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mike delta
Junior Member
Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Posts: 17
Location: West Yorkshire
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 Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:40 am Post subject: Lost ring circuit |
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Hi,
We must all have been to do a job that at first seems straight forward enough until you actually start it. I had one at the start of this week that had me scratching my head until I had worked out what had actually taken place by a previous sparks.
Job: Conventional 3 bedroomed semi, suspended wooden floor circa 1970. Provide two additional sockets in the lounge & two additional sockets in the dining area. So, my thoughts were to gain access under the floor, connect into the existing ground floor ring (I try to avoid spurs whenever possible), chase out the wall for cable and sockets, make good, fill out minor works, present invoice, go home early.
When I eventually found an existing trap I discovered it would only allow partial access. No way through between sections. Found another trap after shifting furniture and rolling back the carpet and underlay on the side of the room I needed to be at. Again restricted access but at least it was a start. The cabling under there was a right dogs breakfast. Junction boxes everywhere, cables unsupported, some as tight as a bow string and the list goes on.
To cut a long story short, initial tests showed that circuits under the floor were dead. Head scratching time.
The house had been completely rewired a couple of years ago and I'm assuming that because of the restricted access that I had encountered, the previous sparks had obviously thought "b*llocks" to it. So the down stairs ring had in fact been abandoned and a new ring provided under the floor of the rooms above (the bedrooms) and the cables dropped down to each socket where required in the downstairs rooms.
Once I had worked this out the job was straight forward. Gave the customer a choice; either surface wiring in capping from the ceiling down to the new positions or chase out from ceiling to new sockets positions. They chose the second option. Job done but I must have wasted a couple of hours first gaining access under the floor and then lifting boards upstairs to locate the ring. Once I'd done that the job was easy.
I'm pleased to say I was charging by the hour and not a fixed rate.
Mike. |
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lcdman
Junior Member
Joined: 04 Aug 2008
Posts: 17
Location: Nr Leeds, in God's county
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Mike, where in West Yorkshire was this? Came across something similar myself, but it was a 30's semi where they had done the same. Took me about the same time to suss it out  (but they had left 1 - disconnected - single socket in the skirting board to confuse everyone "oh that one isn't connected anymore, she says"!) |
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mike delta
Junior Member
Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Posts: 17
Location: West Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Icdman,
The town is a place called Baildon which is between Shipley & Guisley.
Who knows, might have all been done by the same sparks.
I could see the sense in what he had done but it's still a bit unconventional.
I also doubt that LBC would like it but then again it wasn't illegal; just different. Anyhow, I've left a sketch pinned up next to the cu explaining what I've done and why. Should another sparks ever visit in the future it should make life a bit easier for him or her.
Mike. |
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lcdman
Junior Member
Joined: 04 Aug 2008
Posts: 17
Location: Nr Leeds, in God's county
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Mike, I'm just up Hollins Hill in Guiseley!!! The one I had was at Charlestown, between Shipley and Guiseley - might well have been the same mob 
BTW, I'm scratchin my head over a job in Horsforth at the moment - more details here;
http://www.talk.electricianforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1650
{That is a very good electricians forum} |
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thescruff
Senior Member
Joined: 10 Mar 2008
Posts: 5701
Location: Bath
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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It ain't so good as UHM lcdman, in fact I had the impression they hadn't a clue.
_________________
Scruff |
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IDontBelieveIt
Approved Electrician
Joined: 29 Jul 2008
Posts: 1204
Location: North Hampshire
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Would agree there Scruff full of flippant commonest on a serious subject - a bit like those plonkers over at Screwflux.
Think I will stick to UHM, thanks anyway.
_________________
Never lie - that way you don't have to remember what you said. |
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lcdman
Junior Member
Joined: 04 Aug 2008
Posts: 17
Location: Nr Leeds, in God's county
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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You are, of course, entitled to your opinion, but I've found it quite useful. I don't think that it is fair to even begin to try to compare it to the joke that is the SF forums - what a waste of space they are!!
Either way they aren't as up themselves as the mob that post on the IET forum - how 'kin anal are they??? {apologies if you are any of those, but I am entitled to my opinion aren't I  } At least here and on TEF there is a bit of banter and we sometimes agree to differ, over at IET they argue and argue and argue over the tiniest interpretation of 17th edition, ad nauseum. I get the feeling some of them ain't picked up a pair of strippers in a long time (interpret that how you will) but spend their lives reading and re-reading the "red book" and never daring to put any of it into practice in case someone else criticizes their interpretation of the regs.
I may not always agree with you lot, but I value your opinion nevertheless. Over at IET it seems they are all trying to score points off each other and show how clever they are. None of that attitidue here or at TEF. |
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thescruff
Senior Member
Joined: 10 Mar 2008
Posts: 5701
Location: Bath
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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How very right you are lcdman, and I'm just a plumber. 
_________________
Scruff |
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IDontBelieveIt
Approved Electrician
Joined: 29 Jul 2008
Posts: 1204
Location: North Hampshire
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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Fair enough LCD and far comments.
Like the bit about the strippers - bet Admin remove it
Agree to disagree that is what life should be all about - then pop down to pub and buy you a pint. 
_________________
Never lie - that way you don't have to remember what you said. |
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mike delta
Junior Member
Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Posts: 17
Location: West Yorkshire
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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lcdman,
Read your problem on the link you provided. 
Rather you than me mate.
One of those jobs I usually put a silly price on in the hope that they don't take me up on the offer.
BTW, one forum I avoid is the one over on SF. Some of those guys are down right rude and bad mannered. I pointed this out to the head moderator over there explaining that he should pick a few posts at random and he would see what I mean. Also explained it was hardly good advert for their business (I've never found them particularly cheap anyway). Needless to say I didn't even get an acknowledgement.
Mike. |
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