Is there such a thing as a "DIY electrical job"?

[KeenPensioner]

Hi......I'm not an electrician but have worked as an "electrician's mate" for a NICEIC registered contractor for a couple of years after I retired. I've been a member of this forum for a few months and enjoy reading the posts, hoping to pick up some tips.

In the description of the site it says "DIY and Auto Electricians Talk and share advice" and although for the most part your members are happy to help there seems to me to be a more than a few who blind the "OP" with technical terms that only a qualified electrician would understand -I think their mindset is "if you don't understand what Ze is or have a MFT you shouldn't undertake this job" Also, several responses say quite curtly "get an electrician in" and I understand that in many cases that is the correct advice.

Obviously I'm not belittling in any way the need for"competence" when working on electrical installations but is it the case that there is no such thing as a DIY electrical job?

 

[Andy78]

I think most forum users agree that there is no real need for the DIY forum. It is there to bring in traffic to the forum.
There are certain small jobs I would expect a diyer to perform, but none would extend to the alteration of any fixed wiring.

 

[littlespark]

DIY'ers, in the most are capable of doing the work involved. Some are not.

There may be more to adding a new socket to a ring circuit, for example, that a layman just hasn't thought of.

It may be a perfectly safe installation, but without properly testing, you can only be 99% sure.

Whatever talents Joe Public may have, getting a professional tradesman in to do any job is always sound advice.

 

[KEV 1 N]

Some might consider changing accessories as a DIY job, but get it wrong you end up with it
A) not working
B) goes bang
C) burning at terminals

Changing light fittings might also be considered a DIY task but again the average person always expects only 3 cable to be at the light L,N,E
Then when they take it down and are faced with a typical loop in wiring method, it has them baffled.

I suppose it comes down to an individuals skills, but then again if people come on here asking for advice on very simple things, then you think “should they really be tackling this?”

 

[telectrix]

that reminds me.... nice sunny day. do I replace the brake pads on the van myself or call the local garage? it's an equation.... £50 versus more wear on 71 year old knees, and a couple of shinned knuckles.

 

[Pete999]

Hi......I'm not an electrician but have worked as an "electrician's mate" for a NICEIC registered contractor for a couple of years after I retired. I've been a member of this forum for a few months and enjoy reading the posts, hoping to pick up some tips.

In the description of the site it says "DIY and Auto Electricians Talk and share advice" and although for the most part your members are happy to help there seems to me to be a more than a few who blind the "OP" with technical terms that only a qualified electrician would understand -I think their mindset is "if you don't understand what Ze is or have a MFT you shouldn't undertake this job" Also, several responses say quite curtly "get an electrician in" and I understand that in many cases that is the correct advice.

Obviously I'm not belittling in any way the need for"competence" when working on electrical installations but is it the case that there is no such thing as a DIY electrical job?

Unfortunately Mr and Mrs J, Public can buy electrical installation products from the likes of the Orange Shed and some of their Smaller outlets, which in effect means that many people can attempt DIY electrical work, you only have to pay a visit to Big O shed and wonder down the electrical aisle and listen as the public " wonder if this wire is OK for me to wire up my new cooker"
Step by step advice is something I would not do on the forum, not only for the DIYers safety but my sanity as well, you can just see the headlines, Home owner found dead by electrocution after getting advice from an on line Electrical Forum.
So sorry for the long winded reply, although there are some jobs a DIYer can do, change a plug as an example, as for larger jobs leave it for the Professionals, after all would the public attempt any work involving Gas? A bout time the powers that be changed the rules and Policed these rules, and made Electrical work, and the Governing bodies as strict as the Gas Safe, Corgi registration, or whatever it's called thes days.

 

[Wilko]

Changing light fittings might also be considered a DIY task but again the average person always expects only 3 cable to be at the light L,N,E
Then when they take it down and are faced with a typical loop in wiring method, it has them baffled ...

I helped out a mate who is a Painter & Decorator the other day for just such a thing. Normally he's got it worked out as it's just a little move needed, but the Owner had convinced him to change a pendant to an IKEA. On the plus side, he now knows what he doesn't know, if that makes any sense .

