The age old electricity question?!?!?!

In answer to you BAS, yes and no.

If a job involves an outdoor suply then pass the electrical work onto a spark who is willing to be flexible so to speak. I dont invoice nor make any conections and it isnt my problem. His contract is with the customer and not me.

Of course some folk are content to have 45cm trenches dug for SWA cable to be buried.

 

That's useful.

If you mean one who is prepared to flout the regulations and falsify documentation then that is a dreadful suggestion - you should neither do it nor recommend that others do it.

And my - don't you serve your customers well by involving a cowboy.

Content or not, if that is what is required then that is what is required.

 

"If you mean one who is prepared to flout the regulations and falsify documentation then that is a dreadful suggestion - you should neither do it nor recommend that others do it."


Undeniably better than the customer doing it themselves and using blue pipe and flex or similar


"And my - don't you serve your customers well by involving a cowboy."

I like to think so, the guy i recomend is fully qulified, how he conducts his business is his afair.


"Content or not, if that is what is required then that is what is required."

80 % of the time that is the option that is taken, in some instances it isnt practical though, this is when the SWA may end up in sectional galvanised conduit secured to the fence.


Back to the origional subject.

 

I'm sorry that you find the truth unpalatable or inconvenient, but no matter if that is better it is unlawful. There is no reason not to do it properly and lawfully.

And you should not advise or facilitate doing it improperly or unlawfully.

He may well be fully qualified, but if he deliberately incorporates illegal working into his business practices he is a cowboy and guilty of gross professional misconduct.

Note I did say "if that is what is required". The regulations don't demand that the cable be buried, just that it be installed in such a way that it won't be damaged during installation, or by use, or by external influences.

If galvanised conduit above ground complies with the regulations and is otherwise acceptable to the owner then there's no reason not to do it that way, and in that case there is no need for "a spark who is willing to be flexible so to speak".

But this is clearly a description of an illegal act.

Neither of you should be doing it - as well as it being illegal it is professional misconduct, and you are not acting in the best interests of your client by conspiring to carry out illegal work for him.

OK.

I can give dodgie advice on how to do it properly, but does he want that, or does he want confirmation that it's OK to not do it properly?

 

Oh dear, it's all getting a bit boring and repetitive :(

 

Amen to that !

 

Yes, I'm sorry - it looked as if my remark was aimed at you because you'd said that - it wasn't.

I agree with you, and I have nothing against DIY electrical work, and I agree that any DIYer can do work safely, but it seemed apposite to highlight that some of the attitudes here:

are not philosophies that should be adopted by DIYers who do want their work to come up to scratch.

Oh I think electrocution is worse than breaking the law...

But there's no need for it - it isn't rocket science - no reason why you couldn't wire it up safely.

 

Are you sure on this? i.e. a fence is a temp structure?

I've been looking at this thread http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk...moured-cable-but-run-under-hedge-instead.html and it doesn't seem to be as clear cut.

 

Yes, Im am sure.
I believe its to do with the word "fence"

One person could call a few pieces of timber that are falling down a fence, others would call it an eye sore.

My point is fences by their nature "fall down" at some point, a wall doesn't. there are so many variables you could say are still a fence, but at the end of the day, if its not strong its not strong, so better safe than sorry, don't fix cables to fences. Never a problem then.

 

I've seen plenty of walls that have fallen down. One person could call a few rows of loose bricks a wall, other would call it an accident waiting to happen.

Surely, it's a matter of stability and strength, regardless of the material it's made from.

 

You could say this and I could say that,we could keep on for hours, still does not change the regs.
If you want to fix a cable to a fence that is up to you. I wouldn't

 

I understand ... but I have at least two electricians which will sign-off the job, they say there is no issue with it attached to the lower part of the fence and to even run it through my hedge.

How can they do this if the regs explicitly say that you can't attach to a fence?

 

Why ask me? (ask them) I can not speak for your electricians, perhaps they donâ??t have a conscience.

The law of the land also says you can only drive at 70 mph max on a motorway. People drive faster than this, why? ask them.


As i said

 

sorry I'll only but in just the once, promise.:flag:

The answer to the question is, BECAUSE ITS STILL SAFE TO DO SO.:D