Thomas I have watching fuseboard upgrade and listening that person but his first fuseboard it was neat but some fault as well and I really like the why you acted and talking about him you're great thought and kind who like to encourage the other need it and I am appreciate your kindness keep the good jobs Thanks again.
Nice one Tom. People should offer encouragement and advice. Like you about driving; when you're stuck behind a learner, remember, we were all learner's at one time! 👍
Having served an apprenticeship in the old style I cannot agree more with supporting the young and inexperienced. So often I was put down only to discover that those who did put me down were generally not as good as I thought, a couple were down right dangerous! Corners cut and work that required revisits. Every trainee or young person I have worked with has had nothing but positive assistance from me. The feedback from them paid it off in spades. Well done Tom.
Isn't just limited to apprenticeships Stephen, met many a wanker in other roles, retail, IT and so on... I think if your a dickhead your just a dickhead in fairness.
Stephen Davies apprentices are usually quite up to speed with regards to the regulations! But still need to gain varied experience to assess where and how to apply this knowledge. In time they will be able to increase their confidence and become able to say NO to anyone! Especially when it comes to clients and or employers wishing to cut corners and potentially jeopardising safety . Because if things do good tits up ? Governors will throw the nearest employee under the bus in a heartbeat!
I agree it's not a regulation to fit 25mm tails to all new boards. as long as the fuse protecting the supply is adequate. that young guys first fuseboard he may have replaced the 100A fuse with a 60A fuse in the cut-out. Love the video Tom!
YES with a Capital YES you should chase them or threaten to take them through court where it might cost them more ....... its not just a job your doing its your livelihood......
I'm a heating Engineer and I can only applaud you for your comments and thoughts for that lad. The people that do that clearly like to make others feel less and themselves better, however we all have scars and the odd skeleton from the past ! I creased up with laughter about your first fuse board ! Ironically today I visited a boiler I put in 20 years ago, as they say everyday is a school day. Great work from a fellow tradesman of The capital.
I stopped going on Electricians forums for the same reason. Most people didn't want to help anyone, all they were interested in was belittling people to make themselves feel special. By the way if you do a Hager board with RCBO's, make sure you get the newest RCBO's that have just came out they are the same size as an MCB and with no flying earth lead, very smart!
Gary James can’t agree more with you there, I stopped for the very same reason, the amount of electricians out there just to slag of others instead of helping is unreal.
Been a EE Engineer & electrician for 21 years, we are always learning, in my opinion, electrical power / distribution, itself is a massive subject, then there is control, hv, lv, reference methods, new termination methods, regs, different countries regs, etc,
Unfortunately that attitude is also common in other industries. I'm in tech and it's often exactly the same, rather than "oh, why did you do it that way?" or "by the way, maybe do it this way instead," discussions often turn into just slagging off what someone else has done without actually thinking about if there is a reason it is done that way or providing any attempt to help the other person. I find that whenever I make a video, no matter what the topic, there will always be at least one comment trying to find fault in something. My favourite ones are when there isn't actually anything wrong and the person commenting has completely misinterpreted something. At this point it doesn't remotely bother me, I find them hilarious at times but for a newcomer who is just starting out, it can be incredibly off-putting. In the tech industry, we too are dealing with a shortage of talent and this sort of hostile attitude to newcomers is really not helping the situation.
Thank you for this video, pretty sure the 'kid' appreciated your support dude. This style of video is what glued me to your channel in the first place. Keep it up please.
I always have one of those 3-foot camping stools from Decathlon in the car. Not sure about health & safety but they make life a lot more comfortable and don't take up much space.
The "stick together and support" thing OH YES! When my go-to support found out I'd passed my qualification in less time than him... that phone-a-friend line went unanswered. By comparison, when I went to a customer recently and said "don't know what's tripping the RCD. I can keep testing but I'm at a complete loss - do you want to call in another electrician?" The customer's answer "was we trust you - stick with it". Took me two days but I found it :) Thanks for putting your thoughts out there Tom. Some of us find it encouraging to know you struggled and triumphed.
We fit hager all the time and have just seen the new 18th edition RCBO's that can be IR tested without having to disconnect fly leads. They are also the same size as MCBs which is going to be a bonus.
