Mattg4321

I don’t want to do that either!!

I can’t be doing with changing batteries all the time personally

You’ll need to ask the suppliers/installers of whatever blind you go for. Imagine it will need power inside the window recess, probably at one end or the other. I’m thinking of using the below when we do our extension, but not got round to looking into it properly, so please update the thread if you do the legwork for me!!! https://www.poweredblinds.co.uk/electric-roller-blinds/serene-electric-roller-blinds/

You’ll want 2x flexis right the way up into each socket if you’re doing it that way. Make sure you can actually pull the cable through it though. Mostly that stuff isn’t smooth on the inside and can be a pig to pull cables through more than a few meters. If you’re going to all that trouble though you may as well just 1st fix the ring entirely, cables and all.

In an ideal world don’t run the cables through the floor void where they are more susceptible to rodent damage and damp. Drop them down from the ceiling void above if that’s an option? Easier than messing around with flexicon

He’s correct in that it’s against the regulations. However in practice it’s unlikely to cause a problem at a domestic level with relatively low currents. You’ve also got issues there with basic insulation of the meter tails being visible and cable thus not mechanically protected. The meter tails are not properly supported and also quite likely IP rating to top surface of consumer unit not to IP4X. Nothing major, and all could be argued C2 or C3 depending on exact circumstances. It might just be worth getting someone to tidy them up - doesn’t have to be original inspector, you just append the invoice\certificate for the work to the original EICR to show the remedials have been carried out.

As far as I know it’s not mentioned in BPG4. Might be hard to change someone’s mind on this though as it’s ultimately the inspectors opinion. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/media/2depcuen/best-practice-guide-4-issue-6.pdf

Eddy currents maybe? That being the case though a C3 seems more reasonable if no ill effects are observed and it’s been in service for that long.

If steel conduit then no because of risk of eddy currents. If plastic then I don’t see what the conduit is offering. Can you run in SWA as it sounds like meter tails are not ideal here?

Careful or you’ll have the net zero stasi after you!! Think what this shows more than anything is the heat source isn’t really that important from a cost point of view certainly. What is extremely important is insulation and air tightness.

The whole thing looks like a shambles to be fair. Need to get hold of a good electrician to come and give you some advice. Seems like the last few haven’t been very good, including the PV installers shoehorning a Crabtree MCB into an M2 board. OT slightly, but why are solar installers nearly always so bad? MCS scheme is a total mess imo.

PME has the downsides you’ve listed, but it’s also a very cost effective way of achieving very low Ze. If we went down the route of TT earthing everywhere, it would then be routine to rely on the operation of RCD’s for fault protection. I come across countless RCD’s not operating properly/at all every year. I’ve only very rarely come across a lost PEN conductor. Both situations dangerous. TN-S earthing is probably the best, but not done anymore. This can fail too though. A supplementary earth rod to TN-C-S (PME) systems looks likely to be brought in and would be a good idea imo. FYI neutral/earth bond relays are needed to give neutral a reference to the earth. Without it an RCD will not operate correctly. It’s a slightly separate issue to loss of PEN conductor, which won’t usually matter when in islanding mode as grid is switched out.

Better still get it swapped for a switch fuse (you can’t achieve selectivity with MCB upstream of MCB and a fault could trip both). Obviously only if cable type and routing allows. As above you need an electrician. Good chance this is just build up of ‘earth leakage current’ if the RCD’s in consumer unit don’t trip though. Easily verified with insulation resistance testing and an earth leakage clamp meter.

They usually use ‘pure water’ or similar like https://www.spotlesswater.co.uk/locations/

Anyone here fitted any large white sliding patio doors? Or even Bi-Fold doors? It seems the strong trend for a while has been for colours - especially anthracite and black. We’ve got a 70’s box we’re extending (2 storey), with materials to match - brick and concrete tile roof!! The wife doesn’t really want white patio doors - she thinks black looks much better. I tend to agree, however… I don’t like the idea of mixing black doors with white windows on the same side wall. I also really don’t like the idea of black windows on a 70’s box - it just looks wrong to me and I’m convinced it’s going to date really badly and quite quickly!! That’s only my opinion! Back to the original question… would be great to see pictures if you do have them. Bonus points for lift and slide and around 4m wide on brick!!

