Why do People Think It's OK to Wire up Their own Garage or Shed?
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- Опубликовано: 1 ноя 2020
- WHY do people think it's OK to wire up their own garage or shed?!
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I wired my Dad's garage when I was 18. Ten years on it still works perfectly and has passed inspection. This video should be titled "Why do incompetent people think it's ok to wire up a garage or shed?"
Agree, if you do your research, follow common sense and ensure it is to current standards then doing it yourself is fine. Well, from my perspective. I know there are insurance compliations, that you probably can't get it 3rd party certified, etc.
I disagree.. leave to the professionals. Just because something works doesn't mean it's right.. for example, a spur of a spur will work, doesn't make it safe or right??? Does it?
@@davidguest6004 no but I didn't do a spur on a spur. Basic rules aren't that hard to follow.
@@nsoper19 well put. Some ‘professionals’ make obvious mistakes, often nobody cares more about a house than the owner.
@@nickstevens9172 also pros often cut corners you can't see to save time. I've often found that after going over professionally done work.
Because people are sick of being ripped off by so called tradesmen. They just don’t trust them anymore. Then good tradesman loose out.
And then people stop being able to tell the difference between loose and lose
Last video: ‘I charge 90 odd quid an hour’
This video: ‘I can’t understand why people do their own electrics’
Not trolling, just thought it was funny.
Indeed, we have a set charge per hr, but tiny little jobs come at a reduced rate. We just don't advertise it. Regular customers know about it tho. They know they can call and say 'hey can you pop over sometime this week when you're passing to swap a pendant for me, i always mess up the wiring' and they won't get ripped off
Yeah but you hit the nail square on the head mate
@Lister Smeg if you're a horrible cynic sure
@Lister Smeg yes people like you get charged quadruple
@@TheChipmunk2008 "Yeah, I'll do a £1 discount, love..."
I avoid having ANY tradesmen in my house. I have learned how to do things for myself over the years. Unfortunately there are too many tradesmen who treat customers like cash cows.
Dan meets Dan ??
Just because you want to do it yourself doesnt mean you are doing it properly, as well as you probably need papers from a certified electrician company to have the installation legal. Atleast in Norway we have to. Idk about other european countries and the US is just a shit show of DIYs from what I can gather of the internet.
Imagine trying to make a living out of your trade, ridiculous!
@@danb8181 how do you get it certified? If it all goes up the insurance company won't pay out. Pretty stupid.
@@tarquinfintim5910 you don’t need to be an electrician to get it certified:
If a circuit to garage already existed and you are just maintaining it, it’s not noticeable works
Otherwise new circuit requires you to inform building control and get it inspected. Following that, you get a certificate
It’s not hard really, just follow the regs book and you can do it all yourself legit. You can also get someone to do all the testing for you or hire a megger for the day
Had to laugh that Jordan put a compression gland on the outside socket and left the T&E exposed to sunlight rather than extending the conduit Next time he turns up at the same property he will look at that socket and ask why DIYers think it’s ok not to protect all the cable from the elements
I guess I did mine because I watch lots of these videos and enjoyed doing it. Learned new skills, saved some money and did the job exactly the way I wanted, I put a larger consumer unit thanI needed, I put a ring circuit in and some loops for additional sockets to easily expand. I ran cat 6a in as well for WiFi AP and security cameras. DIY doesn't mean a dodgy job anymore. Plenty of vids online, pocket handbook from amazon. Finally it's MY fuking shed and I take pride in my space. THAT's why it's OK!
For every bad DIY'er there is a bad trades person. I love your vids but trust me not every DIY'er is bad. I have done a lot of remedial work in my house, plus wiring up my workshop. Trust me, it is nothing like what you have found. I have even invested in an IR tester, know how to use a multi-meter for testing and have even invested in the Napit on site solutions book and have studied what I need to know to do the work correctly.
Why don't I get an electrician out? First the cost, but actually more importantly I make it my business to know how stuff works in my house, and I set high standards for work that I only really trust myself to do. My day job (IT consultant) requires this and is in my nature. You have also got to realise that electricians putting out videos on RUclips also encourages people to try for themselves. In the main this is good because you set a high standard, but some people wont or can't translate that into the work they do.
Best comment and balanced. I can understand the video and it’s a valid criticism but maybe it’s shoddy Pro work? I follow your mantra on any work I do. Most sprarks aren’t interested in this type of work. Anything back to the consumer, it’s sparks only though!
Why constantly bash the DIY'ers, i've seen a lot of "professional" installations done worse than that!
For 95% of the electrical works I’ve seen in UK i can tell that there’s way more concern and effort put into testing and paperwork than the actual execution of the job..
Couldnt agree more. As a DIYer I found many faults with the "professional" wiring in my house since I bought it...including wall light fittings in the bathroom switched on the neutral because the junction box in the loft was wired incorrectly. I found this by testing and fortunately not with wet fingers when changing a bulb!!! This was also before the fuse board was swapped to a CU hence no RCD protection. I do however value very much channels like this that show you the right way to do things. I'm just a proud DIYer and don't like being put in the same box as bodgers or incompetents.
Our house was "re-wired" before we bought it, in reality they put a few inches of twin and earth sleeve over the old cables to make it look like it was. I love watching the videos of people doing neat installations,. Sure there are bad DIY jobs, but there are just as many bad professional jobs! who is worse? The person who should know better of course! The EICR is the new home report, just an excuse to charge money for something that is very rarely done right.