Couldn't agree more in what you're saying about some electricians, everyone starts somewhere and it seems knocking people down gives the others an upper hand?! Only fit RCBO boards as well and have stuck to Wylex since they've brought out the miniature RCBO's - highly recommend! Where money is an issue I fit Contactum, solid units at a reasonable price.
Another good vid as usual. Only one comment that you shouldn't really screw onto fine stranded cables. You should really invest in ferrule crimping tool and ferrules. Other than that good job
You mentioned in the video about the woman who won't pay the £100 bill. Have you thought about small claims court and shooting a video of the process for all the young players. It would be a great addition to the business administration side of your videos. Keep up the good work. As a 16th edition spark who left to go into IT it's fun to watch your videos to see the changes.
Brilliant Tom. Middle aged blokes knocking the youngsters of the trade to make their own muscle feel bigger is not the way we want the trade to go. Encourage and advise. Constructive criticism.
You’re right Tom couldn’t of said it better myself everything is learned from experience my first amendment 3 fuseboard I did with no idea all open grommits. We should aspire to help not put down
That's a fantastic way to think Tom. Would of appreciated the lack of degradation of my initial work and book specialists when I first started. My first board replacement was a birds nest, yes it could of been tidied but it all worked first time and the cover was a little tight to fit. Guidance, teaching and encouragement is the way to go, not scaring the he'll out of starting sparkies....MK boards for me all the way...
I fitted a BG board for the first time on a cash job the other week and I’m definitely never using one again was absolutely awful cover doesn’t fit or anything, although the extra expense I’m going to stick to Crabtree just for the better busbar system - safer and the breakers don’t lean over as much
Tom Elms I’m with you on that BG aren’t great ! Wylex seem to have issues as well they seem to have changed manufacture. MK seems to be similar but I have less issues with them, I do like Hager but too expensive .
Damn! Thought it was just me having issues with leaning mcbs and struggling with the lid covers... I like mk however their rcds have high impedance causing earth loop readings to be high.. so you have to test them and subtract that value...
Im in the US; In Texas specifically. I work as a locksmith and we are required to have our license number displayed in a certain manner on every vehicle with our company name on it.
Tom you are my hero! Everything you have said is spot on! Why there is this culture of slagging peoples work off I don’t know. Well done mate your videos are an inspiration to all electricians!
Those dusty miller packets were usually free in magazines etc so not sure about them riding about in a Bentley because of it but I do remember them even back In the 90's 🤣
Another great video Thomas... I'm an electrician with NIC, also a gas safe engineer and plumber and to be honest I see that "put down" attitude all day long when I was working onsite from all trades.. saw a lot of newcomers quit the field actually because of it... very disappointing.. On another point I would chase that lady for payment definitely.. I left a few small payments go in previous past and they are the ones I remember today... not for the amount but just the cheek of the customer.. they'll only do it to all other trades that walk through their doors..
Great comment on the young chap with the board. So easy to pull people apart as a key board warrior. Your example or the glands is a classic, yes you can use with twin and earth with this..... Love to channel with the positive approach. (Unless you post walking dead spoilers 😉)
I'm currently doing a rewire after an NICEIC Approved Electrical Company did a consumer unit swop in a dwelling. They left the installation in a dangerous condition. They said it was a TNC-S with a Ze of 0.45 when infact it was a TT System with a Ze of 11 ohms. They left several shared neutral faults and removed a neutral from one lighting circuit and left it floating in the consumer unit with the circuit fed via a MCB. And the MCB wasn't even put on the test certificate. No earth to gas or water aswell... It just goes to show being NICEIC doesn't make you a good electrician.
The only problems I've had with BG is that if they are not careully mounted so that the back is flat and level then the lid is difficult to get on. Other than that, they are a good price when you are fitting RCBO's.
if something is electrically correct then do we really care what it looks like? Yes, it's nice to be able to visually trace a conductor back to its secondary insulation but the priority is correct and good connections. Even the most experienced electricians got it wrong when they were just starting out. I've only tweeted twice - the first was 'twit' and the second was 'twoo'
I actually love BG boards, but do agree that the lids are a pain to fit. They've also released compact RCBOs with no earth lead! Hooray! Same size as an MCB and no messy leads. Kudos on the kid with his first board change, I still remember mine!
