Taking action against a cowboy install...

[DNS1]

A couple of months ago my parents had a new kitchen installed. Part of the install involved a new induction hob which meant a new circuit to be added to the board.

Now unfortunately they didn't tell me about anything that was going on, and ended up being talked into having their perfectly good 16th edition board replaced, instead of just sourcing an appropriate MCB or RCBO and connecting the hob circuit to the spare way.

I popped round today and whilst there I thought I'd fix a lightswitch that had been wired backwards for years. Simple enough job (despite half the screws being missing and a couple of wires simply resting against the terminals)

Few things I noticed about their new DB that cause me concern so I'd like another opinion:

- Notices missing from board (no sticker about the non-standard colours, no inspection due sticker, no sticker about testing RCD)
- MCBs labelled incorrectly (house is a little odd in that the 2 RFCs cover each side of the house, rather than upstairs and down, but not labelled as such)
- Both lighting circuits on same RCD
- Hob wired in buried T+E but not protected by RCD at all

Correct me if I'm wrong but none of the above are acceptable for a newly installed board are they? It all got me thinking about the whole installation and I'm now a little suspicious about how the initial testing could have been passed, given the fact that at least one lighting circuit clearly had poor connections in a switch.

Unfortunately I've not yet seen the certificates for any of the above work.

What does everyone think about the above? Should I be looking at take some action against this installer?

 

[DNS1]

Good old EEBADS hey, when was this cert done.

Is THAT what it says?! I couldn't read the writing at all? Excuse me for being naive, but what does it mean?!

As I understand from a quick google search, it's a pre-17th edition term. Is reference method "3" a pre-17th edition thing as well?! 5 second disconnection for 6A finals?

 

[onfire25]

Went over to my parents place today to do the minor work I mentioned in another thread (fusing and extending a spur to fit a light)

I disconnected the downstairs RFC, connected up the new light and then went to do the initial testing for the circuit.

Bearing in mind that the CU was new a few months ago... I did NOT expect to find no continuity between ends of the ring! I certainly did not expect to find that the installer, in addition to the other issues, has FABRICATED his continuity figures on the certificate!

Also found various other mistakes, would love to see how many you lot find...

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looks like he went a bit tick happy on the schedule of inspections......ticked segregation of safety circuits!!......your parents got life support at their house?!.......doesnt fill me with confidence if they incorrectly complete that tick part alone!! ticked mixed colour wiring too and you said they have put no stickers on board!!......i would be on the phone ripping a new arse hole !!

 

[DNS1]

I was suspicious about the install before (see the rest of the thread!) but the thing that REALLY worries me is that he's clearly made up figures for the continuity of that ring final. I got an infinity reading earlier when I did the tests, it's not like cabling as corroded over time, he's just made it up!

I've taken the 2 legs of the ring and stuck them on a 16A mcb (robbed from the un-used immersion heater!) so at least I know it's safe for now...

If the NICEIC aren't interested in the complaint, we can go back to Wickes who sub-contracted the guy... I'd like to hear what they have to say...

 

[Skyba]

My missus ASKED for a little rechargeable Hoover for her birthday!

My parents have bought me tools for Xmas before but their usually cheap ones that I wouldn't go for and I have to pretend to be over the moon haha!

I'Ve asked for a fluke 1653b from my parentals for Xmas, I've got about as much of a chance of getting it as the OP has of getting said sparky to come back and label the cu.

 

[onfire25]

I was suspicious about the install before (see the rest of the thread!) but the thing that REALLY worries me is that he's clearly made up figures for the continuity of that ring final. I got an infinity reading earlier when I did the tests, it's not like cabling as corroded over time, he's just made it up!

I've taken the 2 legs of the ring and stuck them on a 16A mcb (robbed from the un-used immersion heater!) so at least I know it's safe for now...

If the NICEIC aren't interested in the complaint, we can go back to Wickes who sub-contracted the guy... I'd like to hear what they have to say...

What about dragging the niceic through the press mills!.....body happy to rob sparks of their money but when it comes to the crunch......what are they good for??.....might make jo public wake up to how much of a chocolate tea pot they are!!!

 

[DNS1]

I'Ve asked for a fluke 1653b from my parentals for Xmas, I've got about as much of a chance of getting it as the OP has of getting said sparky to come back and label the cu.