Those rates sound ok to me, but I don’t know the local area. Here in SE England I charge roughly £300-350 a day and mark up materials by 20%. This covers the cost of sourcing the materials, sometimes having to pay my account before I get paid by the customer and also the cost to replace or repair materials should they be faulty. I’m happy for customers to supply materials, but if they’re wrong and I’m hanging around, they’re paying for my time and if they’re faulty and I have to return to replace then, again, they’re paying for my time. It sounds like a lot of money, but after all the expense of running the business, periods of quieter times, no holiday, no sick pay and no pension it doesn’t work out to be as much as you’d think.

If you’re on economy 7 then that teleswitch is still in use. It’s what switches you from peak to off peak rate. As above though I believe the signal will be turned off soon and you’ll need to move over to a smart meter to use a dual or multi rate tariff. In any case you cannot remove it. It belongs to the energy provider. They would have to remove when replacing the meter. The black box your arrow points to is the incoming service fuse/cutout. If you pull the fuse, aside from being something you’re not allowed to do, and potentially dangerous, you’ll have now power!!!

Not in my experience. Nothing like that high. Perhaps that’s under certain circumstances. Like when they are run continuously at full rated current or something. Failed inside what timeframe? I fit hundreds of RCBO’s every year. Probably not far off 1000. I probably get 1 or 2 failures a year, even including devices fitted years previously. Admittedly though most people don’t use the test button! So if you’re including failure to operate under fault conditions then the figure will be higher. I assume you guys are thinking of total failure ie no power to circuit. As above it’s different if they are subjected to substantial current flow. The reality is that the vast majority are only having to deal with 1 or 2 amps at the most either all the time or nearly all the time. Electric showers and EV chargers are the biggest culprits for causing RCBO failure.

Yes, the part p rules are slightly different in Wales. Yes, I am an electrician. Seeing kitchen fitter bodges is unfortunately very common. Whoever you go with make sure you’ll be getting a certificate and part p notification afterwards. NICEIC or NAPIT are the only two self certifying routes for electrical contractors to notify to BC for compliance with Part P in England. I know Scotland has others. Wales may do too. Both of the above have a full list of members on their sites.

I’m not in wales, but seem to remember that work in kitchens is notifiable via part p - it no longer is in England. That aside, why would you let a kitchen fitter mess around with your electrics? Almost every day I see the negative consequences of this. I’m sure there are a handful who are competent, but the odds won’t be favourable.

Unusual for them to fail like that, especially Hager ime. It won’t have been installer error as that contact has nothing to do with the terminals top or bottom. Sounds like it’s been running under its rated current too, albeit only slightly. Replace and move on!

Thanks guys. Think I may have found a local supplier of rehau

You can’t take more than 1 spur from a single point on the ring. You can’t create a ‘ring within a ring’. It’s always best to take a spur from an accessible point on the ring. Ie a socket. Buried joints are a nightmare sometimes when fault finding etc. Take 2 twin and earth cables from a socket. One to each socket and then another twin and earth between the 2 new sockets. Connect one old and one new twin and earth in the back of the existing socket and one old and one new into the socket front. It’s the easiest way of keeping it a true ring and what we do all the time. After, of course, verifying the existing ring is in good condition. Ring continuity, insulation resistance at a minimum. Also making sure there is RCD protection

It’s possible you could be paying that much if your spec was very complicated and/or included extensive garden lighting/PV/battery storage/EV charging/outbuildings etc etc. However it appear that on the basis of your WC price you’re being had. Day rates round here in the SE at least are around £350+vat for an experienced electrician/1 man band type. Will be a little more in London and I’d guess a bit less in the Midlands. Wonder if you’re anywhere near Nick Bundy of YouTube fame? He’s one of the only YT sparks I can stand watching (being in the trade myself). He seems an honest guy and his prices are very sensible. Think he’s in Stafford

Apologies if theres a recent thread on this topic, I couldn't find one. I'll need 4x pretty standard sized (1200mm high and between 1500mm-1900mm wide) white uPVC windows. Had a couple of quotes that seemed a little high to me for supply and install. I have a mate who's an ex fitter, who could be persuaded to help me fit, but I'd have to supply (and help). That sounds attractive to me, but I can't find any mention on here of getting hold of any of the big name windows supply only - REHAU etc. Can anyone make any suggestions? I know there are various online suppliers, but quality is unknown to me. Would obviously like good quality and prepared to pay more than the seemingly budget quality online offerings I've found so far. Thanks in advance.