@@mjinglis how can anything be rewired (unless you rip the house back to skeleton) if there’s not even a tubing infrastructure to run them in from point A to B and C? It’s all bodged inside the walls and floors 🤢
@@filipe.skunk8 Watch some of the other electricians who don't mind getting dirty :P NickBundy etc, you lift the floors, chase the walls if needed, you don't need to take the house back to a skeleton
Another DIY bashing video. I suppose you get contractors in to do all your non-electrical work. Instead of having a dig all the time what about providing some education. You have an opportunity here to guide the future DIYs down the right path.
One very good reason for the DIY approach is the serious dearth of tradesmen actually willing to do 'small' jobs. I have a small unit it my garage, 1 x 16a + 1 x 6a MCB, supposedly installed by a qualified electrician. It dangles from the armoured cable and randomly trips out when I use the mitre saw or table saw and the cabling is an absolute disgrace. I couldn't even get an electrician to come out and quote . Different matter when it came to needing a new consumer unit and some major rewiring for the house. While they were out to look at that I had them look at the garage and asked for a quote to include installing the main unit, the rewiring and additional sockets associated with a new kitchen installation AND improving the garage set up. I was given a price, which I double-checked included all the above which they said it did. Received a call saying they had some capacity the following morning and out they came to install the new mains unit. That was all they did, no rewiring, no additional sockets and, beyond a refresher of what needed doing, nothing in the garage, which they said they would do when they came to wire up the kitchen but could I pay them now for the job? In cash? With such short notice, I didn't have the full amount readily available but emptied my wallet to pay them something 'on account'. Few weeks later, another call with notice of sudden availability and back they came. Despite detailed print outs of the proposed kitchen layout taped to the walls of an otherwise empty room, they cut an ugly channel in the wrong place that required so much plaster that it took three weeks to dry out, they've installed some sockets so high that they'll end up behind the wall cabinets and they left with sockets hanging off the wall, no lights and the garage still to be looked at. They were due back nearly four weeks ago to 'finish off' but still haven't shown up. Qualified and Professional are NOT the same thing by any means.
This video feels like it was put up to hate on DIYers. Shoddy workmanship is not the sole domain of DIYers and implying it is is disingenuous in my onion. I usually like your vids Jordan but this one is disappointing.
I hope your Onion is a bit happier now.
🧅
@@elsdonsparks Darn spellcheck lol
I completely agree. I've seen worse things than in this video from work done by a "professional" from an allegedly good electrical contractor. I had to re-do a lot of the stuff I wasn't satisfied with.
99% of dodgy stuff we find here - DIY idiots. Two businesses worked on recently had fires caused by poor electrical installations - done by Richards with no clue as to how to do it safely.
On the other hand - I've been to some awesome DIY installations that are near-perfect. They adhered to the standard so well, it made it simple to issue a certificate for.
Both DIY and pro electrical installs can be awesome - or utter crap. Just depends on who's doing the work.
Same reason they fix their own car, cut their own logs or own a ladder. There are trade lobbyists wanting to ban those things too. The conflict between making people responsible for their own wealth and then banning them from living without it is unsustainable. As wealth inequality grows, laws must be relaxed and the poor must take risks, because they will anyway when they run out of choices.
That is so true. The law and society punishes the weak and poorest among us.
If people aren't expected to do their own electrics why can you walk into B&Q / Screwfix / Wilko and buy all the sockets, cables, MCB, and everything else they all sell ?
Because nobody is going to pay you to come over and change a single light switch or fit a bulb in the loft unless they have money to burn.
I think he’s referring to full wiring, like of a room or entire downstairs, or places susceptible to vast moisture like an outside wall.
I think Jordans video clearly demonstrated the problems associated with DIY electrical work 🤯
@@ColinDH12345
Hi,
Yes I agree, unfortunately a large percentage, thou not all poor workmanship is carried out by the do it yourself brigade.
This rarely happens with gas as the fittings are more difficult to purchase, even though electricity has the capability of killing you instantly whereas most people can smell a gas leak before any harm is done.
It would be great if the CPS providers got together and lobbied for a change in the way Electrical installation equipment was sold, but I doubt that will ever happen after all whats the odd life or property lost compared to the potential profits for the manufacturers and retail outlets.
A few customers will. we don't overcharge for that. Many sparks don't like the kind of person like that, but I and my colleague don't feel right charging the little old lady who tagged us as we passed on our way to another job... more than what the work's actually worth. Broken light switch that's been broken for 6 months and her son has never got round to doing it, cost of the switch plus the cost of a pint maybe :)
@Lister Smeg
Yes it's really easy for anyone to work with electricity as Jordan has shown, and everything appears to work, but is the quality of workmanship there? Is it safe for use?
Has it been tested to check compliance with BS7671?
Having worked in the industry for 40 years I've seen plenty of DIY electricians work, some good, some bad, most of it never tested.
A large proportion of DIY electricians do not even own basic test equipment, let alone understand how to use it.
Most electrical accessories instructions advise that they should be installed by a qualified electrician, a quick browse through any of the electricians RUclips channels will show a catalogue of DIY disasters having to be corrected.
The sad thing is due to the nature of construction a lot of defective work cannot be rectified without invasive and costly damage to the structure, therefore a compromise has to be made which if the work had been carried out by a professional in the first place wouldn't be necessary.
I personally do not advocate working with electricity without proper training, mistakes cost lives!
I'm a DIY'er, I'd be offended at the pejorative use of the term, but it's entertaining watching crap work rants, and it educates viewers what not to do! I also think it has to be understood that those doing their own work vary from perfectly competent people to the downright stupid. The DIY work produced will span that range. The same as electricians will span the range from the conscientious to those cutting corners to make a profit or get to the pub. I'm sure many a cowboy spark has his/her work dismissed as that of a DIYer, and I'm sure many a decent DIYer is never identified as such because the work is of decent quality. Keep on ranting, as it's entertaining
Great comment I totally agree with you!
