A bit about us..

Something I thought may be useful/interesting was to have a bit more of an overview about us all, and where are expertise lie! I will start us off, if anyone wants to follow suit with as much or little information as you want?!

flyingsparrks..
29yrs old.
Did a national diploma in manufacturing engineering and design before doing my electrical apprenticeship at 18.
C&G apprenticeship trained and stayed with the same firm for 10 yrs.
Been self employed now for 2 yrs
Carry out all types of industrial (30%), commercial (20%), domestic (25%) and agricultural (25%) work.
Some electronics qualifications, some of which is a bit rusty now..

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=133610&start=0



And like to add that I feel anyone who does this
http://www.eal.org.uk/res/pdf/public/structures/500_4385_7_st.pdf
knows more about part p than most electricians including myself

flyingsparks said:

Something I thought may be useful/interesting was to have a bit more of an overview about us all, and where are expertise lie!

Click to expand...

You might find it interesting to review this thread , which I started three or so years ago.

Kind Regards, John

Quite amusing that john
We worked in the UCH and one of our coleaqes went in Proops every day he was addicted to it,

333rocky333 said:

Quite amusing that john
We worked in the UCH and one of our coleaqes went in Proops every day he was addicted to it,

Click to expand...

Although my associations with Proops, Z&I Aero services etc. pre-dated it, I (mis) spent three years of my early life at UCL, just across the road from UCH, so my addiction with Proops etc. was also able to continue on an almost daily basis during that period!

Kind Regards, John

flyingsparks said:

Something I thought may be useful/interesting was to have a bit more of an overview about us all, and where are expertise lie! I will start us off, if anyone wants to follow suit with as much or little information as you want?!
...

Click to expand...

JohnW2 said:

flyingsparks said:

Something I thought may be useful/interesting was to have a bit more of an overview about us all, and where are expertise lie!

Click to expand...

You might find it interesting to review this thread , which I started three or so years ago.

Kind Regards, John

Click to expand...

I'd forgotten about that thread, and was then surprised to find that I'd responded to it!

Good point, flyingspark. While this is a fascinating sub-forum, it's always struck me as being a little impersonal. On other forums where I'm active (less than five) people are very open about what they do, what they're up to, their hopes, dreams, aspirations and annoyances.
This place, though, does come across as a very "arms-length" kind of environment.

I'd exclude "General Discussion" but then I have purposefully avoided that cesspit for several years now.

Anyways, even though I responded to John's thread, three years ago (and John is one of the handful of posters that I relish reading), I neglected to say what I am / do.

I started out in electronic engineering but switched to IT, around 30 years ago (when "IT" was RS232 cables and an operating system came on an 80KB 8" floppy disc).
I'm now a CTO (Chief Technical Officer) for a software company.

From an electrical perspective, I'm an enthusiastic amateur who knows his limitations. I have no problem in paying professionals to do jobs that they are eminently more qualified and experienced than I am, be it plumbing, electrics or roofing.

But I frequent this place because I like to know how things work

skotl said:

While this is a fascinating sub-forum, it's always struck me as being a little impersonal. On other forums where I'm active (less than five) people are very open about what they do, what they're up to, their hopes, dreams, aspirations and annoyances. This place, though, does come across as a very "arms-length" kind of environment.

Click to expand...

I don't disagree with that. I suspect that it may have at least partially resulted from the long-term presence of just a tiny number of members, the presence and behaviour of whom has made some (particularly non-electricians) hesitant to be too 'open' about themselves.

I do think (and that's one of the reasons I started that old thread) that those being given advice in the forum probably ought to be aware of whether or not that advice is coming from a practising (or maybe retired) electrician, not the least because 'guesses' about that will probably quite often be wrong!.

