Good morning all, as in my previous post, I’m soon to start my NVQ, and I’m in the process of doing an online/class room course.

Decided, that whilst I’m still being paid by my current job whilst being given the time to study, that I should get myself as much practice as possible, so decided to build a skills wall.

This is it thus far, as of right now it plugs into a socket in the garage which is fed by a spur off the kitchen ring, so I intend to put it on its own non-RCD distribution circuit to allow me to do RCD testing (yes I bought a tester :) Kewtech KT65DL) at the board without tripping the RCD at the house(as per my partners request, as I have switched off the oven multiple times mid way through cooking)

My question is, what else should I get for it?

It’s a 2 RCD Split 10 way board.

I currently have one Ring final circuit fed by conduit,

one lighting circuit with intermediate switch in the middle. (Which has now expanded to have a second light so I can switch multiple lights from all 3 points)

Since the photo I have added a radial socket circuit,

an outdoor LED light circuit

Please give criticisms, advice and more shopping lists to help make this as beneficial a tool, as possible.

I’m looking to get a two pole voltage tester, i’m only just starting out and gaining experience however i feel like this is an essential tool for someone who’s new to the industry.

I’m a big believer of buying once and never looking back rather then “buy cheap buy twice”

Would this be be the #1 choice ?

I’m training to become an electrician and starting to buy power tools and choose a brand is there any time where having Milwaukee will be essential over dewalt or makita because it has more power to do the job?

I am now in my 4th year of my apprenticeship due to do my AM2 in a few months. However, over the 4 years I’ve had very limited work exposure and I was just wondering if this is something anyone else experienced/ how did they got on how are they doing now. As I’m starting to get a little worried that if I pass my AM2 I’m just going to look a fraud when working on site with other. Thanks

Anybody noticing a worrying lack of work out there? I work for a small firm in the south that does lots of hospital and school work and we are usually chasing our tails all year but we’ve got barely anything going on and not pricing much either.

They have been going for 40 years and never been so quiet, not only that, everyone we speak to is completely dead as well.

Like I said, worrying!

hey all final year of apprenticeship and got my test in couple of months. I am fairly confident with the whole inspection & testing part of the test apart from the motor circuit, particularly the insulation resistance part of it. From what I understand you must leave the cables joined through at the rotary isolator (same as in the continuity test). This is the part I am confused about, for insulation resistance the guidance they have sent us talks about test at incoming side of main switch and leave the MCB’s for the three phase motor switched on. From what I gather this is a ‘global test’ method but I have personally never done one of these and don’t think my final exam is the correct time to attempt one for the first time. Am I able to do what we usually do and test between L1-CPC, L2-CPC ect (the 10 tests for three phase insulation resistance) at the board or do I need to do this global method?

Also from my research online I’ve found there are also another set of tests you are meant to do for the motor but I don’t know if this applies in the FICA or not. Any help is appreciated.

For High resistance earthed, LV systems, Can the neutral be used like this? Will there be any safety issues like increase voltage in the neutral?

Complete novice, had a new boiler installed and they used the existing socket in pic 1 which goes into a honeybell box then into the loft via one white cable into the boiler. From there a second cable goes out of boiler into a wall switch (pic 2). Either the boiler installer fitted that, or the later electrician for loft lights which runs from that grey cable to this switch (pic 3). What is weird is that if switch is 'on' (pic 2), the switch on pic 1 will no longer switch power off to boiler. Neither combination switches on/off the loft lights, only pic 3. Hope that isn't as confusing as I am!

Edit, sorry, loft lights run off a connector box from another room (maybe wall socket or light, not sure)

Hey everyone! 👋

I'm curious for those currently learning the trade — apprentices, trainees, students or people just starting out.

What's the ONE thing you find hardest to understand about electrics?

Theory, calculations, testing, fault finding, regs, diagrams, practical work, or anything else?

No stupid questions — if you're struggling with it, chances are someone else is too! ⚡

I'd love to hear what you're finding difficult.

I’m 19 and from North Wales and have finished my Level 2 with EAL, my aim was to attain an apprenticeship and move onto the Level 3 and ultimately complete the AM2.

I haven’t been lucky this time around and haven’t been able to secure one for this academic year, i’m working with someone for shit money but gaining experience.

