Botchit and scarper

[ed-ectrician]

Had a job today. Bloke says 'my downlight in the bathroom doesnt work'

The muppet who installed the electrics has just stuck normal ip20 downlights in, including in zone one. At least they're SELV. Open one up and find this...



Oh blimey that doesnt look healthy now does it. I reckoned it was moisture causing a dead short. The transformer was fine.

Went to the kitchen and, instead of junction box for under cabinet lights they just terminal blocked them and screwed terminal block to underside of cabinets. No- they were not selv, they were 230v!!

Mental the stuff people do. Do u think they are unaware or consciously doing it?!?!

Ed

 

[rattlehead85]

How have you found ELV LED lamps? Are they as good as GU10 LEDs?

Personally i recommend every customer invests in LEDs - halogens worry me, they run dangerously hot and i see too many idiots leaving all the fibreglass insulation in place or siting tgem flush with joists. LEDs save you 90% on energy and run at a reasonable temperature.

Ed

Any idiot who sites elv lighting slap bang next to joists or even attempting to notch out sections to accommodate fittings needs putting down. So potentially dangerous it is untrue.
I have upset a few customers whilst doing EICR and finding this and pointing out the fact they need to be re-positioned or removed altogether due to the scorch / burning marks on the wood along with the toasted loft insulation.

 

[ed-ectrician]

It frightens me rattlehead!! Nuttier than squirrel sh!t

 

[rattlehead85]

It frightens me rattlehead!! Nuttier than squirrel sh!t

I can't seem to grasp how these jobs get done like it and the people actually think that it is correct! Especially when the client then slides an installation Cert under your nose covering what has been done! I bet the cert copy gets hidden when the area engineer turns up once a year!

 

[Deleted member 26818]

People measure out where they want the lights to go.
Sometimes ther'es a joist in the wrong place.
Can't move the joist, so cut a chunk out of it.

 

[telectrix]

if in doubt, i drill a series of 3mm holes. if i find a joist, i then move across a bit. once you've found a joist or 2, you can then replan the positions. then a few small blobs of filler. job's a good 'un.

 

[telectrix]

you call that termination buggered. look at this from boxing day call-out.

first thought loose connection, but on 2nd thoughts, am positive it's the 100A switch that's failed.

 

[Thomas123]

you call that termination buggered. look at this from boxing day call-out.

View attachment 16487

Or this one

 

[snowhead]

you call that termination buggered. look at this from boxing day call-out.

first thought loose connection, but on 2nd thoughts, am positive it's the 100A switch that's failed.

That's rediculous, that switch is far too big for a laptop..

 

[telectrix]

it's a high power laptop. the valves alone draw 50A

 

[Stroppy]

Nothing wrong with Halogens....

BTW, better than drilling holes to find the joists, go along the ceiling with a magnet to find the lines of nails/screws.

 

[Dipzy]

use a magnet to find screws/nails in a ceiling....... what a good idea, thanks for that.:yes:

 

[telectrix]

Nothing wrong with Halogens....

BTW, better than drilling holes to find the joists, go along the ceiling with a magnet to find the lines of nails/screws.

hope the builders dont read this post. they'll start using copper nails.

 

[ackbarthestar]

if in doubt, i drill a series of 3mm holes. if i find a joist, i then move across a bit. once you've found a joist or 2, you can then replan the positions. then a few small blobs of filler. job's a good 'un.

I use a similar method but after you've established where the joists are you end up cutting the hole and hit a nogging half way up the joist and across the place where your light fitting is going to go....a right pain sometimes. So I now use a long terminal screwdriver and have a good wiggle around where I want the fitting to go.

I gave up on ELV MR16 halogen fittings over 5 years ago for the reasons stated above and used GU10 IP rated bathroom fittings.

Always worried me about the amount of heat generated by those fittings after a couple of fires caused by labourers stuffing the spaces above with thermal insulation, and have changed over to GU10 LEDs which seem to compensate for all the negatives

- - - Updated - - -

if in doubt, i drill a series of 3mm holes. if i find a joist, i then move across a bit. once you've found a joist or 2, you can then replan the positions. then a few small blobs of filler. job's a good 'un.

I use a similar method but after you've established where the joists are you end up cutting the hole and hit a nogging half way up the joist and across the place where your light fitting is going to go....a right pain sometimes. So I now use a long terminal screwdriver and have a good wiggle around where I want the fitting to go.

I gave up on ELV MR16 halogen fittings over 5 years ago for the reasons stated above and used GU10 IP rated bathroom fittings.

Always worried me about the amount of heat generated by those fittings after a couple of fires caused by labourers stuffing the spaces above with thermal insulation, and have changed over to GU10 LEDs which seem to compensate for all the negatives

 

[Stroppy]

use a magnet to find screws/nails in a ceiling....... what a good idea, thanks for that.:yes:

I use one out of a computer hard drive - they are extremely powerful, and as they are bolted together in pairs they come with handy holes to attach them to a bit of wire so are useful for fishing with in inaccessible places. But yes, copper nails would be rubbish, from both trades point of view!

 

[Dipzy]

Don't think many builders will use copper nails to hang plasterboard with as the drylining screws will be cheaper and are widely used these days.