Whats your thoughts on this

[AJshep]

thought you paid that much for a dog kennel down south east. even up here jerry-built 4 bed detached ( but only by about 2 ft.) start @ £300k.

These are so called affordable housing with some help to buy Part rent part buy jobbies, not particularly big, biggest properties being 4 bed 3 storey.

The contractor is a NICEIC company, think they have around 10-20 so called sparks, you know the kinda outfit... All drink in the same pub every Friday night and arm wrestle each other

 

[westward10]

I would like to see a Regulation whereby the fitting of those caps excludes the requirement for the back box to be earthed.

 

[Pepe]

Just throwing this out there. Maybe that is how that person was taught to do a switch.
I was taught at college to connect the CPC in a connector block if using a plastic pattress.
Could whoever wired the switch in fact be a mate/improver or apprentice and was confused about what to do with the CPC?
Nevertheless probably should be being supervised more closely.
And if it is a qualified electrician then poor show!

 

[Pete999]

Just throwing this out there. Maybe that is how that person was taught to do a switch.
I was taught at college to connect the CPC in a connector block if using a plastic pattress.
Could whoever wired the switch in fact be a mate/improver or apprentice and was confused about what to do with the CPC?
Nevertheless probably should be being supervised more closely.
And if it is a qualified electrician then poor show!

Most plastic back boxes have an earth terminal, down right laziness in my book, although perhaps that's how it's taught in the DI courses?

 

[davesparks]

Most plastic back boxes have an earth terminal, down right laziness in my book, although perhaps that's how it's taught in the DI courses?

Most regular pattresses do, but soft pattessess and dry lining boxes don’t usually have them.

 

[Squid]

thought you paid that much for a dog kennel down south east. even up here jerry-built 4 bed detached ( but only by about 2 ft.) start @ £300k.

Might be Brittany, this South East'ish.........

 

[westward10]

You can get separate terminals for dry lining boxes, you normally see the space for them in the corner.

 

[Pepe]

Most plastic back boxes have an earth terminal, down right laziness in my book, although perhaps that's how it's taught in the DI courses?

Possibly, however they did go to the extent of fitting the caps. Surely it would have been quicker to put the cpc into the back box

 

[westward10]

Fitting those caps had nothing to do with incorrect connection of the cpcs. It does not give the excuse of not earthing the box.

 

[telectrix]

maybe they've been tought to think outside the box.

 

[LankyWill]

Thats rough! Just bang a eyelet crimp on the end and self tap it to the box. Im not overly fussed about the sleeving as if you dont know whats live you shouldn't be playing with it.

 

[davesparks]

Thats rough! Just bang a eyelet crimp on the end and self tap it to the box. Im not overly fussed about the sleeving as if you dont know whats live you shouldn't be playing with it.

Why? There’s a perfectly good earth terminal in the box so why would you make an unreliable connection with a self tapper instead?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Can only think that the back boxes are all supposed to be plastic, but in some instances metal have been used.
The people doing the installation have been told to make off the CPC into connector blocks.
No one told them what to do if metal boxes have been used.

Probably find all the labour used are mates, improvers or Apprentices.
Probably intended to get a couple of Electricians in to sort it out near the end of the job.

 

[Andy78]

Can only think that the back boxes are all supposed to be plastic, but in some instances metal have been used.
The people doing the installation have been told to make off the CPC into connector blocks.
No one told them what to do if metal boxes have been used.

Probably find all the labour used are mates, improvers or Apprentices.
Probably intended to get a couple of Electricians in to sort it out near the end of the job.

That's a good point actually. Majority of new builds I see are plasterboard boxes throughout.

 

[LankyWill]

Why? There’s a perfectly good earth terminal in the box so why would you make an unreliable connection with a self tapper instead?

Thought it was sheared off, I must be blind. Although a self tapper is a lot more reliable than the soft brass terminals and the cheap back boxes.

 

[AJshep]

I would like to see a Regulation whereby the fitting of those caps excludes the requirement for the back box to be earthed.

I agree, and regulation 411.3.1.1 seems to state this.
All i was getting at is do those caps stop the metal backbox from being an exposed conductive part, Im in agreement with you and personally dont think they do. Im sure they are just for decoration.

Theres no doubt its rough ! however if I complain and bring it to the customers attention and it kicks off, I want to be sure. I dont want to come off as being wrong and them wiggling their way ouf of it.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The requirement is to earth exposed conductive-parts.
With the little caps, there are no exposed conductive-parts.

I think if you push it, you’ll be told to jog on.

 

[westward10]

I think it is pushing it to suggest the caps render it as being no longer exposed, they are hardly a permanent barrier.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I think it is pushing it to suggest the caps render it as being no longer exposed, they are hardly a permanent barrier.

Won’t be that hard to push when the alternative is paying for someone to go round and check every light switch and make good any damage to the finished decoration.

 

[pirate]

Just a thought...if a L comes adrift when you take the socket off...that backbox might be live...but if the guys fitting them have only ever encountered plastic, drywall back-boxes, they may not realise the consequences...and if so, they have no place wiring them in, in the first place...in which case, they have clearly had insufficient training.
Mr New House Owner might indeed fit shiny chrome faceplates, and assume the existing chocblock CPC termination was all that was required...
Bloody new-builds...well, you all know I hate 'em!
Plus, it isn't difficult to get 4 CPCs in the earth block thingy, or crimp them...
but then, I am not an electrician, so will put my hard hat on...