[Retroelectric]

Light on its own dedicated circuit

 

[littlespark]

I take it the light is supplied from the left side breaker? Brown live conductor from the 2 core flex?

Garden shed?

 

[Retroelectric]

Yes in the C50.
Probably been like that for years.
Nothing to do with the fault though, which was one of those flex inside a garden hose that's been buried doing the garden lighting situations.

 

[DPG]

The 50A breaker shouldn't give nuisance tripping at least

 

[ipf]

Conduit saddling........the easy way?

 

[DPG]

Conduit saddling........the easy way?

View attachment 109227

That's mad!

 

[Mike Johnson]

And the waste of a decent overcentre clamp.

 

[pc1966]

It looks more like some farm gate, so maybe the clamp is how it is locked in place from opening?

 

[ipf]

It looks more like some farm gate, so maybe the clamp is how it is locked in place from opening?

Nope.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Ah an electrified gate..............

 

[DPG]

That's absolute class that!

 

[ipf]

It's a local expert's floodlight system. One of the flexes goes out to extra lights, the other comes back and goes up the conduit to another.
To$$er didn't even drain hole the box

 

[nicebutdim]

Nope.

View attachment 109230

Why would anyone go to such extreme lengths? Maybe this repair was effected during the great hospital saddle shortage of 2021...