Domestic rewire

[kerching]

Decent enough board, Elucian by Scolmore. These are now my goto board if I have to stoop to domestic stuff.
SPD And Type A RCBOS and NOt the cheaper nasty split load board . Type A in remote board as well so at least he was compliant with the boards

 

[Percival]

metal switch boxes

Most of what you wrote went over my head! Are you saying that buried metal boxes with plastic fascias do not require to be earthed? Surface mounted metal boxes with metal fascias need to be earthed?

box depth

OK but what about the gaps around the boxes? Imagine a square in a circle. Whose job is it to fill the gap around the square?

I don't know if I have given the wrong impression but I'm not on a witch hunt. I want to give the guy a chance to finish what I feel is an unfinished job. I want the snagging list to be correct . For instance, I will remove any reference to earthing a plastic fascia to the backbox but leave it for the metal ones, depending on your answer.

Another thing is the plate of spaghetti under the counter where the freezer fits. I was told it needs secondary protection with batten and board. Is that correct? Is it mandatory or suggested?

 

[Percival]

rewiring probably the least favourite job for many electricians... easier work out there so that's probably one of the issues

He quoted for 2 weeks (10 days) work but ended up working 18 days so I think he rushed a lot of work. He came back for half a day to test / certify and is now just waiting for the snagging list to finish off the job.

 

[Luckyboy]

It looks like he has got a CPC going to all accessories in the pictures taken, so long as the backbox has a fixed lug, which pretty much all do - then there are no issues here as there won't be sockets/switches hanging off walls without being secured by the screws.

The spaghetti of cables on P25 - these should be supported without strain. not necessarily with a batten/board but at least clipped throughout or with banding. If the freezer is to reach all the way to the back wall, which is unlikely, then some sort of mechanical protection could be fitted, whether that be a board or trunking etc.

 

[Andy™]

Most of what you wrote went over my head! Are you saying that buried metal boxes with plastic fascias do not require to be earthed? Surface mounted metal boxes with metal fascias need to be earthed?

basically, yes

OK but what about the gaps around the boxes? Imagine a square in a circle. Whose job is it to fill the gap around the square?

plasterer. sparky hasnt made it easy for them with them being so recessed, i would have expected some deeper boxes to have been used

Another thing is the plate of spaghetti under the counter where the freezer fits. I was told it needs secondary protection with batten and board. Is that correct? Is it mandatory or suggested?

some cables do need to be enclosed in trunking etc, T&E which you have doesnt. it can be clipped directly to the surface. it looks a mess and should be adequately clipped/supported though

 

[Percival]

My wife just pointed out that they started upstairs and worked their way down. That's why the four double switched sockets (P18, P19, P23, P24) chased into the brick/block walls are all mounted flush to the wall and are filled in correctly. /sigh

 

[runningpiglet]

I always have a plastic grommet in the metal back box where cables enter - only takes a few openings closings to abrade the cable sheath.

 

[binky]

My wife just pointed out that they started upstairs and worked their way down. That's why the four double switched sockets (P18, P19, P23, P24) chased into the brick/block walls are all mounted flush to the wall and are filled in correctly. /sigh

chasing back boxes is not easy, you have to go deep enough to get a good fixing and depending on the plaster depth this can leave the backbox recessed a few millimeters. Given that many people now like to fit USB sockets, deeper box is a good idea, but you can't always get a 35mm box into the wall. As for the cut outs being square for the back boxes, basically impossible to achieve unless you spend all day on one box, plus old plaster falls off in random ways regardless of how careful you are. My biggest gripe from what I can see in the photos is the lack of cable clips in the chases to hold cables back into the wall and allow palsterer to do his job without snagging cables with his trowel and damaging the sheath / insulation.

 

[Murdoch]

As for the cut outs being square for the back boxes, basically impossible to achieve unless you spend all day on one box, plus old plaster falls off in random ways regardless of how careful you are.

That could be achieved but at what cost? A plasterer is always going to be needed during a rewire so the owner is going to pay one way or the other.

One of my mates as a chaser that does extremely neat cutouts - and at 35 mm so no faffing around with screw lengths either - still needs a plasterer

 

[binky]

That could be achieved but at what cost? A plasterer is always going to be needed during a rewire so the owner is going to pay one way or the other.

One of my mates as a chaser that does extremely neat cutouts - and at 35 mm so no faffing around with screw lengths either - still needs a plasterer

Cost is what I was getting at,

I bought one of those Armeg square box cutter sets many years ago, used a couple of times and left it in the garage after that. It only really works in soft thermal blocks, like I work in new build properties!

 

[Percival]

plastic grommet in the metal back box where cables enter

These are all present.

 

[Percival]

My biggest gripe from what I can see in the photos is the lack of cable clips in the chases to hold cables back into the wall and allow palsterer to do his job without snagging cables with his trowel and damaging the sheath / insulation.

The electrician actually said he's probably pissed the plasterer off by the way he had left the cabling!

 

[binky]

The electrician actually said he's probably pissed the plasterer off by the way he had left the cabling!

Almost certainly

 

[Percival]

One last question. Where the three cables exit from the channel on the right hand side, are they allowed to just "emerge" from the plastered wall?

 

[BorisJ]

Are they still called fuseboards?

No they are not. A fuseboard is a board with fuses in it and they have not been installed this century. Some ignorant people including so called electricians use the term incorrectly sadly.

 

[BorisJ]

Fuseboard / Consumer unit / Switch Panel - all the same.

No they are not. A fuseboard is a board with fuses in it. Not used for decades. Please don’t advertise your ignorance.

 

[Mike.J]

No they are not. A fuseboard is a board with fuses in it. Not used for decades. Please don’t advertise your ignorance.

When talking to the lay person, especially those of advancing years "Fusebox" is more easily understood than "Consumer Unit" and please don't advertise your arrogance.

 

[johnb2713]

When talking to the lay person, especially those of advancing years "Fusebox" is more easily understood than "Consumer Unit" and please don't advertise your arrogance.

Probably the same people that have Dyson hoovers and get drinks in plastic glass's, just familiar terms.

 

[binky]

No they are not. A fuseboard is a board with fuses in it. Not used for decades. Please don’t advertise your ignorance.

Not again!

 

[binky]

One last question. Where the three cables exit from the channel on the right hand side, are they allowed to just "emerge" from the plastered wall?

In short, there's nothing to say they can't.