 

[Tes369]

Changing a light bulb might qualify

 

[telectrix]

Changing a light bulb might qualify

what about a heavy bulb?

 

[Tes369]

what about a heavy bulb?

Well I think your diyer in that case might need a team of Electrical installers who are a member of a scheme.

And need to issue a major works certificate for the change of bulb and notify building control.

And then send another lad round after with a 2391 to test it.

Cheers

 

[Octopus]

is no such thing as a DIY electrical job?

Yes, swapping parts like for like.

A bit like replacing the brake pads on your car ..........

 

[sparkdog]

The main problem is loose terminals, the basic skill to make sure they are really tight is usually missing.

 

[Richard Burns]

I would say that replacement of accessories that are the same rating as the existing and anything that does not change the characteristics of the fixed wiring can be a DIY electrical job if the person has the skills and knowledge to be able to do this in a safe manner.
Once you change the characteristics of a circuit then the circuit must be tested and a certificate produced, I cannot see a DIY person bothering to buy the test equipment required even if they knew how to complete the certificate so then you would be failing to comply with the wiring regulations and this may lead to dangerous situations.

 

[Jamie']

Do wonder sometimes why they still sell these:

Roughneck VDE Tester Screwdriver SL-3.0mm - https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-vde-tester-screwdriver-sl-3-0mm/9019X?tc=JA1&ds_kid=92700022885069958&ds_rl=1248184&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1247848&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkd3VBRDzARIsAAdGzMDR3vN9F_Czd-9MG_NYFJU4z75KMhJl-yDXDIgS8sb7Kg4GlML3DwgaAiTTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CPvB78qwh9oCFc4YGwodE3MOMQ


Wonder how many DIYers use insulated tools aswell

 

[Midwest]

I've seen a few faceplate/accessories exchanged by DIY'ers that have been a complete balls up.

Likewise I seen faceplates/accessories exchanged by so called competent electricians that have been a complete balls up.

 

[Rpa07]

I’ve got a new avatar for you @Midwest going by your last post!

 

[Midwest]

I can't talk to the animals like some can?

 

[telectrix]

some can or can-can?

 

[Midwest]

Whats that Albert?

 

[Pete999]

Do wonder sometimes why they still sell these:

Roughneck VDE Tester Screwdriver SL-3.0mm - https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-vde-tester-screwdriver-sl-3-0mm/9019X?tc=JA1&ds_kid=92700022885069958&ds_rl=1248184&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1247848&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkd3VBRDzARIsAAdGzMDR3vN9F_Czd-9MG_NYFJU4z75KMhJl-yDXDIgS8sb7Kg4GlML3DwgaAiTTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CPvB78qwh9oCFc4YGwodE3MOMQ


Wonder how many DIYers use insulated tools aswell

Simple really Jamie, Pound coins, the more the merrier.

 

[Cadgey123]

How many accessories have you seen put on with butchered terminals and slack connections because the DIYer was using a 2.5mm2 Test screwdriver. Simples save it for the Electrician if you can’t do it

 

[Adam W]

There is such as thing as a DIY electrical job, but there's also such a thing as a DIY disaster. A quick googlesearch will reveal numerous pictures of situations where someone has had a go at doing something them self when they really shouldn't have. Some are amusing, some are just dangerous.

Often worse than dealing with the mess left by a 'cowboy builder' is the mess left by a well-meaning person who doesn't understand their limits but feels they should be having a go anyway.

If you get your carpentry wrong you could end up with a wonky shelf or you could saw your leg off, get your decorating wrong and you could have streaky walls, with your car you can end up with poor fuel economy or defective brakes, with plumbing you could end up with a dripping tap or contaminated drinking water, with electrics you could end up with a burned down house or electrocuted.

As professional electricians we often have to deal with people who think they 'know electrics' when it's clear that they don't and shouldn't be having a go.

 

[Pete999]

There is such as thing as a DIY electrical job, but there's also such a thing as a DIY disaster. A quick googlesearch will reveal numerous pictures of situations where someone has had a go at doing something them self when they really shouldn't have. Some are amusing, some are just dangerous.

