Comments on this junction please

[Richard Dabell]

Hi all,

I had an electrician in recently to move my CU, to do so, three swa cables (garage, hot tub and summer house) needed to be extended to the new location.
To do so, he has made a junction using blocks inside a galvanised box.
The box was already there so the swa could be terminated before going into the old plastic CU so the glands on the right were already done.
He has chosen not to install glands on the left, and has instead taken the armour into a block as a means of termination. This block however does not appear to be terminated to the steel box, so no continuity between armour on either side of the box.

Is this an acceptable solution?
The same has been done with the armour in the CU too.

Ignore the colour mismatch on the top cable, this will be corrected shortly.

 

[chivers67]

Must have ran out of glands, earth sleeving & neutral/blue sleeving. The top one's the biggest concern!

 

[ericmark]

I am sure you know the answer, it is NO.

You would normally use banjo rings and brass nuts and bolts to connect up the SWA to the earth and this is nearly always at the origin.

 

[chivers67]

The saving grace is at least there's a bit of play to make this far better than it currently is. Have you paid this person yet?

 

[bernardgreen]

Was it necessary to use SWA to extend the cables ? Twin and earth could have been used from the gland box to the CU with maybe an extra earth conductor from the metal of the box to the MET.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Must have ran out of glands, earth sleeving & neutral/blue sleeving.

And brains, competence, pride in his work, the ability to tell the truth on EICs...

The list goes on.

I had an electrician in recently to move my CU

I'm afraid you didn't.

 

[Richard Dabell]

Oh joy, thanks for confirming my concerns.
No there was no requirement to continue in swa, no idea why he chose to do this.‎
Based on some other niggles I have with the install, I don't think he ran out of glands etc, he just decided not to use them.
Yes, I paid him, though he hasn't signed off/done BC notice yet, as he's disputing that I owe him more.‎
‎
What do I do next? Obviously the works can be corrected, at additional cost, but can I report him to anyone?
He's registered with elecsa, so presumably I can speak to them?‎

 

[chivers67]

Don't pay him anymore money! He should be more than accommodating to give you test results at the very least especially if he's supposedly registered! I would contact Elecsa for sure

 

[Taylortwocities]

By not using proper glands and banjos, he also has not adequately connected the armour on the cables on the left to the cables on the right - using the metal box as the earthing medium.
At the very least the earthing block should have a separate cable connecting it to the box itself, otherwise you are just relying on a vague contact for the box to be connected to earth.
But he should have done if correctly in the first place. all he needs is 3 more SWA glands and a half an hour's work. plus sleeving the grey and black conductors.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Has he omitted to even grommet the bottom left hole?

With correctly done ones on the right to follow even a chimpanzee on LSD could have done better.

Is the electrician self-employed? If so I think there is a strong case for asserting that you have no faith in his ability to carry out a workmanlike installation in accordance with the Regulations and good practice (and so will not be giving him the usual opportuinity to rectify the defect himself) and so will get another electrician in to redo the work and sue him for the full costs in doing so.

 

[Richard Dabell]

Yes he is self employed with a couple 'helpers' to go on jobs with him.

And yes, the bottom cable doesn't even have a rubber grommet.

I may well do that after speaking to elecsa on Monday.

Out of interest, I just popped the front off the CU and took a pic to see if you all think what he's done in there is any better.

SWA armour is at least this time sleeved, but still not terminating into glands.


This kind of situation really ****es me, as I know regulations are there for good reasons, but I know I could've done this job myself safely, and undoubtedly better too, but I am forced to get a 'qualified' person in, and just have to assume they've done it right!
Just supposed to believe they are up to date on regs etc and know what they're doing because they're certified by elecsa or equivalent bodies.

 

[securespark]

I don't think he ran out of glands etc, he just decided not to use them.‎

Why bother to use some on one side and not the other?

 

[sparkwright]

I don't think he ran out of glands etc, he just decided not to use them.‎

Why bother to use some on one side and not the other?

The junction box and the cables/glands on the right were already there.

 

[333rocky333]

I don't think he ran out of glands etc, he just decided not to use them.‎

Why bother to use some on one side and not the other?

The right side was existing old work .
The left side is the new work in dispute

 

[securespark]

I am but a bear of little brain.... my apologies.