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Rules of using Surge Sockets.

To date the worse wiring I have seen has in all cases been done by someone who was meant to be qualified.

I've ripped out and replaced quite a bit of dodgy wiring in this house including some uninsulated, unenclosed terminal blocks hooking up a ring main that would have shorted together if someone tugged the cable, these I know were installed by a qualified electrician.

I've got a modern RCD consumer unit fitted in my house, so the risk of electrocution is negligable - I installed it myself (however it was inspected by an electrician from the electric board when he hooked it up to the meter for me)

As I understand it your not even supposed to touch low voltage (SELV) stuff unless it has pre-fitted easy fit connectors so you don't need a screwdriver.

If you ask me it is safer for an reasonably competent person to fit an extra socket than to have extension cables running around the floor plugged into multiway adaptors. Given the cost of employing an electrican that sort of thing is going to become increasingly common.
 
garethh said:
Part P.

Read more.

Solicitors now ask the question during conveyancing.

It does make sense.



According to my next door neighbour, himself a qualified electrician,things are changing again next year, when PAT Testing will apply to Domestic Properties.

It seems that all domestic appliances will be required to be tested for safety on a regular basis, similar to those in industrial premises.

Apparently, these tests can be carried out by a person that has qualified in the appropriate exams, not just electricians.
 
Inactive said:
It seems that all domestic appliances will be required to be tested for safety on a regular basis, similar to those in industrial premises.

I cant beleive that, I have over 100 things that need to be tested, Im not having some guy come round every year to test it all, and then pay for it (its not going to be free).

Thats far too much to do and keep track of, I think someones telling you porkies.
 
Certainly not " porkies ", I may not have the full information, but that is exactly what I was told by my neighbour, a qualified electrician, who works for a reliable company.

I agree with you, it is well over the top, but remember this is Nanny State UK..
 
That isn't totally true.

New rules are being introduced regarding testing installations when you sell a property. This isn't PAT testing.

Presumably all to coincide with the introductions of HIP's (Home Information Packs).

My brother (a qualified and registered installer) just confirmed this.
 
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As a qualified electrician....
A table lamp etc uses much less than an amp, the 3 amp fuse is because we gave in to the EU; originally it would have had a 1 amp fuse , but only 3 and 13 are now recognised ( it used to be 1,2,3,5,7,10,13 amp).

A 13amp fuse wont blow at 13 amps, any fuse will happily take upto double its rated level for days, even weeks, so I would recommend not putting daisy chains of multi blocks into one socket. If you must then use a plug with a built in RCD, as used for lawn mowers etc, for extra protection.

Also tote up the rated power levels for your components 1kw (1000watts) is roughly 4.5 amps, and try to balance your heavy and light loads between the the multi blocks comming out of each socket. Have the light stuff on the block at the end of the daisy chain and fused as low as it will go without blowing and the heavy stuff on the block that is nearest the socket and fused to 13 amp.

Alternatly you can replace a single socket with a 2 or 3 way socket using a proper adapter allowing you to draw 13 amps from each socket
( remembering that the ring main is fused at 30 amps ).
 
A decent 6way+ multiway adapter should have overload protection (if it does it will be clearly marked), my computer one has thermal cut-outs which should trip long before the fuse ever would (also an extra fuse in the body, not sure if it is a quick blow one, probably not I guess). I still wouldn't risk overloading it.

Which reminds me I still haven't done anyhing about the duff Belkin ones I have :mad:
 
I thought you could still get 5 and 10 amp fuses for domestic things?

I have not too long ago used a lot of 7amp fuses, but then again, those were in an installation that also used 5amp and 15amp sockets :D
 
Captain_Cretin said:
As a qualified electrician....
A table lamp etc uses much less than an amp, the 3 amp fuse is because we gave in to the EU; originally it would have had a 1 amp fuse , but only 3 and 13 are now recognised ( it used to be 1,2,3,5,7,10,13 amp).


Interesting bit about the EU. Most other countries in Europe ( as far as I am aware ) do not have fused plugs, indeed they don't seem to bother about live / neutral polarity either, plugs with 2 pins fitting either way around.

That is certainly the situation in Spain.

:confused:
 
It doesn't exactly matter which is phase and which is neutral in single phase AC - its all relative. I've seen a friend's house in this country where the neutral and earth were interchanged at various points, which was quite interesting.

The problem with EU harmonisation is that they've now created a case where one of the three phases and neutral can share the same colours (blue and black) in the same installation - so be very careful to check whether the other cables are red/yellow/blue phase and black neutral, or white/grey/black phase and blue neutral, before connecting blue to blue and black to black in a three-phase installation!!
 
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Not forgetting that for a while 3 phase were black with a white neutral, still plenty of those about.
It's more cr@p from the EU, we had the most logically designed colour codings in the world and the most comprehensively safe wiring regulations; and now we've pi$$ed it all away.

We are getting nearer and nearer to the satire that ended "If in doubt consult a qualified painter and decorator." when trying to figure out which wire is which.
 
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