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

Darkwood · Mar 21, 2015

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.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - 1 Million Views!

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

mg_smile:

Dave OCD · Mar 12, 2023

It would have been pre colour changes I expect from a 3 phase db with blue being the phase colour supplying that particular circuit.

brianmoooore · Mar 12, 2023

littlespark said:
are you sure it wasn't black line and blue neutral?

That's the way around I'd expect. We changed to blue because it was the most common neutral colour, and away from black as neutral because it was used as live in some countries, as it is now in the UK.

Dave OCD · Mar 12, 2023

It all depends on the age of the install, which we don't yet know.

123 · Mar 12, 2023

brianmoooore said:
That's the way around I'd expect. We changed to blue because it was the most common neutral colour, and away from black as neutral because it was used as live in some countries, as it is now in the UK.

And what a well thought out move that was. Would have been far better keeping it as it was.

nicebutdim · Mar 12, 2023

MJPD29 said:
Worked in a large government building where majority of lighting was wired in blue, black and earth single, blue being phase and black neutral. The sheer amount of fittings with reverse polarity was scary.

Had similar last week. Building from around 2000, with emergency lighting using black for neutral, red switched live and blue permanent live. Strange thing was this was all in some sort of shielded flex, so I couldn't understand why these colours were present.

MJPD29 · Mar 12, 2023

littlespark said:
are you sure it wasn't black line and blue neutral?

most fittings can work reversed.... its just when line somehow gets connected to cpc that things get tricky... as the upside down sticker in the picture would could lead to

I thought it was originally but traced it back to find the circuits wired in red, yellow, blue singles with black neutral. All fittings had been changed to led and working with reversed polarity. Only realised when we went to test.

Dave OCD · Mar 12, 2023

Ah old Dave guessed correctly.

MJPD29 · Mar 12, 2023

nicebutdim said:
Had similar last week. Building from around 2000, with emergency lighting using black for neutral, red switched live and blue permanent live. Strange thing was this was all in some sort of shielded flex, so I couldn't understand why these colours were present.

That's a strange one. Was there a yellow in it or just red/black/blue?

nicebutdim · Mar 12, 2023

MJPD29 said:
That's a strange one. Was there a yellow in it or just red/black/blue?

Red, black, blue & green/yellow, with shielding.

Was thinking maybe a yellow core had been cut back, but I'd changed a load of fittings and don't remember any signs of another core.

Mike Johnson · Mar 20, 2023

Was it the wasps or the mice that eat the phone cable?

Ahh photo too large for the server to process.

littlespark · Mar 20, 2023

Mike Johnson said:
Ahh photo too large for the server to process.

I screenshot a phone photo, then crop out the extra screen… reduces the picture enough to be under the size limit.

Or crop the original.??

LewisM · Mar 20, 2023

Mike Johnson said:
Was it the wasps or the mice that eat the phone cable?

Ahh photo too large for the server to process.

You can use an image compressor such as Easily compress images at optimal quality in seconds. - https://www.iloveimg.com/compress-image

To reduce the file size

Mike Johnson · Mar 20, 2023

Mike Johnson said:
Was it the wasps or the mice that eat the phone cable?

Ahh photo too large for the server to process.

Thanks guys.

happysteve · Mar 23, 2023

Mural wiring... looks legit

Wait, what?

A call to ~~WPD~~ National Grid, and 2 hours later...

happysteve · Mar 24, 2023

Can't really blame the workmanship or materials in this case. On the end of the 4-way extension lead was a small heater, a chest freezer, a fridge and yes, you've guessed it, a tumble dryer. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.

timhoward · Mar 26, 2023

Making sure….respect to the sparks who went the extra mile!

brianmoooore · Mar 26, 2023

timhoward said:
Making sure….respect to the sparks who went the extra mile!
View attachment 107048

Probably a lathe and plaster wall. I've used every screw hole available on many occasions, plus a bit of adhesive on the back.

timhoward · Mar 26, 2023

brianmoooore said:
Probably a lathe and plaster wall. I've used every screw hole available on many occasions, plus a bit of adhesive on the back.

Exactly this - only two of them were actually doing anything. This house has a mixture of L+P, L+P with plasterboard on top, and in one case L+P ceiling with OSB board and then ceiling-board which made fishing delightful fun...

pc1966 · Mar 26, 2023

brianmoooore said:
Probably a lathe and plaster wall. I've used every screw hole available on many occasions, plus a bit of adhesive on the back.

I absolutely hate lath & plaster.

Nothing to do with my parents house, my flat, and my sister's house all having the damn stuff and needing odd jobs done over the past few decades

nicebutdim · Mar 26, 2023

timhoward said:
Exactly this - only two of them were actually doing anything. This house has a mixture of L+P, L+P with plasterboard on top, and in one case L+P ceiling with OSB board and then ceiling-board which made fishing delightful fun...

Just rewired a house in which old tongue & groove timber was directly behind plasterboard on ceilings and stud walls. An absolute pleasure to work with.

123 · Mar 26, 2023

timhoward said:
Making sure….respect to the sparks who went the extra mile!
View attachment 107048

Is it upside down or not?

mainline · Mar 26, 2023

123 said:
Is it upside down or not?

Yes

Dave OCD · Mar 26, 2023

mainline said:
Yes

No it's not cos the MK logo and list no. are the right way up.

mainline · Mar 27, 2023

Dave OCD said:
No it's not cos the MK logo and list no. are the right way up.

Ahh but to what did I say yes

Raptor0014 · Mar 28, 2023

Call out today as a light switch kept tripping the MCB of the circuit. So after finishing another job I called in on my way home.

I'm surmising that some hamfisted clod has knocked a nail or screw through the cable and it's failed over time. 2 of the 3 conductors had a short when IR testing.

Replaced the 2gang switch then had to go old school to pull a new piece of 3C&E through to make a temp fix. Told them they need to find where the leak is in the property and stop that before I do anything else. The back box has almost disintegrated and the wall and ceiling are damp to touch. So will be back to fit new capping and back box once they have sorted that out.