Often worse than dealing with the mess left by a 'cowboy builder' is the mess left by a well-meaning person who doesn't understand their limits but feels they should be having a go anyway.

If you get your carpentry wrong you could end up with a wonky shelf or you could saw your leg off, get your decorating wrong and you could have streaky walls, with your car you can end up with poor fuel economy or defective brakes, with plumbing you could end up with a dripping tap or contaminated drinking water, with electrics you could end up with a burned down house or electrocuted.

As professional electricians we often have to deal with people who think they 'know electrics' when it's clear that they don't and shouldn't be having a go.

Agree with all you said except the iffy car brake, done by a DIY mechanic,sorry.

 

[telectrix]

why the disagree, pete? i done all my brake pad/shoe/caliper/cylinder replacements for donkeys. never had a brake failure yet. only thing now is the strain in knees, is it worth it to save £50?

 

[Pete999]

why the disagree, pete?

Well a bodged brake job is dangerouse as I explained in my last post agree with the painting ,woodwork etc, just disagreed wth the brake issu, nothing personal, and hope the OP isn't too hacked off, I have quantified my disagreement, unlike some on here, not you Tel.

 

[littlespark]

"never had a brake failure yet"
That's like a DIY would be spark saying "I've never had a shock/ burned the house down"
Get your brakes done by a professional.

 

[telectrix]

agree pete. brakes are an important safety issue. all boils down to "competence". if you can't do it safely, consult an expert.

 

[Adam W]

Agree with all you said except the iffy car brake, done by a DIY mechanic,sorry.

It looks to me like you disagreed.
What do you disagree with? That you can't mess up doing your brakes?
The point was in most cases (probably not decorating) you can get it a bit wrong or it can go seriously wrong. Electrics can go very wrong but it's something a lot of people seem happy to have a stab at.

 

[telectrix]

"never had a brake failure yet"
That's like a DIY would be spark saying "I've never had a shock/ burned the house down"
Get your brakes done by a professional.

if i was not competent to do it right, i would. i was fixing cars and motorbikes, rebuilding engines, welding in patches, repairing bodywork, at el, probably before you were born. anything i could not do, i either learnt or passed it over.

 

[Andy78]

If you get your carpentry wrong you could end up with a wonky shelf or you could saw your leg off, get your decorating wrong and you could have streaky walls, with your car you can end up with poor fuel economy or defective brakes, with plumbing you could end up with a dripping tap or contaminated drinking water, with electrics you could end up with a burned down house or electrocuted.

You can even end up with quite a serious electrical fault by simply putting shelves up. Been to a few of those before.

 

[Adam W]

You can even end up with quite a serious electrical fault by simply putting shelves up. Been to a few of those before.

Exactly - in that instance the person putting up the shelves was out of their depth and should have either learned how to do it, left it to someone competent or not bothered.

 

[Adam W]

if i was not competent to do it right, i would. i was fixing cars and motorbikes, rebuilding engines, welding in patches, repairing bodywork, at el, probably before you were born. anything i could not do, i either learnt or passed it over.

There aren't many things which a competent person can't DIY (apart from certain kinds of surgery), but at the same time an incompetent person can make a hash of the simplest of jobs and should leave them to someone else.
There are very few tasks which anyone should guarantee can be DIYed, and in that respect there is no such thing as a DIY electrical job.

 

[littlespark]

What if the DIY'er in question is actually an electrician? Does that count?

 

[Midwest]

why the disagree, pete? i done all my brake pad/shoe/caliper/cylinder replacements for donkeys. never had a brake failure yet. only thing now is the strain in knees, is it worth it to save £50?

You've just been trying to bump her indoors off for years, and never been successful. Call yourself an engineer

 

[static zap]

Wiring a plug top with the wiring chart - still attached to the pin side ?

 

[gnuuser]

of course there is its called hanging up Christmas lights!
while everything else an electrician does may look easy to do, there is a lot more to learn than just matching up colors of the conductors!

 

[pirate]

Put new batteries in my torch yesterday...got it wrong, first time