Kind Regards, John

Sorry John, didn't realise you had done a similar post back along! I haven't gone through and read all of it yet, but what I find surprising is the number of people who have called themselves DIYers, yet have a large understanding of the regs and practical knowledge. BAS was one of these people I see. How do you/why do you have so much knowledge!?

flyingsparks said:

Sorry John, didn't realise you had done a similar post back along! I haven't gone through and read all of it yet, but what I find surprising is the number of people who have called themselves DIYers, yet have a large understanding of the regs and practical knowledge. BAS was one of these people I see. How do you/why do you have so much knowledge!?

Click to expand...

No problem - it's probably worth re-visiting now, since that previous thread of mine was over three years ago!

The point you make is the one I mentioned in my last post - that, understandably, people who try to guess 'who are the electricians' on the basis of what people post are going to 'get it wrong' in a good few cases - BAS is certainly one example, and I suppose I am probably another - but there are actually a lot of non-electricians amongst the regulars here who have a considerable knowledge of both the regs and practical aspects of things electrical.

As for myself, as was discussed in that old thread, although my background, education and 'real life' could not be much further from'electrics' if it tried, I have 50+ years of very keen interest and involvement with 'all things electronic and electrical' and I 'know what I know' simply because I have chosen to learn it!

As for the regs, I've always kept myself generally aware of the requirements of the prevailing Wiring Regs. However, I suppose I decided in recent years that I needed to develop a more detailed knowledge of the regs because whenever I started saying things in forums like this, some people (no names ) started 'throwing regs at me', so I needed to be able to play that game at the same level! Over the years/decades I have often had to develop familiarity with various sets of regulations/ legislation/ whatever very quickly and, whilst some may not find it quite so easy, achieving familiarity with BS7671 really didn't take me all that long.

Kind Regards, John

University of Life
University of Adversity
Graduted with honours from both.

Career wise it has been electronics all the way.

First employment was in a five person company doing everything from metal bashing to instrument calibration via tea making.

Then in two years in electronic office machinery which included a ten week training course at the factory in Germany, East Germany where I learnt to speak German. ( does anyone have a Soemtron 221 desk calculator they want to sell ) Sadly the Japanese bought out cheaper smaller calculators and the venerable Soemtron could not complete.

Then did a year or two in marine and industrial servicing. If it had wires in it we would service it. From radar to industrial laundery equipment. Sitting on the crankshaft inside the crankcase of a large marine diesel engine replacing an oil temperature probe is an experience. And being at the top of a radar mast in a strong wind beats any amusement park ride. Look down one moment and the sea off the port side is directly beneath you, one gust later and it is the sea of the starboard side that is directly beneath you

Went to Dusseldorf Germany and worked for a telephone manufacturer designing test equipment and telephone exchange equipment. Had problems with the rigid by the book methods of the German management who I think were envious at the British approach of get the job done and sort out the paper work later.

Came back to the UK and took a temporary job while I looked for a good one. That temporary job lasted for 12 years and was the best 12 years of my career. Designing radio paging equipment and systems including city and country wide systems. The only reason I left was that they moved to Basingstoke and commuting became to long and too expensive. Having built our dream house I was not going to relocate away from it.

Discovered that a major multi-national company had its research labs in a manor house just outside the village and they wanted robotics engineers. I was there for nine years before bean counters decided in-house electronic designing was not profitable. But automatic frozen food production lines did not provide in depth job satisfaction as designing communication systems and equipment that contributed to the public good.

Comms for emergency services and hospital paging systems have far more value than mobile phones for the masses.

Went self employed designing equipment to solve problems or suggesting methods to remove the problem. or in some cases how to turn the problem into a benefit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Very un-conventional but not a risk taker.

Untidy, usually work in chaos that is, in my mind, organised chaos

Agony aunt with tool box and lateral thinker when problem solving.

With my wife I self built our house doing 95% of the work ourselves in 1981

Recently discovered how stale and conformist I had become when an old friend from 40 years ago came back into my life and we talked about the old days and the things we had done.

So now doing a full system restore back to 1960's me.

OK ... so it is really a second child hood following a mid-life crisis..... what is wrong with that ? A childs outlook with a wise man's experience. great times ahead.