Something I noticed while watching. I don't know the regulations in the UK L but why are you not using ferrels on the flexible neutral wires from the rcbo? To my knowledge of the regulations over here there not a requirement but they are working on it. It's to prevent faulty connections due to the strands fraying apart. also for neatness. I was always told to use them.
If you dont cut them down they're pre crimped if i recall, If you do then I agree with you on that. I was always told never to cut them down in length 'just in case' and also never cut the white earth link
Hi Tom, you seem to be doing well with work.....this should not mean that you do not pursue the money owed....it's the principal. The customer will get away with it and then do it again to a tradesmen/woman who is banking on the money to provide for their family. If we are to stick together as tradesmen or woman then we all should do what's right. Give it to charity....especially at this time of year. Your call 👍
HI Tom.....followed your videos for ages - I'm an enthusiastic amateur and well retired (70+). I pride myself in my grumpiness as I've earned the right to be so, but you're still a young man with a long working life in front of you. Being self employed has some benefits but getting regular holidays and days off is not one of them. Learn to chill out and take some time off!!
i just can’t get enough of your vids, i’m not an electrician or anything close to that but it’s just fascinating watching someone who’s a master of their craft chat some shit with words i don’t understand and making the jobs look wicked.
Always chase debt matey. Find a local friendly solicitor and they are usually happy to assist for a few bulb changes. Can also sell the debt so you might only get 50% but that is quicker and better than nothing.
i don't know what court system is like where you are Thomas but i think there needs to be a law to protect contractors. one that if a client decides not to pay then the contractor is legally allowed to go back an undo an recover the products that they used, ( fuse board, wiring, etc,) then taking them to court to recover the cost of the work that you did. even being made to pay a second time to have the work done again ( yes i know in a make-believe world that might be possible huh )
On mains boards, love Hager mains boards, plenty on room above breakers for all conductors, there is also schiwder easy 9 which personally I wouldn't recommend on a board change
I feel like no matter what, it's far easier to hate & put people down than to lift them up. There's this exact sort of behavior in the tech industry, though we're gradually getting better. But it takes a lot of effort to change the community's momentum on negativity.
Love the attitude, having wasted my life in crappy jobs decided to put myself through one these short courses, yes ideally I should be time served etc etc but as said I wasted many year doing crap. The attitude of some is boil in the sparks waste of time etc etc. However I've been lucky and I'm working with experienced spark. I don't know everything but these things come with practice and the knowledge from others. Fortunately I'm thick skinned and don't really care what others think of me, however not everyone is. I'd do anything to help anyone if they want to help themselves would be nice if others would too. However it's not a perfect world.
Hi Tom great videos enjoy watching them every week. I work in a similair industry myself more so security installation/service. Do you ever find that your work puts you in a bad mood? Do you think your work life interferes with your personal life i find it does im just asking around other tradesman to compare. Good luck with the channel videos are very interesting look forward to the next one!
I am not saying people should get dog piled or laughed at or anything but a bit of tough love sometimes helps as long as you don't go too far (personal attacks spam etc). Its not just sparks tho , i am in IT and networking and we all rip into each other terribly and often into ourselves !
Hager boards are my favourite, I love them and once you try them guarantee you be hooked too lol. Love the vids and great standard of work all the best
Couldn't agree more about The Walking Dead. The graphic novel writer stated that when Rick isn't in his books any more is when The Walking Dead ends, I really wish the show writers had the same outlook!
When I was 20 I moved from council work to building site work and I got so much shit from colleagues for not knowing everything they did. It wasn't my fault I didn't have a more eclectic apprenticeship. If they had have been more helpful and understanding I probably wouldn't have quit sparking for 6 years, but because they never got off my back I was miserable and put off the profession. One prick in particular loved pointing out my mistakes to the foreman so much that he accidentally told the foreman I done a 3 way switch wrong when it was fine.
I still like the BG boards for the robustness and they look neat once finished but yeah having to bray the thing in until its all bent and the damn knockout still hasn't budged is a pain. I've fitted an Mk one recently as well and I wasn't overly impressed, seemed a bit chintsy to me. the Hager ones are horrendous, they have square knockouts so you can't fit those fancy t&e glands on them and the ones hager supply are friggin horrible bits of plastic with no substance to them at all. I'd stick with MK if your sick of BG. That was a very nice neat bit of work there by the way very impressed.
