Panel building; is it too late?

[damunk]

I am 40. dont hold any quals but have always done electrical work with electricians which included panel building. I have built a good few panels without fail.

I am wanting to sell 240V single phase small panels for a gaming machine that I have built.

Is a small panel building course enough certification for me to sell without getting into any probs?


The machine build I will undertake a separate welding course for.


hope you get the gist lads. if you could help us as I have contacted a few colleges but don't see to get anywhere.

 

[Dan]

If you're selling electrical items in the UK you really need to make sure they're abiding by British Standards but you probably won't sell enough to warrant getting iso or kite mark or whatever?

Got a picture of one? Or would that reveal your method to competitors?

 

[Avo Mk8]

Is a small panel building course enough certification for me to sell without getting into any probs?

As Dan suggests, apart from having some paperwork to show you are you competent, complexity arises from making sure what you build is safe, complies with legislation, and you can demonstrate this with your records.

Just to give an example, I guess you would need to comply with at least the Low Voltage Directive, and maybe the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive, though I hope you wouldn't have to get EMC testing done. There's also the Safety of Machinery Directive where you would probably need some understanding of applicable standards.

Placing manufactured products on the market in Great Britain

What you need to do to comply with regulations on manufactured products you place on the market in Great Britain.

www.gov.uk

The way to meet legal obligations is to build your panels to meet relevant BS/EN/ISO standards. You might be doing this intuitively at the moment, but you would need certainty (ie evidence), and so would need to generate the test and inspection documentation to demonstrate how you meet all those requirements. Design records, engineering drawings, circuit diagrams, build records, test records, checklists etc. The tricky bit may be getting access to key standards, as they are expensive, but hopefully there's a public library within reach that has them, where one used to be able to copy a few pages.

I know this sounds over-the-top, but if you want to keep on the right side of the law, the right side of your customers, your liability insurance, and protect yourself from other peoples stupidity, I would say it's necessary. Gaining a good understanding of the legislation you need to meet and the underlying standards that support it is at least as important as technical training.

 

[damunk]

As Dan suggests, apart from having some paperwork to show you are you competent, complexity arises from making sure what you build is safe, complies with legislation, and you can demonstrate this with your records.

Just to give an example, I guess you would need to comply with at least the Low Voltage Directive, and maybe the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive, though I hope you wouldn't have to get EMC testing done. There's also the Safety of Machinery Directive where you would probably need some understanding of applicable standards.

Placing manufactured products on the market in Great Britain

What you need to do to comply with regulations on manufactured products you place on the market in Great Britain.

www.gov.uk

The way to meet legal obligations is to build your panels to meet relevant BS/EN/ISO standards. You might be doing this intuitively at the moment, but you would need certainty (ie evidence), and so would need to generate the test and inspection documentation to demonstrate how you meet all those requirements. Design records, engineering drawings, circuit diagrams, build records, test records, checklists etc. The tricky bit may be getting access to key standards, as they are expensive, but hopefully there's a public library within reach that has them, where one used to be able to copy a few pages.

I know this sounds over-the-top, but if you want to keep on the right side of the law, the right side of your customers, your liability insurance, and protect yourself from other peoples stupidity, I would say it's necessary. Gaining a good understanding of the legislation you need to meet and the underlying standards that support it is at least as important as technical training.

Shall I just build them and get my fully qualified electrician just to check them out and give me a certificate. He is commercial and has done lots of three phase installation of machinery and panels.

If it is shown that I have lets say 10 certificates from him and then I am building them all the same , as they will all be the same.

Then surely with the level 2 welding course and level 2 or 3 electricians course I have proven that I have undertaken the correct steps to avoid jail time lol
The product design will not change.

 

[snowhead]

Then surely with the level 2 welding course and level 2 or 3 electricians course I have proven that I have undertaken the correct steps to avoid jail time lol
The product design will not change.

When manufacturing and selling a product you're in whole different World of legislation / regulation.
You need to engage a consultant who specialises in taking products to the market, they'll know what you need to comply with and the best way to do it.
They'll also probably tell you the minimum number that you'll need to sell to cover the costs.

You may be O.K with what you propose, but you need expert guidance.

 

[Avo Mk8]

Shall I just build them and get my fully qualified electrician just to check them out and give me a certificate. He is commercial and has done lots of three phase installation of machinery and panels.

If it is shown that I have lets say 10 certificates from him and then I am building them all the same , as they will all be the same.

Then surely with the level 2 welding course and level 2 or 3 electricians course I have proven that I have undertaken the correct steps to avoid jail time lol
The product design will not change.

Ah - are you saying you are building someone else's design? That might relieve much of the burden.
Do they give you engineering drawings and circuit diagrams of exactly what to make? Do they give you the parts or do you supply them?
At the end of the day if you build a product, and it causes damage or harm to someone, strict liability applies and you are in the firing line as responsible unless you can prove you're not! None of this 'innocent until proven guilty' stuff!

 

[damunk]

Ah - are you saying you are building someone else's design? That might relieve much of the burden.
Do they give you engineering drawings and circuit diagrams of exactly what to make? Do they give you the parts or do you supply them?
At the end of the day if you build a product, and it causes damage or harm to someone, strict liability applies and you are in the firing line as responsible unless you can prove you're not! None of this 'innocent until proven guilty' stuff!

I have been to the college and been offered a place at Level 3 Electrical & Electrical Engineering. 2 year course; As an old bloke lol
It kinda felt odd at the interview.

I have also been offered a panel building 4 day course for £1600;

Panel Wiring and Electrical Control - MTC Training

This four-day intensive practical course has been designed to give people with little or no experience of Industrial Electrical systems, a detailed overview of how electrical components work together to […]

the-amtc.co.uk

The 4 day course seems to cover the sorta stuff I have built. If I take the 4 day course and I build my panels and then get an "Commercial electrician " to check it over for a coupld of hundered quid, would it suffice. I am trynig to show I have done what I can.

I really don't wanna go back to college for two years when half of the stuff they teach I won't be needing.