Idiotic Schemes and members

[markythesparky]

Went to a job the other day and found that an NICEIC approved domestic installer employed by a conservatory company had installed a small CU and run a 4mm 3
Core SWA to run some sockets and lighting in the conservatory.

On closer inspection he’d split the tails with Henley block to feed to new CU. He’d then installed a flex gland for the SWA (no popper gland) but worst of all, he’d installed a BS61008 32a 30ma RCD for protection. No overcurrent protection at all!

We decided to inform the house owner. She said she’d get on to the conservatory company. She checked the certificate and found that he’d left the overcurrent box blank.

After she’d contacted the conservatory company, I get a call today from the house owner saying that the ‘sparks’ had shown up unannounced and was very aggressive. He didn’t want to talk to me in the phone. She said he went to something in the conservatory and announced, ‘look, it is earthed!’ She proceeded to tell him that the problem was with the breaker and what was on the certificate. When he was shown the certificate (which was about 4 years old) he snatched it and filled in the blank box with the numbers ‘61008’.

Now tell me, why oh why oh why are the NICEIC letting people in like this? When we were admitted into the NIC, I for one was so proud to be a member. Since the advent of the other schemes, this trade has gone to sh*t! I feel so sorry for this lady.

It seems that the NIC maybe more interested in revenue than having fully qualified professional electricians as members and could it be that this is because I all the other schemes are too!?

You’d think they’d all know by now that price based competition lowers standards whereas service based competition raises standards!

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

They have thick skins Mate, thick skins and big wallets, they don't care about anything but making Money, despite what was said at the Big Committee meeting held a few years back, it's a business not a service, and what do businesses thrive on? Profit (Money), sorry to go on (probably get some "old" icons, but this isn't a new thing is it? gather lots of evidence and send it to the Chair of that Committee meeting, can't recall his name, but someone will know, failing that send the evidence to you Local MP recorded delivery of course.

The chair of that committee was Clive Betts MP.

 

[Pete999]

The chair of that committee was Clive Betts MP.

That's him, thanks Mate

 

[tudore]

No may be about it


This is a common mistake ....

With regards to the RCD being used for overcurrent protection, it would be interesting to get the culprit's opinion on what an RCBO is and does.

 

[markythesparky]

With regards to the RCD being used for overcurrent protection, it would be interesting to get the culprit's opinion on what an RCBO is and does.

We’re waiting for him to ‘look into it’ and come back to the client but that was nearly a week ago now and I’m not holding my breathe. In any case he hardly speaks any English apparently so his we may need an interpreter for his opinion.

 

[markythesparky]

Quick update: we've been back after the client wanted a couple of other things checked . Turns out the guy has run a 4mm or 6mm SWA to a 1 gang flush box. From here he's taken two 2.5mm twin and earths for a RFC and connector blocked these to the SWA.

This chap is a class act!