Hello Tom , you should try fitting the crabtree starbreaker range as the rcbo push fits into the busbar makes installing so much easier . B T W another good video keep them coming and go after that money you are owed just for the principle of it mate, good luck
Yes need 25 mm tails i used them on first two consumer units, 16 mm probably ok depends on load i suppose but what do i know im not an electrician. Thomas come have look at my parents browns fuse box its a museum piece you would have fun putting that on you tube.
what a guy tom... very true words... love your videos. its a shame you dont post more.. im a gas engineer.. shhh dont tell the other gas engineers online! lol look forward to the next upload.. brendan bradford
Another great video. Unfortunately with the whole Twitter issue you mentioned that's the way of the world these days. No one wants to help anyone out anymore! All about people's own ego!
Nathan Bruce That's not true, though. Just because the bullies are loud doesn't mean there's no one else left. I, for one, would love to help and support people within my expertise. It's sad if people feel the need to tear others down in order to feel superior, but there are still plenty of people left who genuinely want to help and raise each other up.
Some people can be horrible, we are ALL human. At the end of the day we all make mistakes. I make mistakes all the time. It took me approx 5 mins to write this as I made many mistakes by misspelling every word hehe I probably made a mistake by misspelling, misspelling. Hope everyone has had a fantastic day/evening where ever you are!
Hi Tom I'm a electrician myself we all supposed to stick together and not to criticise and we should not be criticised anymore else's work if apprenticed or not we should help each other out not criticizing
What Kewtech test leads are they ?My Megger 1553 leads have seen better days and I don’t like the look of the Megger 1700 series leads. Had a look last night and found 3 different models
Thank you Tom - I completely agree with the sentiment that there is no reason to just pile on to negative comments - add some constructive criticism and try to help out the new spark!
I agree with the comments about the young lad just starting out, but it works both ways. We have an apprentice who thinks he knows more than anyone. You can tell what he is being taught on his one day a week at college because he is suddenly the leading expert on it. I've learned to smile and ignore him as most of what he says is bs, and when he does finally get experience he may remember the things he's said and realise what an idiot he must have sounded. On another note, try a 6+7 Hagar board. Also buy with it the Hagar fire rated pop in glands, you get one for each corresponding cut out in the board, they speed the install up considerably and at about £7 a pack theyre really worth it. I wont use BG, it just seems to fall apart and not work (including their accessories), my preference is MK but its too expensive for most of my clients (living in the million pound plus houses I service (rolls eyes). Others note you cutting the RCBO ends. Its not good practise to do that. I leave them on and loop them into the top of the board, loop the live into the bottom of the board and correspond the RCBO earth into the corresponding circuits' earth tie wrapping them together. Crimping works but it takes longer. Love watching your vids, keep em coming, dont let the haters hate, take some time for your family because when shit gets bad theyre often the only ones who you can fall back on. PS. Have a holiday pal, you look tired. As for the twunt who hasnt paid you, you can do small claims online now, takes about 10-15 minutes, and you can include this time in your claim as costs incurred, you dont have to attend court if they dont respond to their summons. Either that or keep billing one to two hours labour for every house visit to collect payment. That one usually works best for me. Drop the bill through the door, taking pics as evidence, for each visit.
Thomas I have watching fuseboard upgrade and listening that person but his first fuseboard it was neat but some fault as well and I really like the why you acted and talking about him you're great thought and kind who like to encourage the other need it and I am appreciate your kindness keep the good jobs Thanks again.
Nice one Tom. People should offer encouragement and advice.
Like you about driving; when you're stuck behind a learner, remember, we were all learner's at one time! 👍
Having served an apprenticeship in the old style I cannot agree more with supporting the young and inexperienced. So often I was put down only to discover that those who did put me down were generally not as good as I thought, a couple were down right dangerous! Corners cut and work that required revisits. Every trainee or young person I have worked with has had nothing but positive assistance from me. The feedback from them paid it off in spades. Well done Tom.
Isn't just limited to apprenticeships Stephen, met many a wanker in other roles, retail, IT and so on... I think if your a dickhead your just a dickhead in fairness.