I agree. It's partly about knowing and following BS7671: anyone can read and put them into effect, and non-notifiable work must still adhere to them. So a knowledgeable person could wire their shed, legally and within regs (as long as it's not a new circuit).
DIYers shouldn't be wiring sheds anyway - it comes under part P
@@discomonkey3492 Part P covers all domestic work, but it doesn't prevent DIYers doing non-notifiable work. 2013 edition doesn't list outdoors as a special location, so it is non-notifiable, as long as it's not a new circuit, but an extension or alteration of an existing one. It still has to comply with regs.
@@discomonkey3492 All electrics fall under part P don't they? Sheds are not a special location so unless it's a new circuit or CU, it's not notifiable.
Not all electricians are as scrupulous as you. I had to rectify THEIR work.
thats why you need to make sure they are qualified , a lot of times the ''electrician'' sent by the company is not qualified and you should expect a certificate after the job is done , if you get the cheapest in the bussiness you wont get the best treatment
@@cocoino2307 They were qualified, and they weren’t the cheapest. You’re implying I deserved their poor work and that is not the case. Bloody cheek!
@@planespeaking im not saying that , im saying that a big problem with in industry is that they often send improvers to work on their own , if they did such a poor job why didnt you report them to the niceic , they would have to comeback and do a proper job
@@cocoino2307 I didn't want them back. I did most of it myself and when another electrician was doing something else I got him to check and sign it off.
@@cocoino2307 Oooh yes a printed certificate really stops faults! If it has sparkles and rainbows round the border it will work even better!
I like how your sticking up for your staff by blaming the tools. I have a fluke and Kewtech and they are both great test meters. It’s ok to say “human error” Jordan.
Not at £80 an hour it’s not
Got a bit of mixed feelings on the “ridiculous gland and silicone” bodge on the switch and then seeing you installing that brittle shite box with the cables through the knockouts only.. 🥴
To be fair, unlike the switch with the gland and silicone that box isn't right by the door to outside so not going to get rained on. But yes if the last one got shattered why not go metalclad?
Without taking the sharp edges off with a file. 😳
Always fit a pvc box with gland in a tougher environment. You’ll be called back again.... I guess that’s the plan.
@@Mattja1 and why not rip the whole lot out and start over with conduit?
@@wilbertbirdner1303 In an ideal world from our view yes, but depends if the client is willing to spend the money. A metalclad accessory is only a couple pounds dearer though so that's fair to insist on.
The flip side of the coin is when I needed an EICR the spark insisted on changing the CU and moving the light fittings. After all that messing around I had to fix his bodge ups myself and he'd somehow missed the one serious fault, a cable joint that you could hear arcing under the floorboards. So although I'll acknowledge when I'm out of my depth I'll do whatever I can by myself.
I think what leads amateurs into doing small wiring works in sheds/garages is occasionally the frustration of trying to get a professional to quote/turn up to do what’s of a small low cost job.
While there’s a scarcity of skilled tradesmen I can’t see this changing anytime soon.
This isnt a small low cost job. sockets and lighting in the extension where he changed the fused spur, and a socket at the other end of the garden. for that to be done proerply the socket at the end of the garden should be an armoured cable, which isnt cheap, plus the time installing it can't be done for peanuts, and the sockets and light/ light switch etc in the extrnsion done prerply should be in coduit and trunking, again not a cheap job. don't know how you can say thats a cheap job its really not.
We dont know wheter a DIY'er or someone with some electrical background did this initial electrical work. they may have been wuoted for it and not been able to afford it and thought i can do it myself and cut some corners. who knows.
@@Vintagesoundz14 Indeed, seem to lose more garage jobs than others, I suspect to guys just clipping cable and putting in brittle plastic sockets and switches to save costs. With long/heavy/sharp tools being moved around it seems mad not to stick with conduit and metalclad accessories (or weatherproof if by a door). Looks so much nicer too.
Years and years ago I needed some alterations in the kitchen 3 houses ago, I didn't have the time to get it done myself so I rang around. 17th edition had just kicked in and I'd already had the board updated before we moved in. 2 blokes out of 3 turned up. They both left when it became clear that i wasn't going to be duped into having a 12 month old CU replaced as part of a minor job.
I think it is coz of the covid19 lockdown that people who are not normally at home that long have been doing DIY electrical work around their houses
Good old rob the prankster at it again!!
That type of exterior socket cover is very similar to what's called a "weatherproof while in use" cover in the US. That type of cover is required on new exterior sockets, either in newly-built houses or in retrofits for existing houses. Ones labeled "extra duty" have an extra-large bubble cover to handle transformers or loops of thick power cables.
I personally would quickly run a small file around the back box holes to reduce the sharp edges. An extra minute for a more professional job.
People might be less inclined to do their own electrics if they didn't get extorted £96.00 an hour , try that for size
so all the training and tools a modern sparky needs isn't worth paying them for.....you know the price of everything but the value of nothing.
@@Apex180 I've been sparking 45 years and been an nic member since long before it was a requirement and make a healthy living charging half that amount hourly
@@mikeg8835 so now charge double, after 45 yrs experience, you’re worth it and only work half the time you do. Spend the time saved on other things you enjoy doing, after 45 years, you deserve it 😉
I can't see an agent/landlord paying £96/hr. But then again that's maybe why they only wanted the C2's fixing
Still not as expensive as Pimlico. When I worked for a company, they charged £80 per hour plus vat, pretty standard in London
I called out a ‘qualified professional’ to wire up my garden pond distribution board via a junction box terminating the SWA direct burial cable and to install the other end on the main distribution board.
