Advice please.

[jase158]

I am a plumber and looking into getting an electrician, I can't get hold of several.

My questions are

1. What requirement is there to be part of NAPIT, NICEIC and the likes? Is it possible for people to do a fast track course of 4 weeks and then be an electrician? or is there a minimum time served to be an electrician.

2. Whats the difference between Part P and 17th Edition. Work wise, can Part P do fuse boards and everything or is there certain things that Part P electricians cant do?

3. If there is old Fuse boards (the wire type), when does it become neccessary to replace these? Is it if you are connecting a new circuit to it. Or is it whenever you do work?

Sorry lots of questions but thought I would research a little so to give my customers the best possible advice.

Also is there an electrician in my area (Buckinghamshire) on here and have you had any experience on here or personal experiences with them?

 

[Dave 85]

what i would do in my own property is neither here nor there farm....my point is that you have a duty of care to any clients that employ the services you offer...and that includes unneccesary works...

Rewirable boards are a load of ****e. Almost all new work requires RCD protection, so to say installing a 17th board in place of a 3036 is unnecessary work is nonsense. Of course, you cant force it on them, but I'd always recommend it, and if working on/installing several circuits its either have the existing board changed or have an extra board put in, which is a ****e way of doing it.
It massivley improves pretection from both shock and fire aswell as being far more convineient.

 

[trev]

Post deleted voluntarily, can't be bothered to argue about crap

 

[Darkwood]

If a sparky claims to be 'part P qualified' hes prolly a cowboy
If he claims to be 'part P registered' this is a good thing, infact avoid any who arn't like the plague, they are prolly law breaking on a regular basis.
That thing about the guy having to be JIB registered is nonsense, Trev even states something to this effect in the same post as telling you to demand it. Just get a dude whos not an idiot, not a knob jockey, and has a fair bit of experience.

I also would class this as poor advice, ive seen sparkies with every qualifation going who don't know jack crap and do a poor job, and ive seen unregistered sparks who i would recommend to my family, the part P has many flaws and lets in many under achievers but to joe public they are what to look for with the barage of advertising etc. Word of mouth, good attitude and experienced as well as pride in their job is what to look for, qualifacations nowadays are too easy to get, i sacked apprentices before who have moved on to go self employed and to this day i still wouldn't trust them near my electrics but the soft college system promoted by the goverment would rather see them ripping people of than no job and mugging them.... dont get me wrong im not going to tarnish the majority with this brush but the evidence is all around us these days. 30yrs ago electrician meant respect, good wage, and a well educated college student nowadays it means another student with a job and not on the streets.

 

[trev]

As I said mate, I can't be bothered to argue about unimportant crap. It's too late in the day for all that, that's why I deleted the post. Unfortunately you were already responding to it

 

[Darkwood]

As I said mate, I can't be bothered to argue about unimportant crap. It's too late in the day for all that, that's why I deleted the post. Unfortunately you were already responding to it

See your point but still felt i had to back you up, it also makes my urine itch to see advice tarnishing everyone who isnt part p registered, im not part p and will probably run rings around anyone who is, there are better standards out there than the heavily flawed part p and all it problems its brought into the trade.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Rewirable boards are a load of ****e. Almost all new work requires RCD protection, so to say installing a 17th board in place of a 3036 is unnecessary work is nonsense. Of course, you cant force it on them, but I'd always recommend it, and if working on/installing several circuits its either have the existing board changed or have an extra board put in, which is a ****e way of doing it.
It massivley improves pretection from both shock and fire aswell as being far more convineient.

ever heard of a stand alone RCD Dave?
Look, we have a second fix over filey soon......there was a spare way in the existing C/U (BS3036)....so we will use that as its GOOD FOR CONTINUED SERVICE......we will probably put a BSEN 60898 plug in MCB in place of the old fuse carrier....but so what?....the C/U itself is still in good nick....i have performed a `limited` test on the existing install and found IR to be good between live conductors to earth...we will replace the old voelcb with a stand alone RCD.....i have also noticed you say that a seperate C/U to supply work YOU DO is a bad way of doing it...lol=unbelievable statement that is..lolffs......so tell me Dave....what would you do?...replace the existing C/U for a new one...incorperating ALL final circuits ...including the existing install even though it doesn`t warrent replacing?....lol..i`d love to see you on a periodic...or have a look at one of your EICRs...lol....do you even know what your lookin at?...lol...

 

[jase158]

I'm really confused now.

Is part P courses taught at colleges?

I am confused because some training centres are offering Part P as a stand alone course, there is no mention of it being a guidelines course.

