A bit of bondage!

dingbat · 1 Jun 2010

I hope nobody here makes the mistake of buying this Terrible Book:

I did - for research purposes; we read all new electrical books - and you can see my review on the page.

I have rarely seen such a cack-handed attempt to explain what is a relatively straightforward subject. There are errors on every single page, but it probably does explain a lot about the state of understanding in the industry when this guy thinks he is an expert.

If you do want to understand the topic, buy the IEE's Guidance Note 8.

(steps down from soap box)

ban-all-sheds · 1 Jun 2010

OMG

This: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/ will show you how he managed to get a book into existence.

I can heartily recommend everybody going here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/1449041612/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link to read the introductory page.

Does he consider himself an expert?

Oh yes:

http://illustrationexplains.com/

Will people be led into carrying out potentially dangerous electrical installations?

There's already at least one out there - the author.

ricicle · 1 Jun 2010

Oh well, his surname suggests what could happen if you follow any of his advice...........

ColJack · 1 Jun 2010

so he was a "sparky" for 15 years BEFORE he went to college?

this is an excert from his site..

Preview

The 'radial final circuit' if it is to cover as wide an area as it is intended to do, is reliant upon a 'central point'.

This 'central point' can only be some sort of a junction box, which must be positioned where the 'radial feeder' meets the 'stub end feeders'.

The 'tree final circuit' is reliant upon the use of a number of junction boxes, which must be positioned wherever a 'branch feeder' meets the 'trunk feeder'...

It is the problems associated with the inaccessibility of the terminations at the 'junction boxes' that has led them to be generally shunned, especially by local councils!

never heard so much crap in my life..

you can branch a radial at any socket or FCU etc on it..
councils have no say whatsoever over the circuits that we install, if we see fit to install a 4mm 32A radial that complies with the regs, they can't tell us to take it out..

ricicle · 1 Jun 2010

You can tell by his terminology that his 'experience' in the industry is one big lie. Not even someone new to the trade would be coming out with incorrect jargon like he is.
It beggars belief...........

ban-all-sheds · 1 Jun 2010

I'm quite taken with this:

"Therefore coming into contact with a 'hazardous live' flex or extension lead will, regardless of the protective device used cause current to flow in varying 'magnitudes', into the human body (capacitance)."

And his bizarre choices on when to put words in quotes.

I love the irony of the number in his email address...

ricicle · 1 Jun 2010

Is it a possibility that the whole thing could be an unfortunate wind-up ?

ban-all-sheds · 1 Jun 2010

That would be a b****y expensive wind-up.

ericmark · 1 Jun 2010

One reads Getting down to Earth Free from Megger and one wonders why anyone would pay for such trash?

However either in Paper or on Internet one is free to publish and although there are limits with porn etc. in the main there is freedom of speech and it would be very hard to stop a publication.

There is one film which shows builders driving diggers while hanging out of the door I think his name is "Bob" which is bad practice to say the least, but it is how even the BBC think our children should be taught.

So one hopes it is that bad no one will ever buy it. Except for "dingbat" of course.

LoveRocket · 1 Jun 2010

Do you think he's working with the HandymanTips guy?

dingbat · 1 Jun 2010

ericmark said:
So one hopes it is that bad no one will ever buy it. Except for "dingbat" of course.

Research... honest.

I teach sparks these days and it is rare (I'd be bold enough to say never) that I encounter an on-the-tools electrician who truly understands bonding. Every now and then there's a glimmer of understanding, but it only takes a little probing to uncover the actual depth of knowledge.

It is not taught properly at college and there are many text books out there which either skip over the subject, or hide behind obfuscatory language.
We try to read pretty much everything that gets published, so we know the rubbish that our candidates might be reading.

This book was given a promotional write-up in the magazine 'Professional Electrician', so I checked it out. I consider I've done the industry a big favour!!

dingbat · 1 Jun 2010

LoveRocket said:
Do you think he's working with the HandymanTips guy?

I love the HandymanTips guy!!!

Just think of the work he creates!

ericmark · 1 Jun 2010

As a young spark I didn't realise why we earthed and bonded the way we do so why should I expect any other young spark to be any different?

However when invited in on a class I was flabbergasted when they didn't know steel was a conductor!

The best is the TV programs where some guy has done electrical work and the film crew have a spark to check the work. Now this guy checking the work knows he's on TV yet they seem to have very little thought into what they are saying and one considers the phrase of pot calling kettle black.

ban-all-sheds · 7 Jun 2010

I emailed the author to tell him of the less than positive reception for his work, and suggesting he might like to produce a revised edition, and all he said in reply was

"Hi Mr. Ban Sheds,

I can't help noticing that nobody can argue any technical arguments.

Regards,

Dave."

So I guess he doesn't see anything wrong with what he's written.

dingbat - any chance you could post a few scans of some choice pages - maybe he can be given some technical arguments...

I'll start:

"Therefore coming into contact with a 'hazardous live' flex or extension lead will, regardless of the protective device used cause current to flow in varying 'magnitudes', into the human body (capacitance)."

Dave - capacitance has absolutely nothing to do with how much current passes through a human body. If you believe otherwise, please provide an explanation.

MrsBanal · 7 Jun 2010

I'm almost tempted to buy this just to see how bad it is!

I wonder what is other books are like?

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A bit of bondage!

MrsBanal

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