I watched him try and squeeze everything into a junction box that was clearly too small, he then terminated the distribution end onto another breaker. Advised me to go and buy my own 15A breaker and swap the cable over myself after I fitted the new breaker into the distribution board! Took the money and left. I was just glad to see the back of him.
I fitted the breaker myself. Checked it! Went to the pond end opened the junction box he had fitted to test the earth and surprise surprise the earth was loose.
Then you want to know why amateurs feel they can wire their own stuff up. Well I agree, botching the job is not acceptable, but this amateur did a far better job than the professional who took my money. I used all the correct glands for SWA, earthed everything, put it on it’s own circuit and tested everything. I now have peace of mind that the job is safe, unlike when the professional left it with a loose earth.
Please, don’t tar every amateur with the same brush. Some of us are very safety conscious.
You might be safety conscious, but there isnt a guarantee its done properly. Alot of paperwork, testing and other quality assurances needed. You might you tested it, but there is a higher chance you botched the testing and got a result thinking its good when it isnt.
Don’t assume that all people who DIY electrics don’t know what they are doing.
I have worked as an electrical engineer for 40 years.
I am not qualified to do domestic electrics.
But I know my stuff.
Don’t pigeon hole everybody.
I have found many examples of dodgy electrics carried out by ‘Qualified Electricians’ in my own home than I care to think about.
I'm the same tbh
I wouldn't do anything with the fuseboard but I'd easily run a socket outside or change a bulb holder tbh
your'e like my friend who's a member of the IET and has letters after his name. He knows the regs cos he helped write them, but is a DIYer and I do his testing and stuff....
To be fair,I have seen some diy electrical work which is faultless and I have also seen some qualified electricians work which is shocking(excuse the pun)it depends on who is doing the work and how much knowledge and care is put into it .
@@alunstone totally agree
The overwhelming majority of DIYers aren’t going to be electrical engineers. But I do see your point.
My dad told me that Electrician’s were failed ballet dancers ! But love the videos ! Brian
It was not so long ago you did some plumbing are you a qualified plumber
what was he plumbing?
There's people out there that aren't what you call qualified electricians but know a damn sight more about electricity and electronics than what you do!!!!!!
I reckon I'm in that category. I've got degrees in pyshics and computer science, so my knowledge of electricity is ashamedly excellent, to the point of boring (I'm told). The only things I lack are extensive knowledge of regs and a certificate :( I enjoy building my own breadboard computers and hobby electronics projects. So wiring up an isolated shed as a project seems like fair game. I draw the line at wiring up my house though because I have to sleep there. If the shed burns down, so be it, I can learn from my mistakes and take up carpentry next to rebuild it ;)
I think that as long as you're smart enough to know that you're not overestimating how smart you are, you should be fine.
Well Jord, I dunno how oumch of this youve read but that video certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons!!! You've offeended all the DIYers who watch your channel!
To be to fair to DIYers some are pretty good and some of their work is better than some qualified electricians.I am qualified but I don't knock electrical installs just because they are diy jobs .There are some electricians out there who should be ashamed of charging people money for their substandard work.
Course you don’t like DIY, you don’t get paid.
Am I alone in being slightly bemused that within seconds of hating on DIYers, you knock out the entry ports to the back box with pliers and do absolutely nothing e.g. with a file, to dress up the really jagged edges that result?
Just what I was going to comment on, no attempt to file out the rough edges of the butchered knockouts, bloke in video is a complete twat
My first thoughts exactly. I always cut them out nicely and dress with a file and I’m ‘an incompetent diy’er’ apparently.
@@alanreynolds5985 And I thought I was just being 'anal' about filing my knock-outs!
@@graemepeters5717 The thing about us DIYers is we can take our time and put a bit more thought into the best way to do a particular job and make a neater job. The professional may have the piece of paper but that’s no guarantee they work to the words on it.
@@alanreynolds5985 Alan, the difference is a 'pro' does it for money, I do it for me!
Cost is part of the answer, availability is also part of the answer.
Obviously the counter argument is always safety etc.
A lot of these things are organic, adding one spurred socket in a garage and then another one a couple of years later and so on.
Trying to find tradespeople to do little jobs is hard, often near impossible, and the ones who will turn up for a £50 job are often either freshly qualified (nothing wrong with that!) or shoddy - often people would be safer finding a competent mate to do it!
Bollocks. I turn up to do small jobs on my way home from my main job, why? To give the service that’s needed and to build my reputation. It’s not about the money.
@@joebristowtechnologicalbre2073 You do, Joe, many don't.
I always used a junior hacksaw and a file on those surface mount pattress boxes, even the MK and Crabtree ones.
Found that usually saved a trip back to the van.
I agree with Neil Roberts review, it cost me £390 to have a 30amp Commando socket on the back wall of my house so I could run a welder and plasma cutter, the cable from the fuse box was no more than 10 foot and he wasn’t here more than 2 hours, as Neil said in your last video you told us you earned £90 an hour and then in this video you say you can’t understand why people think it’s ok to install there own power to there sheds and here’s me thinking your clever, one last thought, if I called you tomorrow and asked you to come and change a light switch would you turn up, I don’t think so because it obviously wouldn’t be worth it to you hence the reason why there will always be DIYers.