Shame, you won't be getting one!

That bloke has as much chance of being allowed back in as I have becoming a ballerina!

 

[Skyba]

All the guy will say is you've obviously been tampering with the circuits as you have carried out your own test on the circuit so you've obviously caused the fault. You know this isn't true but as he's the registered guy and you're not he's the only one of the two of you who should be tampering with the circuit.

 

[DNS1]

All the guy will say is you've obviously been tampering with the circuits as you have carried out your own test on the circuit so you've obviously caused the fault. You know this isn't true but as he's the registered guy and you're not he's the only one of the two of you who should be tampering with the circuit.

If the NIC send an inspector out to check, nothing will hide the lack of stickers, the non-RCD protected cooker circuit, the badly completed forms and the lack of ring continuity...

The fact that I've done minor works (spur on a circuit in a non-special location) won't make a difference will it?

 

[onfire25]

All the guy will say is you've obviously been tampering with the circuits as you have carried out your own test on the circuit so you've obviously caused the fault. You know this isn't true but as he's the registered guy and you're not he's the only one of the two of you who should be tampering with the circuit.

As harsh as that sounds......too true

 

[onfire25]

If the NIC send an inspector out to check, nothing will hide the lack of stickers, the non-RCD protected cooker circuit, the badly completed forms and the lack of ring continuity...

The fact that I've done minor works (spur on a circuit in a non-special location) won't make a difference will it?

Ask the man in the know-how......mr tony cable at the niceic.....mobile....***********......call.....ask him.....explain......scan and email him certs......see what he has to say.......i got this number from him last May directly.

 

[Skyba]

If the NIC send an inspector out to check, nothing will hide the lack of stickers, the non-RCD protected cooker circuit, the badly completed forms and the lack of ring continuity...

The fact that I've done minor works (spur on a circuit in a non-special location) won't make a difference will it?

Not putting stickers on the cu is a small thing which they would just brush aside but the no rcd issue would be more serious but he would still say that you'GE tampered with the circuit, he could just say that the circuit was rcd protected when he left the job but the circuits in the house have been worked on since he left and you could have tampered with his circuits also. As for the test results nobody can really prove what he's done wrong apart from the things he's ticked which he shouldn't have.

This goes along with a discussion I was having on another thread about domestic installer being allowed to work but are they really capable. Not all domestic installers are as silly as this one but if everyone was made to do the full 4 years there would be far less silly things like this happening.

I'm not even qualified yet I'm waiting for my NVQ to be signed off yet I think I have a better grasp of things than this guy but I still don't think I'm ready to go it alone yet.

 

[Skyba]

Ask the man in the know-how......mr tony cable at the niceic.....mobile....***********......call.....ask him.....explain......scan and email him certs......see what he has to say.......i got this number from him last May directly.

Ahh tony and Dave, if you don't know who these are you've not lived, I've spent hours in classrooms listening to Dave's droning lol

 

[onfire25]

Not putting stickers on the cu is a small thing which they would just brush aside but the no rcd issue would be more serious but he would still say that you'GE tampered with the circuit, he could just say that the circuit was rcd protected when he left the job but the circuits in the house have been worked on since he left and you could have tampered with his circuits also. As for the test results nobody can really prove what he's done wrong apart from the things he's ticked which he shouldn't have.

This goes along with a discussion I was having on another thread about domestic installer being allowed to work but are they really capable. Not all domestic installers are as silly as this one but if everyone was made to do the full 4 years there would be far less silly things like this happening.

I'm not even qualified yet I'm waiting for my NVQ to be signed off yet I think I have a better grasp of things than this guy but I still don't think I'm ready to go it alone yet.

circuit 2 ot the test results is the hob.....noted as unprotected......bloke cant deny that one......got his name written all over it!...lol.....in respect of him saying you tampered with circuit.......prove it!......say he cant count and missed the spur if he wants to be like that!......his cert is worth nothing if full of errors!

 

[Skyba]

True, I've not actually looked at his Certs as I'm on my mobile.

 

[onfire25]

As for the test results nobody can really prove what he's done wrong apart from the things he's ticked which he shouldn't have.

Shows lack of care and attention to detail......if he can mess a simple tick form up then is he really competant!