Stephen Davies apprentices are usually quite up to speed with regards to the regulations! But still need to gain varied experience to assess where and how to apply this knowledge.
In time they will be able to increase their confidence and become able to say NO to anyone!
Especially when it comes to clients and or employers wishing to cut corners and potentially jeopardising safety .
Because if things do good tits up ? Governors will throw the nearest employee under the bus in a heartbeat!
I agree it's not a regulation to fit 25mm tails to all new boards. as long as the fuse protecting the supply is adequate. that young guys first fuseboard he may have replaced the 100A fuse with a 60A fuse in the cut-out.
Love the video Tom!
YES with a Capital YES you should chase them or threaten to take them through court where it might cost them more ....... its not just a job your doing its your livelihood......
I'm a heating Engineer and I can only applaud you for your comments and thoughts for that lad. The people that do that clearly like to make others feel less and themselves better, however we all have scars and the odd skeleton from the past ! I creased up with laughter about your first fuse board ! Ironically today I visited a boiler I put in 20 years ago, as they say everyday is a school day. Great work from a fellow tradesman of The capital.
I stopped going on Electricians forums for the same reason. Most people didn't want to help anyone, all they were interested in was belittling people to make themselves feel special. By the way if you do a Hager board with RCBO's, make sure you get the newest RCBO's that have just came out they are the same size as an MCB and with no flying earth lead, very smart!
Gary James can’t agree more with you there, I stopped for the very same reason, the amount of electricians out there just to slag of others instead of helping is unreal.
are forums evena thing now , used to frequent loads in early days but now you can find what you need to know without the insults on YT .
Been a EE Engineer & electrician for 21 years, we are always learning, in my opinion, electrical power / distribution, itself is a massive subject, then there is control, hv, lv, reference methods, new termination methods, regs, different countries regs, etc,
There's way more to it than house bashing that's for sure. But how many go that far in their education?
Unfortunately that attitude is also common in other industries. I'm in tech and it's often exactly the same, rather than "oh, why did you do it that way?" or "by the way, maybe do it this way instead," discussions often turn into just slagging off what someone else has done without actually thinking about if there is a reason it is done that way or providing any attempt to help the other person. I find that whenever I make a video, no matter what the topic, there will always be at least one comment trying to find fault in something. My favourite ones are when there isn't actually anything wrong and the person commenting has completely misinterpreted something. At this point it doesn't remotely bother me, I find them hilarious at times but for a newcomer who is just starting out, it can be incredibly off-putting. In the tech industry, we too are dealing with a shortage of talent and this sort of hostile attitude to newcomers is really not helping the situation.
Can confirm. The constant bashing can be really tiring sometimes. It's hard to not get dragged into the same mindset.
It makes me smile when I see a channel I subscribe to, post on another, unrelated channel I subscribe to! :)
Oh my. I hope things get better with your family.
Thank you for this video, pretty sure the 'kid' appreciated your support dude. This style of video is what glued me to your channel in the first place. Keep it up please.
So true Peter... so very very very true in ALL respects !
I always have one of those 3-foot camping stools from Decathlon in the car. Not sure about health & safety but they make life a lot more comfortable and don't take up much space.
The "stick together and support" thing OH YES! When my go-to support found out I'd passed my qualification in less time than him... that phone-a-friend line went unanswered. By comparison, when I went to a customer recently and said "don't know what's tripping the RCD. I can keep testing but I'm at a complete loss - do you want to call in another electrician?" The customer's answer "was we trust you - stick with it". Took me two days but I found it :) Thanks for putting your thoughts out there Tom. Some of us find it encouraging to know you struggled and triumphed.
Well done MA.
Tom thanks for your positive comments
We fit hager all the time and have just seen the new 18th edition RCBO's that can be IR tested without having to disconnect fly leads. They are also the same size as MCBs which is going to be a bonus.
Couldn't agree more in what you're saying about some electricians, everyone starts somewhere and it seems knocking people down gives the others an upper hand?!
Only fit RCBO boards as well and have stuck to Wylex since they've brought out the miniature RCBO's - highly recommend! Where money is an issue I fit Contactum, solid units at a reasonable price.
Another good vid as usual. Only one comment that you shouldn't really screw onto fine stranded cables. You should really invest in ferrule crimping tool and ferrules. Other than that good job
Love this video Tom. Feels like the old days, just you, some chat and showing off your work. Perfect. Thanks mate.