Your having a mare jord love your content mate but you slagging the back of diy then using a non pvc back box just going to crack again time after time 🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈
I helped a friend at the weekend who'd just moved in to a new house - apparently the previous owner had proudly showed off the wiring to the shed he did, which my friend recognised would need ripping out and starting again (T&E clipped the length of the fence fully exposed to UV etc). In ripping it out we discovered he'd managed to run it off the downstairs lighting circuit!
Really like watching these videos. I moved into a house where some of the garden electrics used standard white junction boxes. No glands. Edges wrapped with normal electrical tape. Presumably to "waterproof" them 😆
Jordan I hate to say it , but a lot of workmanship we s.ee in videos is done by presumably qualified electricians.
Taking some licks on this one lad.
So... I'm not qualified, I'm pure DIY. I do my own electrics and plumbing. Things I don't touch - Consumer Unit, I got a spark in to do that - but someone I know and trust, he had no issues with me installing a new circuit for my garage (20A radial) with the tails left for him to terminate in the new CU. He also understood my logic for leaving the old redundant Immersion circuit in place (I had already converted it to a socket) to allow expansion if we wanted a loft conversion in the future. On the plumbing side I don't touch Gas. Again I got a guy in that I know and trust to swap my boiler.
So whilst being a DIY'er I label myself as a competent amateur. I've seen shoddy electrical work completed by professionals - next door had their garden landscaped the professional spark that came in to do the outside lights ran T&E along the TOP of the fence clipped direct. The professional spark that the bathroom fitters at my nans got in obviously saw the neat and tidy rewireable - original to the house, didn't have the required RCD protection for the replacement shower circuit and bathroom lighting circuit, so instead of splitting the supply and putting a sub board in he ripped out the old and installed a Denmans monstrosity with a knife and fork. No paperwork, no test certificate and a 32A breaker labeled as (?)..... It's ok though because he registered it with building regs under his CPS....
I've just rewired my garage, and in the back of my mind I was thinking "Would Jordan approve of my work?"
Wrong question. WHY, when people wire up their own garage or shed, don't they do it properly?
My experience when trying to employ “professional” tradesmen is that they don’t answer emails or return phone calls. I prefer to construct an email with a summary of what needs done along with photos of the relevant areas and as much relevant info as possible and invite a visit. But if I send the same email to 3 tradesmen I’m lucky if I get a single response never mind a decent quote. Maybe they can tell from my email that I know what I’m talking about (I’m an electronics engineer), and prefer to deal with people who are more naive, but the net result is that I tend to just do most things myself.
I’ve been maintaining and repairing my own vehicles for 35 years and honestly don’t see why competent DIY car maintenance is okay but competent DIY electrical work isn’t. Is a 2 ton car travelling at 70MPH less dangerous than 230V mains? Speaking of which - on one of the few times that I got a “proper” garage to change a clutch for me, the mechanic didn’t tighten the bolts holding the brake calipers to the hub and handed the car over to my wife to drive home with our 3 young kids. When I got home that night my wife told me the car was making a funny clunking noise and when I looked at it I found the brake caliper hanging by a few threads of a single bolt, the other bolt having already fallen out. I actually went to the garage owner’s house that night and read him the riot act but I’ve never trusted anyone to work on a car of mine since.
Any trade can be done so badly that it becomes a threat to life and in my view the person(s) with the greatest incentive to avoid such an outcome is the person(s) who live every day with that risk. Of course, you need to have the education and the equipment but assuming you have that, and you aren’t running against the clock trying to make a profit or get to your next client, isn’t it at least possible that a competent DIY’er can do a good job? A commercial electrician needs to be able to handle anything they might come across in domestic or commercial electrics but a DIY’er only needs so know their own house.
Anyway, I know you can’t encourage DIY electrical work but I’m sure you also know that there are plenty of DIY’ers out there who can do a better job than many professional electricians. That said I have no doubt that the best time-served electrician will always be better than the best DIY electrician but it all depends on whether they can be bothered replying to your quote request!
We think it is OK because is just isn't that hard. The key is knowing the codes, and following the rules.
The arrogance is staggering. You're an Electrician buddy, not a rocket scientist.
To be honest there is a lot more to it than most people think .I went to electrical college thinking I knew most of it but it was surprising what is involved in electrical installs .Design,disconnection times in event of faults,correction factors for cables depending on thermal insulation,type of fuses etc.It isn't rocket science but it does get you thinking.
@@alunstone Like any trade, you have to go through a big learning exercise because you have a multitude of scenarios you might encounter, both domestic and commercial. But as a DIY'er, I only need to know what to do in a very specific set of circumstances in my own house, and therefore it is not hard to get that right.
@Lister Smeg Really??? You would be surprised how many people just don't get it. Yes, it's not a "rocket science". But it is a science. All huge part of physics. And while you can do some simple jobs correct if you don't understand it, you are most likely to make an error. And sometimes that error can cost someone's life.
I think I'd rather trust somebody who's qualified and knows what they're doing to look over what I've done and pay them before it goes live, no pun intended, to check I'm not going to fry my family, or pay them to do something I don't think I'm competent at for the same reason.
There's a lot of regs you need to know, it's not just about electrical theory - a lot of DIYers don't appreciate that switched live means there is still a return path on neutral & ground!
Nice work as always Jordan, I do like your practicality. Kewtechs are pretty good, I still rate the fluke, Megger, metrel MFTs. Maybe the new tech just needs calibration. But it highlights the need to check tools for correct operational usage.
People there's two categories of DIY.
1# General DIY with some idea what they want to accomplish. Lacking tools, know-how and not using proper materials.
2# DIY enthusiast who will do planning, research of tools/materials/knowhow... before starting any work and realising when to call in professional help.