Three years ago I purchased a 495 year old Grade II listed thatched cottage. It required a total DIY rewire including a new supply from the street, ( not DIY ). Also a full DIY central heating has been installed. The old ( original ? ) floor boards could not be removed ( conservation gone too far ) but were not safe so suspended floors built in the upstairs rooms.

But then I do "enjoy" DIY ( well..... I used to enjoy it )

My attitude to design is to consider all possibilities that might happen to the equipment when in use including those incidents that are unlikely to happen but would have serious consequences if they did,

EDIT the re-wire was all DIY

I left school at 16 and served a four year apprenticeship with a local firm doing general contracting mainly schools maintenece and installation, some factory maintenance, and a bit of domestic work, whilst attending college one day a week.

After I served my time I moved to another local firm again doing general contracting work, mainly pub fitting, fire alarms and commercial maintenece.

After six years there I moved to a commercial contractors who specialised in theatre installations. I worked all over the UK and Ireland on both live venues and large construction sites.

Four years later I took the leap into self employment. I now spend most of my time in theatres doing both installation work and working as technical crew on touring shows, filling in the rest of my time with industrial, commercial and agricultural work. I only do domestic work for friends and family which I try and avoid where ever possible!

I've cheated a bit and lifted my story from John's old thread but I'll tag an update on the end...



I have been in the industry nearly a quarter of a century and involved with electrics for quite a bit longer.

My apprenticeship was with someone who learned the trade under the 14th, so I learnt most of that, while also doing C&G 2360 under the 15th at college. It got a bit confusing one day when the lecturer (who also got confused and kept calling me Trevor) asked me what the regulation number was that referred to the spacing of switches for cooking appliances: I replied "A.29......I mean 476-20!"

In 1992 I did the 16th update.

In February 1996 I went self-employed and in October 2005 went back to PAYE.

I did the 17th update in April 2008. My claim to fame (I know peeps here have beaten me) is that I only got one question wrong in the extended exam.

And here I am, about to take delivery of BS7671:2008 Amd 1.....


Read more: //www.diynot.com/forums/electrics/so-who-are-electricians.294883/page-4#ixzz3Ro9Zdzid


Shortly after going back to PAYE, I began to suffer ill health which initially was managed well and I continued work. But 7 years after starting work, I had been diagnosed with a list of conditions longer than a plumber's estimate (see what I did there?). One of my many conditions meant my eyesight deteriorated to the point where I was no longer able to drive and so I took retirement on medical grounds.

It was not the end to my career that I expected, TBH. I wanted to go out with a bang, not a fizz, and it would have been nice to hit 30 years in the industry.

However, I am where I am and considering some of the things I have been through, I am very lucky to be here at all. So I try to be upbeat and look forward to the future.

And, I'd like to add, the wonderful thing about you guys here is that you are incredibly supportive and that is more of a help to me than you will ever know.

Thanks, guys.

Support works both ways SS

Thank you from all of us over the years.

Thank you kindly, sir!

Go on then!

41+ year veteran in the Supply Industry.
Started from school at 16 and spent 5 years as a Technical Staff Trainee. As well as college (ONC, HNC in Electrical Engineering & add ons in Electronic Engineering) spent 5 years training either at our own training center, the CEGB center in Manchester and on job to be able to manage and supervise any of the trades (jointer, linesman. electrical fitter, electrician) we had or work in any commercial aspects of the company.

At the end of that time I moved to West Cumbria where there were posts available and received accelerated promotion to a 3rd and then 2nd Engineer working for the distribution business.
In that I have over the years covered all the types of work including: - new single supplies, service alterations, new housing, new substations, diverting overhead lines and cables and relocating substations.
Rebuilding overhead lines, laying cable in lakes, maintaining and repairing all our plant.

At present I'm a Response Engineer (actually the only one covering about 500sq miles) dealing with all faults on the system up to and including 11kV
plus a huge range of all sorts of other stuff that doesn't fit any particular post.

In our terms I'm a Senior Authorised Person up to and including 11kV with field control for both planned and fault jobs.
I'm also authorised to switch only at 33kV