Colin Jacobson

[sparkwright]

It is clear many of these hands-on sparks on here are lacking in more ways than one. However the odd civilized gem does shine through.

On the whole, the contributors here know what they are talking about, and give helpful, practical and honest advice. If anyone does give a bad answer, there is always someone else who will quickly point out that mistake, and put it right. That is the beauty of this forum.

Some questions do not have a short answer. Many factors will influence a decision, and so nothing is assumed. The electricians on this forum will often try to double check for you, and often tell you more than you need to know. Very often the actual answer you are looking for will be there, but it needs you to read carefully and find it. This forum will rarely give a one word answer. Often one word isn't enough.

As an engineer, I am sure you can understand how important the above is, and to do things properly, and to regulations.

Sometimes, experience and common sense works well with the regulations. The regs will not tell you everything you need to know.

An On Site Guide is an extremely useful book, and is much easier to understand the regs. Make sure you have both.

Ultimately, this is a DIY forum, but as you have seen, is also an excellent method for professional electricians to discuss their work and ideas.

 

[ColinJacobson]

It is clear many of these hands-on sparks on here are lacking in more ways than one. However the odd civilized gem does shine through.

On the whole, the contributors here know what they are talking about, and give helpful, practical and honest advice. If anyone does give a bad answer, there is always someone else who will quickly point out that mistake, and put it right. That is the beauty of this forum.

I many instances I found getting simple answers was like getting blood out of a stone.

As an engineer, I am sure you can understand how important the above is, and to do things properly, and to regulations.

That is why I echo it back and then get attitude.

Ultimately, this is a DIY forum, but as you have seen, is also an excellent method for professional electricians to discuss their work and ideas.

But the tell a DIYer to go any and buy an expensive document which can be answered in one or two sentences.

 

[JohnD]

.... The linked pdf did not state that all circuits need to be RCD protected.

So, you are saying that if the alarm cable is less that 50mm from the surface of a wall RCD need not apply?

looks like a troll to me.

 

[ColinJacobson]

British Standards is NOT law. They are recommendations. The building regs are a part of the law of the land. Only when a specific BS is pointed to the building regs would that be law. Few people know that.

We all know that. However, there are very few situations where you would be able to stand up in a court of law and provide a satisfactory explanation as to why you chose not to follow the applicable BS.

The law does not take into account recommendations. It is a Court of LAW, not a Court of Recommendations.

A BS is only law when specifically pointed to by the building regs. If an installation is safe and sound and not to a BS then the law will not be bothered with the BS.

 

[ColinJacobson]

.... The linked pdf did not state that all circuits need to be RCD protected.

So, you are saying that if the alarm cable is less that 50mm from the surface of a wall RCD need not apply?

looks like a troll to me.

You were one of those with attitude I had in mind.

 

[plugwash]

The problem with just asking questions and getting short answers is unknown unknowns. If you know that you don't know something you can ask someone. google it or whatever but if you don't know that you don't know then you will carry on blisfully unaware of it's importance. That is why you need to read-up at the start so that even if you don't remember all the details you remember what you don't know.

I'd agree BS7671 is overpriced (personally I think safety standards should be freely availiable to all concerned) unfortunately I don't know of any good DIY electrics books . Most of the ones i've seen seem to just ignore important issues like volt drop and EFLI.

 

[riveralt]

British Standards is NOT law. They are recommendations. The building regs are a part of the law of the land. Only when a specific BS is pointed to the building regs would that be law. Few people know that.

We all know that. However, there are very few situations where you would be able to stand up in a court of law and provide a satisfactory explanation as to why you chose not to follow the applicable BS.

The law does not take into account recommendations. It is a Court of LAW, not a Court of Recommendations.

A BS is only law when specifically pointed to by the building regs. If an installation is safe and sound and not to a BS then the law will not be bothered with the BS.

Thats why you have been pointed to BS7671...

 

[JohnD]

You were one of those with attitude I had in mind.

Still looks like a troll to me.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But the tell a DIYer to go any and buy an expensive document which can be answered in one or two sentences.

Err - hello?

Anyone there?

How many times, and by how many people, do you have to be told that some questions, including some of yours, CANNOT be answered in one or two sentences before it sinks in?

 

[JohnD]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You're probably right.

 

[ebee]

How long is a piece of string?

That's a simple question, would a simple answer suffice? NO.

An answer such as

"Well considering what may be thought of as useful string rather than tuft or fibre and considering the size of machines and fork lift trucks in string factories, then a piece of string might be approximately somewhere between one quarter of an inch and eight thousand miles long, or possibly a little shorter or a little longer than that!"

Now that might be an answer that could be useful and in the region of being correct to assist the person asking the question.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

<A post which got a thumbs down>

Interesting that somebody thinks CJ should not be asked why he refuses to accept what everybody keeps telling him.

Was it him voting it down? Does he still not get it?

Or are there people here who agree with him?

 

[1john]

Bas - nobody has agreed with him as far as I am aware.

ebee - a peive of string is always twice as long as it is from the middle to one end.