Same goes for trades:
#1 comes in and slaps everything together leaving the mess behind. tries to charge for something that's not broken and doesn't need replacing.
Sadly had to deal with some car mechanics, plumbers and gas engineers in this category.
#2 is honest and does tidy work, makes suggestions and doesn't write off stuff (be it a CU or boiler)
Yet to meet one like that. Hopefully that will be soon and won't let go of that person/company 😅
Found this channel only recently, I'm currently trying to work out how my house is wired up.
Currently all the lights upstairs are supposed to be on a radial circuit but are on a ring effectively but only only cable to the fuseboard.
Only thing I've done is added loft lights by extending existing wiring. The circuit appears to have been installed as a complete circle instead of a radial.
I wired my shed with light and power around 15 years ago. No problems
I guess it entirely depends on ability. Of course Jordan has to cater for the lowest common denominator so can't condone DIY electric installations but some people can do it adequately.
Did you test it? Hw do you know there are no problems ?
most eletricians want a week pay for a days work thats why people do it themselfs, And other so called tradesman are all the same,
I’m no pro, but uuuurgh- knockouts on back boxes, I use a dremel for nice round and smooth entries.
Do you use the square compression glands specifically for twin and earth or just the normal standard glands?
I’ve seen worse from electricians. I do not think your solution of a plastic back box for the SFU and feeding the cables through knock outs was overly impressive either.
Not hating I promise like your work, but some DIYers are better certainly neater than some electricians also did you not do some plumbing recently? also do you get a decorator/plumber/car service / decking at every opportunity it comes to money my advice if your out of your depth hand over to a professional but a single socket new light sorry I am more than capable
btw not hating you just asked the question 😀😀
Those are false equivalences I'm afraid. Doing your own plumbing, decorating, oil change isn't putting anyone's life at risk when you do a bad job. I've done my own electrics in my shed, but you have to be sure you know what you are doing and not go into it thinking that you know, or watching just one YT video and thinking "I can do that". You have to know about safety regulations in terms of what cable to use, how to terminate, which gland to use, weather and dust ratings, where to spur from, cable runs and heat build up with wattage / fuses to use to protect the wiring, RCDs etc. Badly wired electrics can cause a fire.
@@ArcanePath360 absolutely agree buddy, totally false statements, if you get a house fire from something as simple as a loose connection, your insurance is void if it hasn't been carried out by a qualified person
@@ArcanePath360 agreed fair enough I was just make the cost saving point - all the thing you pointed out knowledge wise I have but appreciate thats not the case for everyone
My interpretation of a professional is "I charge a lot and ain't too good." I've always done all my own electrics, plumbing AND gas. My friend called me recently to help a qualified electrician who couldn't find several faults that had been introduced by him. An inability to think in logical steps to find faults meant he couldn't track down the problems. I also have to help a plumber friend to sort out boiler problems. I find many "qualified" people are actually incompetent and downright dangerous. I'll continue to do my own stuff as it's cheaper and I know I can trust it. My young friend who I've been mentoring in mechanical repairs, build a shed with his dad. The lad wired up all the electrics and installed the 6mm armoured cabling. He got a qualified electrician to inspect it and the electrician said it was some of the best work he'd seen. The lad had never done it before but common sense prevailed. WHY do people think it's OK to wire up their own garage or shed?! Because we're not all as stupid as you imply!
Please do not do your own gas. EVER. Having seen the effects of CO poisoning and gas explosions first hand. In the UK, it is illegal for you to work on gas anyway.
@@cjmillsnun So I get an incompetent gas engineer who puts me in danger. Sounds fair. But not for me. Lots of things in life are illegal but it doesn’t stop people doing them. I’ve had more problems with ‘so called professionals’ than I’ve had by doing everything myself. So in answer I have to say I don’t trust professionals EVER.
they think it's okay because the parts are dirt cheap but labour costs are absolutely outrageous.
With that back box in the garage that’s a bit rough just breaking out those knock outs. To make a neat job always pre cut with a junior hacksaw then break them out . Much neater and you can cut it the exact size of the cable
To be honest, while 90% of DIY electrics isn’t up to scratch and the people undertaking it it probably should not be doing it.
There is also a small percentage of people who are competent and qualified who are quite capable and still not allowed because they don’t belong to one of the money making schemes...which prohibit them from doing odd job here and there within their own home and getting it signed off properly.
You’re right there
Very true..
Minor works can still be done without belonging to a CPS so a lot of work can still be done by suitably qualified people. They just have to do a Minor Works Certificate to comply.
I've rewired all my home and asked to the city council if I could do it. they agreed (is allowed by law) but their electrician has to do first inspection and final test. And everything was ok ... some DIYer are just trying to save money other do it because they like the challenge and want things done properlly (better than some trades man can do).
@@MrCiscoski yes there is a council process but to be honest it’s a faff and even if qualified they charge a fortune making it uneconomical for most jobs.
I’m presently building up a portfolio of qualifications to demonstrate competency, and last year I did my G3 qualification so I could fit an unvented cylinder in a family members home course was about same amount as paying a plumber to fit one.
Passed the course perfectly fine, got the card to prove I’m competent.
But I couldn’t sign the things off without belonging to a competent person scheme.
Council wanted £370 to come down and sign it off despite me being competent and having proved it.
£90 a hour to fit a crap brittle surface box like that in a shed. And also to put a stuffing gland in a outside socket.
Should the outside cable be in conduit up to the gland?
3:20 Or your tester isn’t working correctly? Need to get all four of you guys together and have your testers make a majority vote :-)
Surely if you're onsite anyway you'd do at least some basic checks to prove the tester etc. before calling someone else in and possibly wasting their time? If it still trips with another breaker you have in the van then alarm bells start ringing.
