Can you do it when you Q & B it ??

[baldelectrician]

On a visit to local retail store [go on have a guess] (wholesaler shut), I noticed how professionally done their 'How to...' display boards were.

Took 2 photos with my phone links below.

noticed (bad):
http://www.baldelectrician.com/photo1.jpg
no grommets on metal socket boxes
no earth sleeving
exposed copper on socket connections

also (not bad just slightly incorrect)
'free phone' number is 0870 (10p a min)
consult part P regulations (store is in Scotland where part P doesn't apply)
spelling (pattressee)

Photo 2
http://www.baldelectrician.com/photo2.jpg
if you look at the socket the earth is not connected to the socket, but the back box. If a socket was wired this way there would be no earth at any item connected to the socket. (potentially fatal)

There are other things - on another display the switched live at a light switch isn't sleeved brown, and there is no earth sleeving.
The 'how to bonding' board has no 'safety electrical earth...' tag.

Talked to a manager 2 days ago who didn't care.
Phoned their head office (who said they would get back to me and didn't)
Previously spoke to local store electrician and a manager (last year) no action seems to have been taken.

Also mentioned their leaflets telling customers to inform building control about certain work didn't apply to Scotland and there were Electrical Safety Council leaflets available.
http://www.electricalsafetycouncil.org.uk/pdf/ScottishBuildingRegs.pdf

 

[breezer]

why should they care?

they only sell the kit, what the end user does with it is their problem. To them you are just a fly in the ointment

I know as responsable people we care, but joe blogs thinks that at a light switch is live and neutral, so they are not going to wory about things like grommets and earth

 

[JohnD]

That's shameful!

Have you sent the photos to Q&B Intergalactic Head Office?
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templ...=/aboutbandq/2004/contact.jsp&menu=aboutbandq

Post here if you get a reply... I think I might write as well.

They shoudn't be telling people how to do things in such an unsafe way.

BTW which store was it? The store manager deserves a rocket.

 

[breezer]

I wish you guys luck, i really do, but sheds are only in it for the money.

Very good quality pictures too

 

[baldelectrician]

spoke to head office who took all my contact details, and didn't contact me
(no surprise)

have feeling I might get a call tomorrow.

 

[JohnD]

I have dropped a note to their Press Office just now.

I would hope you will be hearing from them...

Which store is it?

I see the view count is currently 41 and rising.

 

[baldelectrician]

Kilmarnock

I have noticed similar things in other stores (Q&B's)

the displays are done by the store re-fitters.

 

[slider45]

Well in our local store everything is still red and black.

 

[JohnD]

183 views so far. Any response from B&Q yet?

Is the Kilmarnock Daily Post interested?

 

[alphaalarms]

it was black and red, no sleeving and no earthing of the back box in my local b&q,

cant wait to see if they come back to you guys!

nice 1

 

[2scoops0406]

I believe breezers previous orange shed (if he's really is in luton) had to be demolished as it was subsiding, you'd have thought they'd have been able to fix it

 

[Pensdown]

It’s a pretty poor state of affairs when a company as big as B&Q makes up these boards so badly wrong.

And then even though the problem has been highlighted they still leave them on display for their customers to refer to.

And I bet this posts will long dead before they do something about it.

 

[JohnD]

263 views. And it's on Screwfix forum too.

 

[comms]

That's just about typical of these diy sheds.
On the occasions that I've been in the Reading branch of B&Q, I like to take a slow stroll down the electrical isle to chuckle at the cu prices that joe public seem to think are cheap, but mostly to listen in on the sometimes incorrect info / advice thats given to unsuspecting customers by these so called electrical dept experts such as.

"Changing a consumer unit is classed as a like for like change so part P doesn't count" (went to customer service desk and pointed out that incorrect advice was been given by B&Q to customers, just got a shrug of the shoulders from the kid behind the desk and told to put it in writing...didn't bother)
or
"theres no way to test if an rcd is faulty"

Then it's great to see their faces when you butt in and correct them or mention part P.

 

[breezer]

I believe breezers previous orange shed (if he's really is in luton) had to be demolished as it was subsiding, you'd have thought they'd have been able to fix it

I am, and it did. not their fault.

When it was built, the building co, never gave it any support under the ground so the building was subsiding at one end. The new one is twice as big as the old one, and its 15 minutes walk away

We actualy have 2 b & Q's in Luton.

If you want to be really sad, i will post a picture of it