You mentioned in the video about the woman who won't pay the £100 bill. Have you thought about small claims court and shooting a video of the process for all the young players.
It would be a great addition to the business administration side of your videos.
Keep up the good work. As a 16th edition spark who left to go into IT it's fun to watch your videos to see the changes.
Do it and in the worst case scenario she'll end up with a CCJ that will ruin her credit. Go for it, 100%. Fast and easy.
@litmus pie pursuing
@@escfxp But that's probably worth more than £100.
Brilliant Tom. Middle aged blokes knocking the youngsters of the trade to make their own muscle feel bigger is not the way we want the trade to go. Encourage and advise. Constructive criticism.
You’re right Tom couldn’t of said it better myself everything is learned from experience my first amendment 3 fuseboard I did with no idea all open grommits.
We should aspire to help not put down
That's a fantastic way to think Tom. Would of appreciated the lack of degradation of my initial work and book specialists when I first started. My first board replacement was a birds nest, yes it could of been tidied but it all worked first time and the cover was a little tight to fit. Guidance, teaching and encouragement is the way to go, not scaring the he'll out of starting sparkies....MK boards for me all the way...
Same thing happens in IT as well. Everyone think they know the best way of doing things. Never share your work :)
& they forget there’s a 100 different ways to do the same job to the same standard...
I fitted a BG board for the first time on a cash job the other week and I’m definitely never using one again was absolutely awful cover doesn’t fit or anything, although the extra expense I’m going to stick to Crabtree just for the better busbar system - safer and the breakers don’t lean over as much
Tom Elms I’m with you on that BG aren’t great !
Wylex seem to have issues as well they seem to have changed manufacture.
MK seems to be similar but I have less issues with them, I do like Hager but too expensive .
I think it's because the BG boxes get easily warped when you screw them it to the wall and then the cover doesn't fit right.
Damn! Thought it was just me having issues with leaning mcbs and struggling with the lid covers... I like mk however their rcds have high impedance causing earth loop readings to be high.. so you have to test them and subtract that value...
Im in the US; In Texas specifically. I work as a locksmith and we are required to have our license number displayed in a certain manner on every vehicle with our company name on it.
Tom you are my hero! Everything you have said is spot on! Why there is this culture of slagging peoples work off I don’t know. Well done mate your videos are an inspiration to all electricians!
Those dusty miller packets were usually free in magazines etc so not sure about them riding about in a Bentley because of it but I do remember them even back In the 90's 🤣
Another great video Thomas... I'm an electrician with NIC, also a gas safe engineer and plumber and to be honest I see that "put down" attitude all day long when I was working onsite from all trades.. saw a lot of newcomers quit the field actually because of it... very disappointing.. On another point I would chase that lady for payment definitely.. I left a few small payments go in previous past and they are the ones I remember today... not for the amount but just the cheek of the customer.. they'll only do it to all other trades that walk through their doors..
Great comment on the young chap with the board. So easy to pull people apart as a key board warrior.
Your example or the glands is a classic, yes you can use with twin and earth with this.....
Love to channel with the positive approach. (Unless you post walking dead spoilers 😉)
I'm currently doing a rewire after an NICEIC Approved Electrical Company did a consumer unit swop in a dwelling. They left the installation in a dangerous condition. They said it was a TNC-S with a Ze of 0.45 when infact it was a TT System with a Ze of 11 ohms. They left several shared neutral faults and removed a neutral from one lighting circuit and left it floating in the consumer unit with the circuit fed via a MCB.
And the MCB wasn't even put on the test certificate.
No earth to gas or water aswell...
It just goes to show being NICEIC doesn't make you a good electrician.
The only problems I've had with BG is that if they are not careully mounted so that the back is flat and level then the lid is difficult to get on. Other than that, they are a good price when you are fitting RCBO's.
if something is electrically correct then do we really care what it looks like? Yes, it's nice to be able to visually trace a conductor back to its secondary insulation but the priority is correct and good connections. Even the most experienced electricians got it wrong when they were just starting out. I've only tweeted twice - the first was 'twit' and the second was 'twoo'
I actually love BG boards, but do agree that the lids are a pain to fit. They've also released compact RCBOs with no earth lead! Hooray! Same size as an MCB and no messy leads.
