Electricians forum

[SparkyNinja]

I voted in favor of this, but only because I have used the forum for refernces etc, and for fellow advise on a professional level.

I have also offered DIY'ers advise.

But I think it would be better for me if there was a divide between DIY advise and Professional discussion..

 

[WDIK]

i could find this to be an interesting question.

how will anyone be able to judge who can or cant get access to this proposed forum?

 

[Spark123]

If it was to be done on post count it will be quite easy, I'm not entirely sure that this is the best way and may even undermine the whole object of it. However it is probably the easiest way to implement. Other ways can include looking at membership of a scheme etc, but as you probably know this will exclude persons who are not members of these schemes such as factory sparks.
I feel most members know who the electricians etc are on the forum, not short of sending proof in to admin which would be imo way OTT.

 

[SparkyNinja]

I guess you could just let in who wants to, and should a discussion or comment occur which appears to be amaturish or DIY like then the post would get relocated, and the member 'advised' to stay in that forum...

You could set a post limit, but I think that goes against the whole point of it.

 

[daytona]

agree with spark 123.its obvious who the sparks are on here.
are you going to let the apprentices on here in ?

 

[regsmyth]

Well it is supposed to be a DIY forum, and while all us diyers really really really appreciate your help and expertise, if you clever lot want to slink off into the back room and talk dirty, then you have every right, but surely not on a diy forum?
And wouldn't it become a bit tiresome rubbing elbows with other demi-gods all the time, or even worse, having to de-throne yourselves to come and sort out joe publics dodgy dimmer?
Maybe you'd never come back....?

 

[Spark123]

I think it would be advantageous to allow anyone within the trade into it to be honest, how that can be achieved is another matter.
I sometimes don't like it when I type something into google and end up looking at a discussion between tradesmen on DIYnot, as an example 2nd result here. Although particular post is not much use to a DIYer, I'm thinking there may be others which have been discussed between tradesmen which if carried out could be hazardous, and only a google away.
As far as I am aware, forums which are not visiable to the general public are hidden from away from the likes of google.

 

[regsmyth]

I'm sure there are things you want to discuss that might be well beyond the average amateurs understanding, but keen diyers still want to hear what interests the pros. It's a good way to learn, if you don't mind us listening in....
Your technitalk also shows us clearly what we don't know and when we are well out of our depth. Which has to be a good thing. Anyway, for all we know, you're having these secret sessions already.

The fact that diynot swamps the google ratings is down to good marketing - you shouldn't really complain about it.

Frankly I'd be worried that you want to have private discussions anyway. Is it because you think you're giving away all your knowledge for free, or is it because there's lots of things you don't actually know, and you don't want us to find out?
Of course, a downside could be that you attract the REAL pros, who put you in your place, and you wouldn't want that would you?

This is a great forum, please stay. Can't you persuade the fat cat to reward you? Oh no, more regs.....

 

[Spark123]

Is it because you think you're giving away all your knowledge for free, or is it because there's lots of things you don't actually know, and you don't want us to find out?

Have you read any of this discussion? I have already covered some of the reasons why I believe it may be advantageous to the site. If I choose to give away information that is my shout. One thing is nobody will never know 100% about everything, you never stop learning. There are sometimes topics I could advise on but choose not to as I don't feel comfortable about discussing it in an open forum, that is my decision to make.

Of course, a downside could be that you attract the REAL pros, who put you in your place, and you wouldn't want that would you?

If other pros want to come and help I don't have a problem, I don't get what you are trying to insinuate using the term "REAL pros", that everyone on here is a fake?

This is a great forum, please stay. Can't you persuade the fat cat to reward you? Oh no, more regs.....

A great forum full of fakes??

 

[regsmyth]

Look I'm sorry I'm not insinuating anything, maybe some mild ribbing just to raise a hackle or two .
I think you do a stirling service, which we diyers would be lost without. Respect!

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[martinxxxxxx]

I think there is no need to create any professional or trade rooms here. Just join one of the other forums that already exist:-

http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/

or

http://www.talk.electricianforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=5

The first one has a private area called The Sparky Pub. Takes about 2 years to get in and no one is there.

You don't have to spend all of your time here giving out advice. You can go there and discuss

Tools
Regs
Pricing
Insurance
Advertising
Employing staff

And manner of other subjects clearly outside the interest of the diyer

So I think if you create one or not, if you make the entry qualified one one way or another it won't matter - because it will be quiet in there anyway.

Forums need to be open to be lively in my opinion.

Martin

 

[1john]

How about to qualify for entry you need to spend a day in a small loft stuffed with rockwool and to have bend the sharp end of a conduit into your own leg.

 

[ColJack]

there is already a forum for discussing things like employing peopls, insurance, vans etc.. it's called the trade talk forum..

while we do tend to go off on one when we get into a disagrement about the interpretation of one reg or another, it generally gets sorted out and some form of concensus is reached.

making it a "members scheme only" forum would also keep the likes of me and BAS out and probably many more who are not members of a scheme but are qualified and knowledgable all the same..

 

[1john]

Is there really a need to discuss how we work live if we do, we know if we are doing it and wouldn't be here if we did it dangerously.

As for talking about technical matters, these are usually posted by someone with competence who needs to debate or get another take on something, which is fine, and the average DIYer won't even read that post, i think that most DIYers just post their own querie and read 'their' post, which is why there are lots of questions about people who have taken their switch off and they dont know where the 'neutral' wire goes, or have taken off a two way switch and don't know how to connect it back up.

I think it could be a good idea to have a seperate forum, but I don't know if there is enough demand there for it.

We all tell people they cant do certain things, where in actuall fact they can do what they want, not just with electrical work but with gas work too.