Electrical contractors in industry

[bhm1712]

I had to sign off an electrical job today which was a brand new production line install. It included a main line panel with a 300 amp 3 phase supply, with a 24 volt control circuit. The line has 6 machines in total from a bottle unscrambler, filler, capper , sleever, labeller and case packer robot.

the quality of work was appauling.

in the main line panel the incoming supply to the switch disconnector was un-shielded at the terminals, the fuse holders where hanging off the top hat rail in places, some of the fuse holders where even snapped at the corners. The wiring to each machine was not marked up correctly, some labels didnt even correspond with ANY of the MCB'S in the panel!

even worse was the fact that some of the PLC wiring was in 3 core flex with the earth used as a live conductor and no colour coded sleeving at all to even identify what they were used for.

why do these contractors always ignore common sense and regs and get away with it! needless to say i didnt sign it off. It was me who ended up getting a rollocking for being awkward!!! i stuck my ground and in the end the contractors had to be called back in to begin fixing the issues!!!

 

[Spark123]

Metvin (sp?) is nicer for PLC field devices on the ELV circuitry.

 

[jeepmadmike]

i looked at a job yesterday which i had priced 3 years ago but lost due to being a few grand too expensive (price was over 400K so there was nothing in it)

job which the contract winner had done was appalling at every point i looked at it and there was alot of work which had not been completed

really miffs me quote must have taken me 100 hours.

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Yes the unpaid time quoting is a real bitch of a problm, if someone is going to come in under your price, assuming you price sensibly, and then bodge the whole thing. Problem is the world is now run by accountants, who see the price of everything and the value of nothing.

I am not in the same league as you in terms of job value, but sometimes spend a day or two putting a quote together and I price it realistically to win it, but not buy it. Then if I find it has gone to an outfit that will just throw the stuff in it annoys me to think why did I bother.

If you know a way of avoiding this, share it.

Martin

 

[EdwardCurrent]

Agreed, pricing is my downfall I'm sure.
Sometimes when I give quotes the 'customer' seems elated with my price ! ??
Most of my work now comes through recommendation albeit quiet on the domestic front. A very good workmate of mine sometimes 'partners up' and cannot work out why my rates are so low, on the other hand I think his rate maybe a tad too high ? etc etc.
I did some private domestic work for a new 'lead' the other month, once the job was done and dusted he asked if I had industrial experience. Since the main core of my work has been industrial/commercial over the years I agreed to go and have a look at a job.. It was the full installation of a laundry (factory sweat shop 75+employees 24-7hr) which had extended the premises by another 100mtrs and all the plant needed moving and new heavy duty tumblers, conveyer systems youn name it etc etc !! Not a drawing in sight, just a brisk run around where he pointed at various machines, then to where they were moving.

My motor nearly 'wheelied' as I roared off !
A good few feet above my head I'm embarrassed to say, it would have taken me 2 months do work out the distribution alone !!
And as for financing it ?????

Ed