Should I stick to my first thought??

[p11jor]

Just received a call asking to look at a job working alongside another spark, I only class myself as a domestic installer.

The lad asked to give him a hand on a newbuild installation of a student accomadation block, he told me that it will be run in conduit, singles.

My first thought was to stick to what I know (house bashing) but he insisted I come and have a look, to at least do the fire alarm system.

So my question to you, I am going to face anything nasty or be well out of my depth helping out on a job like this?

I also only done my 2392, how would the testing work for say IR on singles?

The only reason I am showing my face to take a look is just for general intrest as it is local to me and the fact this spark would use me to house bash.....I do think it's time for me to learn abit more but is this getting thrown into the deep end?

 

[Des 56]

Just be up front about what your skills are and get at it and give it a go
Working with singles should present no fear

You dont get experience of other things unless you try it

There is an experienced guy working with you, so its not as if you will be without guidance

Go for it and gain the experience

 

[Robinson]

Yeah go for it. but be up front as to your competence and experiences. singles great to work with and as far as testing its same really just few different factors to consider, all of which are in all your books you have already bought . main thing is your cpc will be same size as you line/neutral. if you didnt know that already which you prob did. sorry if i stated obvious. !.....Conduit too is a good thing to learn . sounds like a treat if you have someone experienced alongside you.

 

[SMB]

Mate, testing singles is not different than testing twin and earth.

Conduit isn't hard.

If you already have a good working relationship with this person then there should be no problems. He already knows your skills. He would not have called you if he did not think you were up for the job and you were not able to cope with it.

do it, prove your worth. It hopefully will lead onto more work.

I wish you well.


Do it!!

 

[SMB]

but he insisted I come and have a look, to at least do the fire alarm system.

This is the bit which is most important....

Does your mate know about 'fire alarm systems' ?

Student accomidation alarm systems need to be done correctly.

They need to be designed by professionals.

Has he done this?

 

[topquark]

Yep, rules for HMO's (homes of multiple occupancy) will apply. Google it and you should find a wealth of info on them.

 

[Spudnik]

Yep, rules for HMO's (homes of multiple occupancy) will apply. Google it and you should find a minefield of info on them.

Fixed that for you

 

[topquark]

Fixed that for you

I know what you mean!

There was a thread a while ago discussing this: http://www.electriciansforums.net/e.../15990-landlord-safety-requirements-hmos.html

 

[p11jor]

We do work on the student properties but these are houses, so we put interlinked smoke and heat detectors unless the occupancy has 5 or more tenants and 3 storey then we put a full fire system and emergency lighting.

 

[accordfire]

We do work on the student properties but these are houses, so we put interlinked smoke and heat detectors unless the occupancy has 5 or more tenants and 3 storey then we put a full fire system and emergency lighting.

Um. Lemme get my head round this here......

You're a domestic installer, so your mate says "at least come and do the fire alarm"??? Is that right?

I'm just a little puzzled as to how being a domestic installer makes you more qualified than he might be to install the fire alarm - or who's doing the design, working out the requirement and so forth.

Okay - I see from the above, you're saying generally these are houses - albeit HMO - and generally you fit interlinked smokes, and then move to a fire alarm if over a certain level of occupancy or floor count.

There are rules in place for that - and generally come under BS5839-6 - but again should be worked out from an initial risk assessment.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not having a dig - I'm just puzzled as to the disparity between you saying you've got no real idea of wiring singles in conduit, yet seem happy enough to take the risk on installing life safety stuff - without the same level of concern.....

I'm guessing you have some kind of design qualification behind all this (in your company I mean) - which gives you the security of confidence in the fire and emergency lighting design, that isn't there for commercial work???

 

[Dunc]

This is the bit which is most important....

Does your mate know about 'fire alarm systems' ?

Student accomidation alarm systems need to be done correctly.

They need to be designed by professionals.

Has he done this?

Just posted a similar answer on another thread about EM lighting but same applies. You're local wholesaler will usually have a contact that will design, sell and commission a fire alarm system for you. All you have to do is install it and if all goes wrong the company supplying/commissioning the system will have the indemnity insurance to cover it if the scheme is inadequate which'll pass the buck nicely in a worst case.

 

[SMB]

accordfire...

 

[p11jor]

Hi there yes that's fine for you to query! Basically your last sentence was correct, as we have a contract on student accommodation we decided it would be good to go on a local fire alarm & emergency lighting course at a private training school, they did only offer there qualification which was a in house multi choice exam but the centre/training school is also a city & guilds registered training centre so I trust it was a good option, after installing these on our properties tge council do come out to inspect the whole house I.e smile seals, door closures, fire alarms etc, and we have always been given a licence,

But again I am only going to have a look, if I don't fancy it then I am not tied down to this.

 

[nickblake]

Singles in conduit is easy mate not alot of differance between twe and singles the wring priciples are the same ish 2 way lighting are slightly differant switch wires will just be singles drops so no identification to do , i personally think you should go for it , build up your experiance there are sparks out there that would jump at the chance in todays climate

 

[Knobhead]

Conduit is an art form, if you’ve got the chance to learn it go for it.

The last big conduit job I did was in a restaurant all the walls were tiled with mosaics showing local scenes, so I only got one chance to get it right. It doubled as a lecture theatre so that added even more complications.

Yes I know I’m industrial and not house trained, but this was in the middle of a chemical plant. No CPC’s were run, continuity relied on the conduit. (That old chestnut again). Worst bit was flush mounting a 3PH board then working out the conduit runs in to it.

It took months to complete because all the tradesmen working on the job had their own work to do. The mosaics were done by the kiln masons, (like brickies but used to working on a massive scale). The only deviation to the original design was by one of the masons, he carved gravestones as a paid hobby. All the tradesmen’s names were carved on a stone mounted by the entrance.