Kudos on the kid with his first board change, I still remember mine!
Yeah, there's a reason that it's called "Twit"-ter.
Far, far too many people believe that tearing other people down builds themselves up. If you can't say something positive, don't say anything.
Something I noticed while watching.
I don't know the regulations in the UK L but why are you not using ferrels on the flexible neutral wires from the rcbo? To my knowledge of the regulations over here there not a requirement but they are working on it. It's to prevent faulty connections due to the strands fraying apart. also for neatness. I was always told to use them.
If you dont cut them down they're pre crimped if i recall, If you do then I agree with you on that. I was always told never to cut them down in length 'just in case' and also never cut the white earth link
Encourage encourage encourage. Then counsel. 👍
Hi Tom, you seem to be doing well with work.....this should not mean that you do not pursue the money owed....it's the principal. The customer will get away with it and then do it again to a tradesmen/woman who is banking on the money to provide for their family. If we are to stick together as tradesmen or woman then we all should do what's right. Give it to charity....especially at this time of year. Your call 👍
I tell u what that Schneider board is quality mate lot of room easy installation but disadvantage u need a lot of room or space
I really like the part about helping each other, you're right!
HI Tom.....followed your videos for ages - I'm an enthusiastic amateur and well retired (70+). I pride myself in my grumpiness as I've earned the right to be so, but you're still a young man with a long working life in front of you. Being self employed has some benefits but getting regular holidays and days off is not one of them. Learn to chill out and take some time off!!
Tom..... follow this fellahs advice !!!! At 75 years old...i oughta know !!!
Keep up the EXCELLENT VIDEOS !!!!!!
Albert
Have your tried fitting a Schneider easy 9 board, slightly more expensive but I rate them highly
i just can’t get enough of your vids, i’m not an electrician or anything close to that but it’s just fascinating watching someone who’s a master of their craft chat some shit with words i don’t understand and making the jobs look wicked.
Always chase debt matey. Find a local friendly solicitor and they are usually happy to assist for a few bulb changes. Can also sell the debt so you might only get 50% but that is quicker and better than nothing.
Hi another great video. I'm hoping to take an electrician course next year and use your videos to give a head start.
i don't know what court system is like where you are Thomas but i think there needs to be a law to protect contractors. one that if a client decides not to pay then the contractor is legally allowed to go back an undo an recover the products that they used, ( fuse board, wiring, etc,) then taking them to court to recover the cost of the work that you did. even being made to pay a second time to have the work done again ( yes i know in a make-believe world that might be possible huh )
On mains boards, love Hager mains boards, plenty on room above breakers for all conductors, there is also schiwder easy 9 which personally I wouldn't recommend on a board change
I feel like no matter what, it's far easier to hate & put people down than to lift them up. There's this exact sort of behavior in the tech industry, though we're gradually getting better. But it takes a lot of effort to change the community's momentum on negativity.
Well said Emelia :)
Love the attitude, having wasted my life in crappy jobs decided to put myself through one these short courses, yes ideally I should be time served etc etc but as said I wasted many year doing crap. The attitude of some is boil in the sparks waste of time etc etc. However I've been lucky and I'm working with experienced spark. I don't know everything but these things come with practice and the knowledge from others. Fortunately I'm thick skinned and don't really care what others think of me, however not everyone is. I'd do anything to help anyone if they want to help themselves would be nice if others would too. However it's not a perfect world.
I love changing fuse boards ✊
Hi Tom great videos enjoy watching them every week. I work in a similair industry myself more so security installation/service. Do you ever find that your work puts you in a bad mood? Do you think your work life interferes with your personal life i find it does im just asking around other tradesman to compare. Good luck with the channel videos are very interesting look forward to the next one!
Well said, help not slag.
I am not saying people should get dog piled or laughed at or anything but a bit of tough love sometimes helps as long as you don't go too far (personal attacks spam etc).
Its not just sparks tho , i am in IT and networking and we all rip into each other terribly and often into ourselves !