Some training centres are even saying that part P courses make you a fully qualified electrician.

How do I know if my electrician is fully qualified? is it a case of asking to see there qualifications and Jib card and registration details?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i`m sorry jase...maybe this got sidetracked a bit....look Jason...you dont need these `part p` courses...there a waste of time and money....if you want to get into this trade...then go to college....3 years...it might seem like a long time but it flies....epecially if you enjoy it......

 

[jase158]

i`m sorry jase...maybe this got sidetracked a bit....look Jason...you dont need these `part p` courses...there a waste of time and money....if you want to get into this trade...then go to college....3 years...it might seem like a long time but it flies....epecially if you enjoy it......

Thank you, I'm not looking to become an electrician, just trying to learn about the differences.

So if people say they have part P course then stay away, if they have been to college for 3 years and got C&G 2357 then give them a chance.

Thing is, it's my business on the line, if i recommend a bad electrician then I will loose the jobs and get a bad reputation, so want to get it right first time.

But part P compliant is different altogether, this means that you are complaint to Part P building regs, not trained to part P.

As a plumber can I call myself Part G compliant? wonder if people would understand? lol

Thanks for all your help everyone

 

[1shortcircuit]

I protect the circuit I am altering or adding to with a 30mA RCD. If more than one circuit is being worked on then I weigh up the cost of this and present it to the client and let them make the decision. More often than not if you're altering 3 circuits then the 5 way board and RCBO's cost more than a replacement consumer unit which will protect ALL circuits.

Like I explain to my clients, if I told you that you need/HAVE to replace that board then I would be lying (unless it's not functioning as intended when it was installed) I do explain though that it is my job to present them with the options. How they choose to spend their money and who they get to carry out the work is entirely up to them. So long as my work complies then I don't give a monkey's behind what anyone else does lol

Night All :thumbsup

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Thank you, I'm not looking to become an electrician, just trying to learn about the differences.

So if people say they have part P course then stay away, if they have been to college for 3 years and got C&G 2357 then give them a chance.

Thing is, it's my business on the line, if i recommend a bad electrician then I will loose the jobs and get a bad reputation, so want to get it right first time.

But part P compliant is different altogether, this means that you are complaint to Part P building regs, not trained to part P.

As a plumber can I call myself Part G compliant? wonder if people would understand? lol

Thanks for all your help everyone

its a tricky one is this Jason....i would go down the route of trial....
you dont need to be an electrician to know if someone can do the job or not.....theres no science to this....i reckon you are in the lets/estate agents business....i know this market as we work in thes types of propertys....what your looking for Jason is someone that will give these lets a clean bill of health....that is to say any non-conformacies found will be noted on a seperat piece of paper...or 2..lol...and presented to you together with the quote for remedials....this way an EICR will give a clean bill of health.....

 

[jase158]

its a tricky one is this Jason....i would go down the route of trial....
you dont need to be an electrician to know if someone can do the job or not.....theres no science to this....i reckon you are in the lets/estate agents business....i know this market as we work in thes types of propertys....what your looking for Jason is someone that will give these lets a clean bill of health....that is to say any non-conformacies found will be noted on a seperat piece of paper...or 2..lol...and presented to you together with the quote for remedials....this way an EICR will give a clean bill of health.....

How you got to that i will never know, I am a plumber!!! no i do not let, work with letting agents or have any link with lets.
There is a difference between lights working, but sets on fire 6 months down the line and not. theres a difference between the cables being in wrong positions and wrong depths, so once customers new bathroom is in, they put a nail in for their new mirror and the nail goes through the cable. There's a difference between an electrician who turns up says that the consumer unit is all wrong and has to be changed immediately, he gets the work, but customer has no money left for their bathroom install.

Yes I now that these things are needed but i dont know the exact details.

could you tell me the fall needed on a 40mm pipe over 2 metres?

I don't want to learn the trade, i want to find somebody who knows their stuff.

What i have learnt here is invaluable, I have learnt a lot through peoples conception and opinions. I am on Plumbers forum and I know how these forums work, one mans never ever is another man's daily practise. but it has given me the chance to make up my own mind and feel confident about my search for an electrician. thank you to everyone who has posted.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

yes sorry Jason....i would still go on recommendation though......theres a lot of good sparks in here so ask if anyones in your area.....

 

[GLENNSPARK]

have a look through my posts....you will see what i think about unnecessary C/U changes and other works not required....as for cables not being run in prescribed areas.....well i can only put that down to incompetence.....

 

[GLENNSPARK]

as for the fall on a pipe over 2 meters...well its 2 degrees isn`t it...thats why stench pipe tees are at 92 degrees....