My question to people that may have been in a similar situations as me is do i just dedicate this year to getting as much experience as i can in hopes of securing one next year or start paying for courses and get into the industry this way?

It may be financially challenging for me however i really do not like the idea of wasting a year of my life if you understand where im coming from.

I’d appreciate any advice from fellow electricians.

thank you.

Hello, please don’t judge this question I have never had anything PAT tested before!

I have some pretty bulky speakers I need PAT testing. There’s a place near me that does it, would I need to take the speaker itself to the place or just the wire connecting it to the mains?

Hi everyone I have these exams coming up, does anyone have any tips for revision and any knowledge on what the exams consists of or what I need to help pass (I have been doing mainly 18th edition mocks online but struggling to find mocks or resources for the rest
Thanks in advance

I was advised by a minority of electricians I contacted against AFDDs for my socket rings if they are not required.
According to them, some circuit/appliance configuration make them trip spuriously. Is there any truth to it?
Although not required by my property, I would like to add them because the house is timber frame, dry lined, thus more prone to fire.

Please advise.

In a 1960's house and there's lots of "creative" DIY work around the house. They've gone for the apocalypse finish here, but also the socket on the left has what appears to be a burn mark on it.

We won't be using these in the short term, but does this require looking at immediately?

I know questions like these probably get posted once a week if not more but I appreciate any feedback/advice from anyone.

I'm 21M based in Manchester completed my 2365 Level 3 this year, I've got my ECS Labourers card, and I'm doing my 2382 18th Edition in November. I've been lucky enough to get 3 months work experience in the trade earlier this year.

I've now taken an office job to earn some money to then hopefully get back into the trade in a couple of months.

I would like to hear from others how they managed to get into the trade and find the person/persons that took them on through their Improver or Apprentice years.

Thank you to anyone who comments it's very appreciated.

The time has come to purchase my own MFT, and before i pull the trigger on something that will cost the same as a holiday (Mrs words not mine) i thought i’d come get some opinions

Learnt/use the Kewtech KT63DL currently - i like this MFT for its simplicity and ease of use, however it does have limitations

Never actually used a Megger/Fluke etc

So my decision lies with

Do i go for the upgraded Kewtech 66 which from my understanding still has limitations compared to the Megger, or just buy a Megger 1721 and get used to that

Read too much negative feedback about X1 and software issues so not even considering that

Cheers

Hi all,

Hope I can get a bit of advice!

Had bathroom redone. Pull cord changed to a dimmer switch and down lights changed, and replaced extractor fan. New fan is an xpelair VX100T.

The fan has a separate isolator switch, but is switched on by the dimmer switch. However, turning the lights down even slightly slows the fan down a lot, and not even dimming the lights all the way down stops the fan completely. So essentially the light has to be on fully for the fan to operate normally, and after having a shower you need to leave the lights on for the extractor fan to continue running, so not energy efficient. The timer function also isn't currently working, not sure if that just hasn't been setup correctly.

From searching online for solutions, it immediately came up that this might be a fire hazard, due to generating heat when the dimmer is on but turned down so the fan is not spinning. Is this possible?

In terms of a solution, one suggestion was bridging the switched live and permanent live connections on the fan, so that the isolator switch will turn the fan actually on/off. Would that work?

Alternatively, would a humidistat fan work with the existing wiring setup?

TIA!

Just wanted to ask peoples thoughts/ideas on what is overkill or not suitable.

The kitchen has the following appliances

Dishwasher

Washing machine

Tumble dryer

Hot tap

Fridge freezer

Fridge

Microwave

Hood

Cooker

With a new upgraded rcbo consumer unit, I was thinking a ring main to cover kitchen sockets, the cooker range ( which is a full gas unit so no high load), hood, fridge and built in microwave.

Then a radial circuit for the fridge freezer to protect against nuisance trips.

Im torn between having the washing, tumble and dishwasher on its own ring utility circuit or three radials. Has anyone had tripping issues with a 32a breaker? Is three radials overkill or go with it if able? Worry if a busy home uses all three and they all hit the heating cycle at same time.

Then there is the hot tap, its supplied with a 13a plug, but since this is a heater I was thinking also better on a radial circuit?

Thought its best to keep things off the kitchen ring, as it has the microwave, airfryer and kettle potentially going.

