FAO DIYers

[Andy78]

Press Releases News : Electrical Safety Council


An article from the Electrical safety council about the dangers of overconfidence and lack of knowledge when it comes to electrical work in the home.

Electricians say they are spending an increasing amount of time repairing such blunders and are concerned that ‘Dive-in DIYers’ are endangering themselves and their families. This is a serious concern – someone dies as a result of an electrical accident in their home every week in the UK, and electricity is the cause of 350,000 serious injuries each year, as well as half of all house fires.


And FAO forum members

The overconfidence partly comes from relying on the advice of unqualified friends or family (half of those surveyed said they do this) or seeking help online where the advice might not be appropriate – two fifths of people say they use Google to get tips and the same number use online video tutorials, such as on YouTube.

 

[decolad69]

yet on here you appear happy to give info out without asking the same question, what is different about this forum, it's still public and frequented by folks with many differing skills

is there any merit in proclaiming you have been suspended ?

You obviously haven't read some of the posts on these sites.

 

[Guest111]

The point about motor vehicles is a very good one......an awful lot of the sparkys throwing their hands up in horror at anyone doing DIY electrics will have changed the brakes on their cars/vans at some point to save a few quid. It's a NIMBY mentality,the hypocracy of their stance seems to be lost on them.

It's not just cars it's a lot of things,regarding cars though as I said earlier I have a qualification in vehicle engineering,brakes,clutches,steering hold no fears for me as I was trained to do them.However when I used to run a truck the day to day maintenance was done by me,the bigger stuff by a garage,it's all about your limits and knowing them,sadly a lot of people either don't or won't admit when they reach theirs.

 

[Kate]

I wont even check tyre pressures on my car, let alone anything else. I go to the garage and get them to do it

 

[Guest111]

I wont even check tyre pressures on my car, let alone anything else. I go to the garage and get them to do it

you should get someone to teach you the basics,it could save you a lot of time,you should definately be able to change a tyre,you can be in a lot of danger in the wrong place especially at night waiting for the recovery truck.

 

[telectrix]

I wont even check tyre pressures on my car, let alone anything else. I go to the garage and get them to do it

lazy bugger.

 

[Engineer54]

you should get someone to teach you the basics,it could save you a lot of time,you should definately be able ''to change a tyre'',you can be in a lot of danger in the wrong place especially at night waiting for the recovery truck.

Think you mean ''change a wheel'', you'd need to be built like King Kong to change a car or van tyre!! lol!!

 

[Kate]

I have bf and father to come sit with me if waiting for a truck. And breakdown cover

I have no doubts that I could do it if I tried....and I have done tyre pressures many times...I choose not to now lol. I pull up at a garage and put on my naive innocent face and get tyre pressures done for free ive had ford fill my oil up for free too. Hoping to get my brake light changed for free next tuesday. Might need nice clothes and hair for that though. I just do the stupid woman driver thing and it works everytime

 

[telectrix]

heard it all now. a spark that won't change a light bulb. LOL.

 

[DPG]

Surely the next logical progression from this is to stop selling books which show people how to wire electrical circuits - it's only the same thing. Daz

 

[Guest111]

I have bf and father to come sit with me if waiting for a truck. And breakdown cover

I have no doubts that I could do it if I tried....and I have done tyre pressures many times...I choose not to now lol. I pull up at a garage and put on my naive innocent face and get tyre pressures done for free ive had ford fill my oil up for free too. Hoping to get my brake light changed for free next tuesday. Might need nice clothes and hair for that though. I just do the stupid woman driver thing and it works everytime

Y.ep I always end up stopping for lone females,wouldn't feel right if I drove by and later heard something had happened

 

[decolad69]

Surely the next logical progression from this is to stop selling books which show people how to wire electrical circuits - it's only the same thing. Daz

At least the information from the book will be correct, one would hope? I have an issue with DIYer's telling other DIYer's how to do it ! And the boffin who has no practical experience but assumes because they understand the theory it must be easy. The "i have 3 sets of wires at the light" brigade.

Decolad69

 

[DPG]

Yes, but most of the public wouldn't read the whole book, understand it all, and apply the regs when they do the work. Daz

 

[telectrix]

Yes, but most of the public wouldn't read the whole book, understand it all, and apply the regs when they do the work. Daz

far less test and complete installation certs.

 

[Pete999]

Imagine B&Q taking all their electrical stuff off the shelves? don't think so
Pete999

 

[sean_ork]

And the boffin who has no practical experience but assumes because they understand the theory it must be easy. The "i have 3 sets of wires at the light" brigade.

Decolad69

that's not an unreasonable comment - but that thread is a good example of how such forums are generally just used as point scoring opportunities - plenty of people have jumped down the throat of the OP on that thread, yet no one has taken the opportunity to point out the potentially serious error he was about to make, and it's got nothing to do with crimped connections

see if you can spot it