@@mfx1
But if his tester is giving a false pass ... That's a more dangerous situation.
@@Robert-cu9bm Tha t hasn't got anything to do with what I said. Maybe neither tester was faulty and a plugged in load was causing an issue, all I said is as the other guy was already on site he should have determined the true cause, two faulty breakers isn't impossible but it's suspicious.
@@mfx1
I understand.
I was just trying to point out that the other guy could have done those tests which you say. And then organised a repair.
Then when there new guy rocks up with a faulty tester and says it's all good without replacing anything that would cause a more dangerous situation.
Hi Jordan I must admit we never used those hard plastic boxes, we much preferred the ones with knockouts so you could use a compression gland . Plus if you have to drill a hole in the hard type they tend to crack . Hope you’re ok and can weather yet another stupid lockdown . Best wishes and kind regards from Mike in the U.K. 👍
Keep the good work up, absolutely brilliant
Always enjoy your videos. There is always something new to learn . Cheers
Krazy lad you want to learn ? @ mainly electrical , youtube 👍⚡️
Super. Here it is totally legal to wire your own house, shed, pool, garage, outhouse, silo, and barn as long as you get a permit and have it inspected. 💙 T.E.N.
Good stuff! I like the way you are always so cheerful.
No need to stereotype. Some DIY people do it properly and check what needs to be done and how. I guess you rarely see/notice the good DIY jobs as they're indistinguishable from an electricians work (in appropriate cases ofc). What is inexcusable is DIY done wrong, or fitters etc (who the owner implicitly trusts) doing a bad job
I've had three different so called qualified electricians in my house to carry out work and each time i've asked for a full, not sampled, E.I.C.R to be completed. Each electrician criticised the previous electricians work and stated that an E.I.C.R could not have been completed correctly on the previous occasion. To make matters worse post all 3 visits i found loose cables in sockets, incorrect gauge wiring being used, earth wires in the lighting circuit disconnected or cut off, incorrect mcb used in the cooker circuit (when taking into account diversity) wires stretched diagonally across walls, without shielding, faulty 30mA RCD, socket cable tails cut too short, live bare copper protruding from the back of socket cable grips, no grommets used in metal back boxes. Heck the qualified electrician fitted a second consumer unit into the back of the first consumer unit, no Henley blocks used to split the feed etc. etc. A fool is a fool, so called qualified or not. Similarly I had a (notifiable change to building in the uk) new roof fitted by a master roofer, brilliant job completed. The man from the council turned up just as the job was completed, stood on the pavement (didn't even speak to the roofer) and said to me, as I was about to get in my car, "that looks okay" he then got into his car and drove off. I later received a £235 bill from the council for his inspection.
All in all this competent person business is a scam, as are building control visits, neither guarantee good or competent workmanship. No I'm not an electrician, just a heck of a lot more competent than the so called qualifed certified ones that I've had the misfortuneto use, at least I bother to read the regulations.
Twin and earth exposed outside no uv protection
Then a standard compression gland or was it a fancy flat cable one??
Would you be tempted to use a shroud as well on outside stuffing glands to. As looks quite neat and just adds a bit more ingress protection to cable entry point. 😇.
Hi Jordan, that external socket which can fit a plug in transformer is a BG WP23L
I come across this a lot where items are recorded as faulty and after having them double checked on an audit they test out fine or are coded 2 when in fact they are a 3 all day long. Would be interesting to know what the outcome of your discussion was with your subbie.
And at 5:39 - if that's in an area seeing moisture - go in with the cable from the underside and keep the top side sealed. That way it won't matter much if the grommet leaks since the humidity will come out.
I just wired my new shed. First, i planned what protection to use, A 20 amp gfci. Second, read a bit and researched some codes. So, 12-2 ufb 100ft used about 75 ft. Second complete burial of cable in gray pvc 18 " min. Split main to 4 plugs in each direction off main power entering shed. 10 total is max. Pigtailed each outlet with a very tight twist and cut to accept wire ties very tight. Used 20 amp plugs on all outlets ( not necessary on multiple outlet per circuit). All romex secured min 8 in from outlet boxes. When i open breaker box someone before me unhooked a couple of breakers and left bare wire (from old circuits) just hanging there. Clipped ends and taped . Tested gfci and reaction time was .09 second at 4.7 milliamps. Ive seen people not understand wire gauge per amp rating, securing romex, burial, ect. The shed i replace the romex was only underground about 8 to 10 in and no pvc. I covered most basics. Im about to have breaker box updated but will leave that to the pros, alot of codes i may not know even though I've done alot of research. Be honest with your self and dont do more than your understanding. The more ive learned the more i understand the complexities of evolving codes. Im in the US.... Peace all
It's very easy to criticize other people work,yet I find that I sleep better at night if i walk away from a job believing that it is safe. So what if it's not in the remit? So I've tested it,I know the faults and is it gong to cost me any time and money to spend those extra 10 15 minutes on a job to salve my conscience that what I've left is safe? I'd rather give away 2 saddles,2 rawl pugs and 2 screws than sit at home at night worry about the people in a house
Do you know why people think it’s ok to wire their garages or outbuildings , electricians are to expensive plus it’s a piece of piss
Spelling is a piece of piss but you seem to struggle!
They often do it wrong, which is the big issue. My house was a deathtrap when I moved in with all the DIY Ad-ons to the 40 year old fuse wire consumer unit.
Before I even plugged anything in, had a proper electrician out for a suface re-wire and consumer unit upgrade and it was nowhere near expensive as I expected, plus I have all the paperwork to say its now safe!
