Electrics

Just as a matter of interest, i bought a new external lamp to replace an old rusting one at my aunties from BnQ and this was in the box. The OLD/NEW colours section was in a table format but i cant get it to work here!

Anybody know of the top of their head what size cable is required for a room thermostat on a combi? Sure somebody will have the answer, plenty of (ex-)sparks kicking about. fellas

Hope someone can give me advice. I live in Scotland (not sure if there are different regulations here) and am looking to install a wireless alarm system. I'm pretty DIY capable, can plumb etc, but I've never dealt with wiring. I understand that I need to have my wireless bellbox connected to a mains supply. As this will be on the outside upper wall of the house, the obvious place to take the power from would be the loft, however, there isn't any power up there as such, just the cables that power the upstairs ceiling lights. Would it be safe to take a spur from one of those and connect the bellbox up that way or should it be taken off a different circuit? Also, are the…

got a job where the rcd trips about 6-7 times per day more so at night..4 sparks have tested the home+ rcd has been replaced but still same fault..any ex electricity board members here???started after elec board were working on supply in area...of course nowt to do with us they say....any ideas....as i say the whole system installation has been tested 4 times in a week with no faults found...

With the introduction of Part P that we are all familiar with, how do people stand this year with reference to installing their illuminated santa's and snowmen on their roofs and in their gardens? Looking at Part P, the diy'r can install elv garden lighting providing they are CE marked. Lets say that Mr Smith (or Mrs Smith, lets not get PC here) wants to install their CE marked lights, will the Christmas Light Police from the Council come round and inspect the area, fine Mr or Mrs Smith for not using a RCD to protect the 10 banks of four trailing sockets and leave demanding payment for their time spent away from the luxuries of their office? I personally dont par-take in …

The mains supply to my alarm panel is a spur taken from the ring main (fed via a 32 A MCB) using 2.5 T&E through an FCU containing a 3 amp fuse. The total length of cable from the junction box to the FCU is about 3.5 meters. I want to add a 1 amp Elmdene power supply to my system. Is it OK to take another spur from the FCU supplying my alarm panel? I know your not supposed to spur off a spur, but with such a neglegible load on the spur at present, is it OK? I will be adding another FCU for the PSU, but if I can help it, I'd rather not go to the trouble of extending the ring up into my attic. Thanks!

Hi all Could anyone tell me what test are involved in a domestic rewire before a Electical Certificate can be issued? IE when all the cables are ran back to the consumer unit and ready to be connected in? What readings do you measure? housty

It happens all the time the quantities include the installation or alteration into the electrical services tender. Brand new job and you we are asked to take over and monitor the security system. First thing you tell the client is that the alarm is not fit for purpose and the whole lot has to go. The electrical sub contractor at this point realises he

After having my front door replaced with a new upvc. I got hold of a new door reed switch, im finding it a stuggle to work out how to fit it to the new door. Because the new door on the inside is not flush with upvc frame work, the two contacts will not meet. Aswell the new door is beveled on the edges making it even harder to fit . Im sure many other people have had the same problem as me, is there some sort of special reed switch for this problem. Please help

Hi all, Does anyone here have any experience of the NICEIC Domestic Installers (Part P) registration scheme? I am qualified to 16th ed. and still do some contract work for an NICEIC company during the day to help the cashflow, but have been getting a few inquiries for rewires and alarms, so I am thinking of getting registered in order to carry on doing what I always used to! Also, lets face it, its a good thing to have so you can put in seperate CCTV dis boards etc... and dedicated circuits for Fire / Intruder systems. Going back to the registration, maybe I have read it (or others pricing) wrong but it sounds like you get your initial inspection and first years regist…

on a job at the min and //.National Installer.// are doing the fire and intruder system,intruder guys are fine know what there at and get on with the job but theres always a but the fire alarm side of //.National Installer.// in belfast is shoot a hole day checking for a live to netural fault and then its gone, then he tells me that the smoke base has electrics in it dose it and theres me thinking its the smoke head, sounder base and the isolateing base o and the panel that has the electrics built into it the smoke base is just a base for the head sure what do i know , and to top that all of they give us interface units that we didnt need to use but the guy didnt eve…

Does anyone have any info,manuals,codes etc for a Menvier ADR511A addressable emergency lighting system?

Has anyone here done the City & Guilds 2381 course/exam? It's meant to be for experienced electricians but will an experienced alarm fitter find it ok? I've been doing ULV installations for 20 years but I'm not a sparks. It seems too good to be true that I can do a 2 day course for the C&G2381 and then a 3 day course for the C&G2391 and then enrol with NICEIC.

I find the security side is easier physically, but mentally?, I have seen myself walking out of a job for 10 mins just to sort my head out, I find I can get to a stage where if you asked me a simple question I will struggle on that. Dont get me wrong 80% of the jobs I do are what I would call bread and butter, But some of the installs I get in my lap are nightmares. 2 years ago I installed a system with the following- 10xfixed cameras 4x ptz 1x incoming adpro from a remote site(10x cameras) 1x32 way dvr 110x circuits on 2x aplex panels with presets for the cctv …

Our local fire officer just doesn't understand that testing a fire alarm should be done by a fire alarm engineer. He insists that the client shows him a NICEIC certificate. I've already quoted the NICEICs own statement: "...The notes..make it clear that although NICEIC Approved Contractors have been assessed by the NICEIC as having the technical capability to carry out electrical work in compliance with BS7672, the scope of that electrical safety standard does not extend to the operational performance of electrical installations, including those associated with fire detection and alarm systems. ..." The only solution for me is to sub out the job to a local electrician.…