Quality of hidden work - Sign of Competence?

[dishman]

A question for all the electricians. Many on this forum seems to pride themselves in tidy work behind the scenes. Specifically how well managed the consumer unit is.

So, can a tidy behind the scenes work (something that the customer will rarely, if ever, see) be an indication as to diligence and the quality of the work they may do elsewhere? Or how conscientious in they are in heir work?

For example, two different electricians recently did work for family and friends. Out of curiosity I carefully had a peek inside the consumer unit.

Interested as you your thoughts on the work.

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[EFLImpudence]

can a tidy behind the scenes work (something that the customer will rarely, if ever, see) be an indication as to diligence and the quality of the work they may do elsewhere?

Where is elsewhere if you are already looking behind the scenes?

I don't think you need any help with looking at the CUs. It is quite clear, isn't it?

 

[John D v2.0]

easy choice until I saw the exposed live conductor on the input to the top RCD. At least the messy one doesn't have anything finger touchable at 240v. Having said that it's maybe a factory installed joint, and it may not be as bad as it looks.

 

[Iggifer]

One I did a while ago, obviously not quite in it's finished state, don't always take photos, not even sure why I took one in this state, but that's how mine look. It's really not hard to make them look good, it's easier for the next guy - that's what people don't consider

 

[crystal ball]

Might be my eyes but the lower example appears to have at least tried to use grommet strip on entry points and top man has used white tape

 

[dishman]

Where is elsewhere if you are already looking behind the scenes?

I don't think you need any help with looking at the CUs. It is quite clear, isn't it?

True, but you often hear about people removing kitchen cupboards or pulling up a floor board and finding horror stories behind them. I guess that consumer units are the most "behind the scenes part" so point taken. I can certainly see the second one is more messy. But, that is kind of part of the question, does the mess of wires matter or is it just an aesthetic thing. Or, would you consider an electrician who left a consumer unit that messy ...one to avoid.

For example on the first one. It has been attached to two wooden batons so there is a gap behind. It also had huge holes in the back surrounded by (as spotted above) white tape. If the latest consumer unit amendment is meant to make the consumer unit able to be more contained for fire purposes, are such large holes a standard thing?

 

[EFLImpudence]

True, but you often hear about people removing kitchen cupboards or pulling up a floor board and finding horror stories behind them.

True - but surely the second one is less likely to install neat wiring 'elsewhere' and then do a messy CU,

that is kind of part of the question, does the mess of wires matter or is it just an aesthetic thing.

Well, the electricity doesn't know or care but, as has been said, working on the messy CU is a nightmare and, after all, the same person may be called on to do further work so it is to his advantage as well to make it easier.

For example on the first one. It has been attached to two wooden batons so there is a gap behind. It also had huge holes in the back surrounded by (as spotted above) white tape.

That's ok. It removes the need to make top, bottom or side entry holes impenetrable.
Perhaps the holes could have been smaller and neater.

If the latest consumer unit amendment is meant to make the consumer unit able to be more contained for fire purposes, are such large holes a standard thing?

It actually isn't - the only requirement is that it shall be constructed of non-combustible material.

 

[Lectrician]

View attachment 108221
One I did a while ago, obviously not quite in it's finished state, don't always take photos, not even sure why I took one in this state, but that's how mine look. It's really not hard to make them look good, it's easier for the next guy - that's what people don't consider

I hope you tidied the cables coming down to the CU.....

 

[Lectrician]

A question for all the electricians. Many on this forum seems to pride themselves in tidy work behind the scenes. Specifically how well managed the consumer unit is.

So, can a tidy behind the scenes work (something that the customer will rarely, if ever, see) be an indication as to diligence and the quality of the work they may do elsewhere? Or how conscientious in they are in heir work?

For example, two different electricians recently did work for family and friends. Out of curiosity I carefully had a peek inside the consumer unit.

Interested as you your thoughts on the work.

View media item 98663
View media item 98675

They both look pretty bad to be honest. Looks like cellotape in one. I hate seeing spare MCBs left. Cables entering both are pretty roughly done.

 

[ericmark]

I have never been convinced that tidy is good, I have worked on maintenance and installation and the installation guys were careful not to mark glands, and the cables were all dressed, but in general they had not a clue about what they were doing, plans said 2.5mm² from A to B but nothing to say what it did, even the tester often had no idea what the cable did, they just followed instructions. Really good reason why you have three signatures one for design, one for installation, and one for inspection and testing.

The point is even with a simple house re-wire you may have 10 guys who have worked on the installation, so the one who wired the CU may not be the one who wired the lights.

So you should have a four part installation, the plan is drawn up, the cables and fitted and connected, the installation is tested, and finally a as-built plan is made showing any changes from the original plan.

Wiring up a CU from scratch is very different to fitting a new one to replace some old one, I think having a little spare wire is good, having loads of spare is not, so if you have enough spare cable to swap a consumer unit as shown in top picture I would think the original had too much spare cable.

As to cable in a wall, loose cable in a stud wall may auto move out of the way if a drill or screw touches it, however a loop of cable may be out of the permitted zones, so may be caught with a plasterers nail where if neat it would not.

There is really no right or wrong, it is simply a matter for the electrician to decide what time to spend on making things tidy. What is more of a tell tail is what equipment is on the electricians van, we are human, so if we have no maintenance free junction boxes on the van it is likely that he will use a non maintenance free rather than go to a whole sale outlet for just one box.

 

[Iggifer]

I hope you tidied the cables coming down to the CU.....

Of course I did! I used a bit of 75x75 or 50x50, don't remember which. Tidied things up a bit in there generally too. Hoovered it out and straightened stuff up.

You can tidily loose loads of slack in those new hager boards. Trunking helps too

 

[Echo the husky]

They both look pretty bad to be honest. Looks like cellotape in one. I hate seeing spare MCBs left. Cables entering both are pretty roughly done.

That irritated me looking at both photos, just grab a preloaded board, nail it to the wall and stick the wires in the holes that are needed, that is just so lazy. There has been a number of BG CU photos posted on various forums recently, all had random unused MCBs in them!
I did a CU change today as it happened, I hope I got it all correct! I'm going back tomorrow to wire in some more sockets, I'll have to take a photo of the DB.
Here's one I did a few months ago in a detached garage, it's much easier on a new installation!

 

[Iggifer]

You did ok. 6/10, but you lost 3 marks because you used Lewden/Control Gear etc. I know it's beyond your control but still, yuk

 

[Echo the husky]

You did ok. 6/10, but you lost 3 marks because you used Lewden/Control Gear etc. I know it's beyond your control but still, yuk

It's the only manufacturer we have not had a single fault or recall on, for years we used MK, but they went to s*** when they moved production abroad, we fitted a couple of the AM3 boards but they were not good, and the RCBOs were faulty, so never again. I probably wouldn't choose to use them, but at the same time I can't find many issues with them.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Oh, I hate to see vacant spaces.

Couldn't you fit two more circuits?