Please help!

[skamuk]

I hear you all. Thanks for your concern.

 

[telectrix]

at the end of the day. this is a repair. it's not notifiabe, no certificate is required. as long as the OP is competent to do the job, paper qualifications aside, then better he does it, knowing it's done safely, than have some bodger tape a dodgy join.

 

[Guitarist]

Ok, so I visited the job again yesterday morning. When I got there the lights were working again, then in mid conversation they went out again, and I noticed that he had new carpet fitted up the staircase, which was directly above the consumer unit, and right next to the first lighting point, as you walk up the stairs the light would turn on or off!!! So obviously a nail through the cable!
After carrying out a continuity test on the neutral when the lights were out of action, it proved my theory to be correct!

Line and CPC were in tact as far as the meter was concerned, but I am going to install a new feed 1.5 t+e from the CU to the first lighting point and make the old redundant.

Thanks for your help and your 'creative criticism' everyone!

I'm glad that you got it sorted, and yes, even a qualified electrician may have taken a while to get to the bottom of the problem. My concern is that you don't have PLI, you would not classed as competent (which in itself is a breach of regs), you do not have correct test gear, and you don't really know if you are walking away from a safe installation.

The problem I have with this whole scenario is quite simply this.... You are charging someone to do a job which should have been done by a qualified electrician. You are not a DIY'er working in his own home, but someone taking work directly from those of us who spent years training and spending money on test gear, PLI, scheme membership etc. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but people doing what you are doing "to put food on the table" is having a profound impact on our trade.

 

[oldtimer]

I'm glad that you got it sorted, and yes, even a qualified electrician may have taken a while to get to the bottom of the problem. My concern is that you don't have PLI, you would not classed as competent (which in itself is a breach of regs), you do not have correct test gear, and you don't really know if you are walking away from a safe installation.

The problem I have with this whole scenario is quite simply this.... You are charging someone to do a job which should have been done by a qualified electrician. You are not a DIY'er working in his own home, but someone taking work directly from those of us who spent years training and spending money on test gear, PLI, scheme membership etc. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but people doing what you are doing "to put food on the table" is having a profound impact on our trade.

I think this sums up the trade as we are sucking in "European" sparks or worst still have a go Johnies who use this forum as some sort of last man frees all situation.Plus it has went to 4 pages with this guy admitting he does not have a proper tester ie he has in his words a cheap continuity tester to me thats code for a £15 multimeter from Screwflux and this is one reason why this post for me had chancer all over it and yes I know there is a balance from giving out advice and aiding a chancer but in my view we are contributing to our own demise

 

[Guitarist]

I think this sums up the trade as we are sucking in "European" sparks or worst still have a go Johnies who use this forum as some sort of last man frees all situation.Plus it has went to 4 pages with this guy admitting he does not have a proper tester ie he has in his words a cheap continuity tester to me thats code for a £15 multimeter from Screwflux and this is one reason why this post for me had chancer all over it and yes I know there is a balance from giving out advice and aiding a chancer but in my view we are contributing to our own demise

Exactly! Why even bother with a 5 week course when you can simply google it and get electricians to help out for free!

 

[oldtimer]

Exactly! Why even bother with a 5 week course when you can simply google it and get electricians to help out for free!

Well as I have said before if anybody is learning they should have to list their location, and qualifications and I would go further but probably be banned because if we are to raise standards then..........................................................

But thats a conversation for another day as it just struck me this forum is no longer for electricians and trainees maybe we should change the name to Guisers charter

 

[guest119]

Crossed my mind a few times OT,been tempted to reply reference the title at the top of the page, the place is filling up with chancers, mates wannabees etc.
I spoke up on one occasion a few months back on a thread where some mate (yet another one) was looking for work and my post was promptly removed.
Is it not the case also that one of the moderators on here is not a qualified spark?

 

[oldtimer]

I have no problem with people wanting to learn thats fine but we are now being used as some sort of "Ask Jeeves" type system plus my concern with regards to this post is this forum is "remotely" coaching someone who could either injure or kill himself or worst the tenant of the property . Thing is I would not go to a job without being tooled up yet I am amazed these types of posts are getting advice when the OP has said yep I have a £15 multimeter and I am in London ???

 

[varilite]

Look for connector blocks stuffed in the ceiling

 

[Sintra]

Crossed my mind a few times OT,been tempted to reply reference the title at the top of the page, the place is filling up with chancers, mates wannabees etc.
I spoke up on one occasion a few months back on a thread where some mate (yet another one) was looking for work and my post was promptly removed.
Is it not the case also that one of the moderators on here is not a qualified spark?

OMG so now a moderator has to be a qualified spark. Now that is a joke.

 

[pencilpusher]

Is it not the case also that one of the moderators on here is not a qualified spark?

Now that IS a load of bollox. A moderator "moderates" and decides who gets a ban! They don't need to be a sparks. That's as bad as saying a St Johns Ambulance member operating at a race meeting needs to be a jockey :cool3:

 

[plugsandsparks]

It looked like the OP was being quite candid about his situation, i doubt i would have got the big meter out for this fault as a simple voltage / tester would have been sufficient along with xray eyes and a decent screwdriver.
As he is at college i am sure he is aware of his legal position, so the choice is either help the lad or say nothing.

 

[Guitarist]

It looked like the OP was being quite candid about his situation, i doubt i would have got the big meter out for this fault as a simple voltage / tester would have been sufficient along with xray eyes and a decent screwdriver.
As he is at college i am sure he is aware of his legal position, so the choice is either help the lad or say nothing.

I give up...

 

[Johnuk]

who is the client???? man or lady if its a lonely lady she may want some fun haha

 

[pencilpusher]

who is the client???? man or lady if its a lonely lady she may want some fun haha

Well with that lighting problem it would have been a case of now you see it, now you don't, then you see it and then you friggin' don't!