skywalker Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 i've read a few 'apprentice hooror stories' on here, how about the opposite? i was working on a nice simple job second fixing all the devices to a redecorated house with a guy i'll call mark. i put up all the pirs, the keypad, and the bellboxes while he did the panel (it was in an awkward cupboard so took ages) once i'd finished i shadowed him. it became time to connect the mains. the sparky was too lazy to put a fused spur in, so instead had one wire sticking out the wall from the consumer unit, and then another one next to it going to the end station. the cable had been cut but the cores not seperated, so they were within less than millimetres from eachother. mark decided to meter from live to neutral and saw 240V. he asked the customers "who did your electrics, this is still live, blah blah""its live!?" they asked."yeah, look" he replies, and goes to meter the cable the second time. only this time he accidently shorts live to earth.POOF. loads of sparks fly out the cupboard, marking the nice white walls on their way, house plunged into darkness, and mark shouting "AAHH, F*ING HELL, I CAN'T SEE" the look on the customers faces was hilarious, and they won't be using that sparks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHappy Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 oh dear, Mr Veritas God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjsturner Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Makes me wonder sometimes if its incompetence , mistake or that some people just dont care how they leave something like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew.brough Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 lol Makes me wonder sometimes if its incompetence , mistake or that some people just dont care how they leave something like that? Probably the latter www.securitywarehouse.co.uk/catalog/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lwillis Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Ha ha made me chuckle. Sparkis are the Bain of my life at the minute. Fire alarms mostly, think they know best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywalker Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Ha ha made me chuckle. Sparkis are the Bain of my life at the minute. Fire alarms mostly, think they know best. i think its the same for all fire engineers although intruder engineers who think they can do fire are just as bad. not accusing anyone on here by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew.brough Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Ha ha made me chuckle. Sparkis are the Bain of my life at the minute. Fire alarms mostly, think they know best. *think* www.securitywarehouse.co.uk/catalog/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHappy Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Luke, some months ago I got a voltstick with an led torch on it for less than a fiver from cpc, ideal for finding w/o touching whether stuff sticking out the wall is live http://cpc.farnell.com/unbranded/in05688/voltage-detector-light-tone/dp/IN05688?Ntt=IN05688 +vat & now more than a fiver, but there a free post offer on... Mr Veritas God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lwillis Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 i think its the same for all fire engineers although intruder engineers who think they can do fire are just as bad. not accusing anyone on here by the way. I 've been trained to do both ( started with a small company and had to be multidisiplined . not saying in the world best fire engineer by any means. But when Sparkis wire a whole system in twin and earth and one 1 Sounder circuit . Then give the customer a falsified commissioning certificate . It's no wonder the customer get pissed when I go in and tell them it's all wrong. Had one just last week. Fire alarm fed from a switched fused spur (13a fuse) mains feed in t&e on a ring with the intruder alarm and the comms cabinet. One 1 sounder circuit Eol in panel Found optical in the kitchen. He had fitted a JSB badged menvier and the menvier detectors. Not that I'm against menvier but im guessing it was on offer at the wholesaler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 get a neon Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjsturner Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Chryslers are **** tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lwillis Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Sure I've got a neon pen somewhere, still test with a multi meter tho. Light pen is just an indication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Just putting some additional sockets @ home, newish build and all marked up wrong, Dining, conservatory and part of the Kitchen are on the upstairs ring, one of the outlets in the utility is on the kitchen ring the others on the downstairs ring... Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjsturner Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Ha ha made me chuckle. Sparkis are the Bain of my life at the minute. Fire alarms mostly, think they know best. Agree with you for the most part, they tend to have a "go" This is not true of all tho. I am trained in fire/ intruder too and a spark ( on paper ) and know of a lot of engineers doing their bits of electrical work e.g using wrong sized cable/ breaker ect. So works both ways. Shame when you see a ****** fa system , but hey thats what variations are for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew.brough Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Just putting some additional sockets @ home, newish build and all marked up wrong, Dining, conservatory and part of the Kitchen are on the upstairs ring, one of the outlets in the utility is on the kitchen ring the others on the downstairs ring... I knew british gas had ventured out into electrical work but wasn't aware ADT had? www.securitywarehouse.co.uk/catalog/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjsturner Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Sure I've got a neon pen somewhere, still test with a multi meter tho. Light pen is just an indication. I use fluke test pen sometimes but always rely on my fluke 179 for the Real test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lwillis Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Agree with you for the most part, they tend to have a "go" This is not true of all tho. I am trained in fire/ intruder too and a spark ( on paper ) and know of a lot of engineers doing their bits of electrical work e.g using wrong sized cable/ breaker ect. So works both ways. Shame when you see a ****** fa system , but hey thats what variations are for! Yeah I'm not saying fire/int engineers are perfect. In my early days the company I worked for also did electrical work ( bosses son was a Electritian and joined a few years after I started ) so I know bits and bobs about Sparki stuff, but breaker size and cable size are quite easy. I think it's the regs the Sparki guys that have ago struggle with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHappy Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I use fluke test pen sometimes but always rely on my fluke 179 for the real test you'd be much safer using a two pole tester, one day your mutlimeter will catch you out with settings / ranges Mr Veritas God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antinode Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I use fluke test pen sometimes but always rely on my fluke 179 for the Real test Even a multimeter can fail though. The official way is to use an approved voltage tester and test on a proving unit before and after testing. Trade Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjsturner Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Even a multimeter can fail though. The official way is to use an approved voltage tester and test on a proving unit before and after testing.Why cant i use a known suppy to test my meter?The whole gs 38 thing is **** imo If you dont know how to use your meter with ranges ect then you shouldent be doing it you'd be much safer using a two pole tester, one day your mutlimeter will catch you out with settings / ranges It hasent yet lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichL Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Volt stick here too, it will tell you that a cable is live but not that it isnt. I knew british gas had ventured out into electrical work but wasn't aware ADT had? *sniggers. Originally said by Charles Babbage On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjsturner Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 The only thing that makes a gs 38 tester safer is the short tips, which end up being removed anyway to get the probe into the terminals correctly. I agree with safe isolation proceedure but dont understand why competent electricians cant use a calibrated multi meter or multifunction tester to make the test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHappy Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 If you dont know how to use your meter with ranges ect then you shouldent be doing it agreed, however the 2 pole tester is idiot electrician proof, no dials / range or settings & they can't plug the leads in loose or in the wrong place as there molded on, when used with proving unit even a complete mong would really struggle to get it wrong Mr Veritas God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjsturner Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 agreed, however the 2 pole tester is idiot electrician proof, no dials / range or settings & they can't plug the leads in loose or in the wrong place as there molded on, when used with proving unit even a complete mong would really struggle to get it wrong I know ... You and antidote are right. Its just a silly requirement imo for what is supposed to be trained proffesionals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Just putting some additional sockets @ home, newish build and all marked up wrong, Dining, conservatory and part of the Kitchen are on the upstairs ring, one of the outlets in the utility is on the kitchen ring the others on the downstairs ring... Perhaps he misread some of the regs and split loads so no one place is in darkness/without power after a breaker goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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