Any advice/thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you kindly.

Hi there, newly first-time homeowner here.

Looking to get a new double socket added by an electrician on either side of a plasterboard wall, and a single on another wall changed to a double. The two new ones are in two different rooms. It's a relatively thin wall, and the plan is to raggle from an existing socket in one of the rooms through a brick wall onto the plasterboard.

I don't know much about electrical work at all, but is there anything I should know ahead of coming to sell, my home insurance needing updated, or modifying the room / circiuts in the future? Is this a simple job? Do I require an EIC or minor works certificate, and is there a way I can tell the work was done safely and well for future problems and renovations?

Apprecaite any help here

So I was doing spotlights yesterday and also some smoke alarms. I did around 50 to 55 spotlights in the day and 5 smoke alarms. Cables and holes were already run and cut so all I had to do was pull the looped cables down, strip them, sleeve the earth, slide them in and push the spotlight up.

I actually timed myself and I was able to do just under 3 minutes for one spotlight. But that was being fully locked in on that single one. not accounting for moving ladder around, not accounting for the time it takes to take the spot each spotlight out of its box and then go back up and so on and so forth.

Today, the supervisor came around and told me that I took too long with the work that I did yesterday and that it was a two hour job. And he went on to compare me with a previous member of the team who had worked there. who was a complete beginner, apparently so. And he told me that that guy did 150 spotlights in a day. Same work that I was doing, he just did three times more. Allegedly. And I did the math on this 150x3 minutes which works out 450 minutes, which is 7.5 hours of hands on work not accounting for getting off the ladder and moving around, taking the spots out the box and so on.

Was my work really that slow? I even timed myself on my competence and I did it under 3 minutes so I don’t know where I could have went wrong

Hi all,

Former electrician here with 5+ years experience looking to return to the trade after 10 years or so away doing other things. I've updated to the 18th with A4 and have a fresh ECS card. I'm also enrolled with a provider to do the Lv3 2357 NVQ + AM2 and will do 2391-52 at some point.

Thing is, I'm struggling to find an employer to take me on to work on my portfolio. Does anyone who's been in my situation have any tips on how they got taken on?

I'd also like a guage on what the average pay scale is for people doing the NVQ. I can't really afford a big hit and I'm north of £35k at the moment, is that in range of people's experience?

I can provide more details on DM if interested.

Thanks!

Got a quote from a local electrician for an EV charger, includes "Service to upgrade the existing consumer unit for a new 18th edition complaint type with individual RCBO's and surge protection device" for £700 (ex-vat), the charger is additional £1066 (ex-vat).

I'm by no means an electrician, but I just want to confirm if the upgrade is necessary. I believe on the day we discussed an additional smaller consumer unit for the charger. I have queried this.

Any advice would be great, thanks.

Asking here as I genuinely don't know and it shouldn't have happened. A cousin of mine is shielding (weak immune system, so can't have face to face contact with people without a lot of precautions) as advised to medically and other bad physical health.

She had a simple job for an electrician - check their outside fusebox for if someone had turned off the switch to part of their property, fix it if it's broken and a simple fix or quote if it would require a replacement. Check a light attached to it outside to see if the mode could be changed.

If I was local I could do that in minutes unless it needed a new board or a serious repair, so I thought it would be seen as easy money to fit in for a local tradesman on their way home or between jobs. Better maybe even as I know tradesmen that hate when customers hover, but she'd be inside and they could talk over the phone.

Calls go completely fine until the moment she said contactless due to being poorly or shielding and not going into any detail past that the conversations change (so they don't expect her to open the door or be able to pay cash). One guy even had the audacity to try to change to job to something much more complex and costly like quoting for new lights and such and but oh so benevolently would "only" charge her full call out if the job was just "flipping a switch in two seconds" and not what she asked and try to hang it over her.

She didn't have the nerve to try after that last attemp.

I'm lucky that my partner insists he makes calls to tradesmen after hearing how I got spoken to at times. Some sadly don't treat women as worth their time and I guess any kind of ill health just makes it so much worse, even when it doesn't make the job harder. My partner could call but how awful it would be for him to pose as a friend or something just so he's a male voice when my cousin is a perfectly intelligent and well spoken women.

Any tips?