@@tvandbeermakehomergo Don't do it wrong then. It's not hard. Also electricians do it wrong all the time.
Last month I paid a local electrician £250 to fault find a faulty light which ended with replacing a switch wire . I also asked him to tidy a junction box. Took him an hour.... And his work was a mess!! That's why people do it themselves.
Jordan... Like a lot of electricians on RUclips.. like to knock people's work but aren't exactly perfect themselves! Nice way to smash away at the back box leaving sharp edges.
@@scotchegg6422
You need to sort your grammar out before you comment on spelling,
Don’t worry even thick people like you can become sparks
Nice job and video like always
Watched this after watching a video of the other lad blindly drilling into the consumer unit and then hacking the customers soffit to bits 😆
I've done my own (and will continue to do so) because the quality of your average sparky is pretty terrible and doesn't represent value for money. I've lost count of the amount of work I've re-done for them, not the other way around!
Regarding that single external socket, i would have bought it forward on a wooden plate & fed the 20mm conduit correctly in the bottom & put a blind grommet in the side hole.
Great Job!! You found wiring not correct. You fixed it. Thumb up!! Cheer!!
I'm an American who does my own electrical work when it doesn't involve getting under a house, but this is absolutely ludicrous. The type of mistake you'll see me make will be something like not bending conduit perfectly, not using the wrong fittings (or no fittings) or leaving a conduit flapping in the breeze. If you can't DIY the job almost properly, don't do it. I'm also surprised you'd be allowed to have cable just stapled to the wall like that. Here, you'd have to put that into a conduit (without the outer sheath because code forbids that), or use armored cable.
Could have done a slightly better job with the back box, I used to use a small file to make sure the edges on the knockouts were smooth to prevent damage to the cable, being those knockouts can leave some sharp edges if just punched out with pliers or what have you.
Rcbo's faulty, classic way of ramping up the bill!
In Australia it’s illegal to do any electrical or plumbing work unless qualified. Can’t even move a switch. Even if it’s your own house. Probably how it should be. Too many people have died by dodgy work. Unfortunately, some tradesmen do a rubbish job also, but less likely to happen. Unless I’m mistaken, the training and licensing is pretty strict in Australia.
Why do you think it was a DIY’er
When I built my workshop I did all of the wiring i.e. a ring main for the wall sockets, inside and outside lighting and 240V 16 amp sockets for machinery, myself. I connected it all up with an extension lead from the house and checked that all the sockets and lights worked.
Every point where a cable passed through a stud was covered with a steel plate to minimise the chance of somebody drilling into a cable. The final connection of these circuits and the armoured cable to the workshop consumer unit was done by a qualified electrician, as was the connection of the armoured cable in the house, split off from the house consumer unit. The whole setup was then tested and certified. Lets face it, installing sockets, lighting and running cables isn't exactly rocket science.
When I loosened a 13 amp socket in our new, professionally wired kitchen for tiling, there were no grommets in the back box and the earth lead wasn't connected.
When I managed to short out a 13 amp socket in the house after re-plastering, I couldn't isolate the socket with the relevant circuit breaker. As I recall, the electrician had left an old wire in place that connected the downstairs main to the upstairs main. I'm no expert, but I think that's what happened.
What about a gland for the meter tails? Or at least a grommet?
What socket tester do you recommend if you say the Kewtech is rubbish?
Genuine question - is T&E an acceptable cable to be exposed to the outdoor elements? I heard somewhere that was a C2 and can’t be used for outdoor installations?
C3 unless it is showing signs of deterioration from the elements. I've failed hundreds over the years as they can go brittle
What about in the ground??
That switch on the wall in the garage is fitted with a grommet because it comes in the box with the switch and the instructions tell you to use it.
how you Peel the cables. Please Show us and what tool do you use to peel the cables. specially 1.5 or 2.5 twin and earth flat cable.
because it's electrics not deep maths. the question you meant to ask was 'why does anyone think it's okay to do dodgy electrical work'
Hi It would have been nice to actually see you testing the Breakers to confirm your statement that they were fine.
I was under the impression that accessories installed within a Garage had to be installed within Metal Clad Accessories and ALL Cables likely to be pulled had to be clipped direct so as to form a protection by using a lot more clips than just support centres or all cables encased in conduits or pvc Trunking.
Cables Dangling likely to be pulled deliberately or Accidentally would surely be represented a Danger to All inc Children and pets
Mr Spence Eng
I'm a diy guy and there's no way Im using that type of back box in a garage/workshop. Metalclad all the way!
Trainee electrician hear i noticed where the tails enter the consumer unit there is no gland and there appears to be a large gap is that allowed? Im asking as to gain knowledge.
consumer units should be
IP4X on all horizontal surfaces and IP2X on all vertical surfaces. So yes the tails were wrong Hager sell foam strips to overcome that. Or the use of fire rated sealent, fire rated expanding foam. Better still some plastic trucking to cover the tails or wires. Any of the above would be ok for a plastic enclosure.
No tail gromet in consumer unit
I know why people wire their own garages. Mostly because tradesmen are too expensive and also because they take much more care, they're not thinking about rushing off to the next job.
I wonder if the faulty RCBO was actually faulty or if was either sticky from not being tested or blinded from DC Did the inspector check for DC blinding possibilities? I suspect not as they were not paid enough to do a proper job ( only £80 and hour)
Ingenious, someone uses a correct socket with splash water protection but simply omits the correct cable gland.
These "professionals" never die out... 🤣
I took a spur off the rear of a socket inside the house to my shed 15 years ago. It seems to work fine to power a dryer and light bulb