Hager boards are my favourite, I love them and once you try them guarantee you be hooked too lol. Love the vids and great standard of work all the best
Try Hager on one of your next fuse boards,
Thank you for sticking up for that kid! -IT technician here in the US
Couldn't agree more about The Walking Dead. The graphic novel writer stated that when Rick isn't in his books any more is when The Walking Dead ends, I really wish the show writers had the same outlook!
Still wondering who won the giveawayyy
Try watching the video where it was announced.
Sam duncan which video is the winner announced?
SamDuncan09 - WHAT! Watch a video on You Tube 😳! Never!
The raffle winner announcement - th-cam.com/video/-790WDZpsDA/w-d-xo.html
I think Electron means the tool giveaway a week ago, not the van raffle.
Walking Dead fan too Tom, we'll see if it gets better without Rick. Just watch out for those Whisperers.
When I was 20 I moved from council work to building site work and I got so much shit from colleagues for not knowing everything they did. It wasn't my fault I didn't have a more eclectic apprenticeship. If they had have been more helpful and understanding I probably wouldn't have quit sparking for 6 years, but because they never got off my back I was miserable and put off the profession. One prick in particular loved pointing out my mistakes to the foreman so much that he accidentally told the foreman I done a 3 way switch wrong when it was fine.
I still like the BG boards for the robustness and they look neat once finished but yeah having to bray the thing in until its all bent and the damn knockout still hasn't budged is a pain. I've fitted an Mk one recently as well and I wasn't overly impressed, seemed a bit chintsy to me. the Hager ones are horrendous, they have square knockouts so you can't fit those fancy t&e glands on them and the ones hager supply are friggin horrible bits of plastic with no substance to them at all. I'd stick with MK if your sick of BG. That was a very nice neat bit of work there by the way very impressed.
Would be great to see a time lapse of an entire board fit from one camera angle, at something like 4x speed.
Agreeing with your words here. I see it over here as well. Don't nag about it but help out
Hello Tom , you should try fitting the crabtree starbreaker range as the rcbo push fits into the busbar makes installing so much easier . B T W another good video keep them coming and go after that money you are owed just for the principle of it mate, good luck
The phrase "let's rock this joint" has a completely different meaning on this side of the pond.
Oh Canada!
Have you tried fitting a Proteus board yet? They're quite nice to work with. We usually fit either Proteus or Hager boards.
Hager is the best board on the market..in my opinion the have lots of room behind the rails
Do you add your enrolment number to a light fitting when you fit it?
Yes need 25 mm tails i used them on first two consumer units, 16 mm probably ok depends on load i suppose but what do i know im not an electrician. Thomas come have look at my parents browns fuse box its a museum piece you would have fun putting that on you tube.
Great work
A lot going on in the electrical industry at the mo..... alot of sparks have got there back up especially about improper work !!
Too many people are too quick to slag anyone off if they do something wrong , like they have never made a mistake.
What van have you ordered ?
Good comment some forums are like that too ask a question and some sad gits have a go usually because they dont know the answer
what a guy tom... very true words... love your videos. its a shame you dont post more..
im a gas engineer.. shhh dont tell the other gas engineers online! lol
look forward to the next upload..
brendan
bradford
I wish all sparks where like you...
Hi Tom I agree with you mate we have to learn some how
Thanks Tom, electrician blog is exactly where I look for walking dead spoilers
You could at least worn people! :D
so have i been wasting my money all the years on dusties vegetable carbon ?
Sorry dude... 😂
What’s up with your family and the wedge you talked about in the start? Thanks for awesome videos :-)
What about crabtree starbreaker? But also have to say the new range of shorter rcbos by Hagar is a god send!
Haha I remember my first fuse board too... It's in my dad's house 😂 we got the van up to it too haha
Sorry to hear you're getting grief from the family. Keep on keepin' on.
If it has to be an rcbo board try a control gear direct /Lewden .
Always used MK fuse board. But like most things people have what they prefer and don't like lol.
For your first fuse board thats a pretty good effort :-)
Thats not his first
Another great video. Unfortunately with the whole Twitter issue you mentioned that's the way of the world these days. No one wants to help anyone out anymore! All about people's own ego!
Nathan Bruce That's not true, though. Just because the bullies are loud doesn't mean there's no one else left. I, for one, would love to help and support people within my expertise. It's sad if people feel the need to tear others down in order to feel superior, but there are still plenty of people left who genuinely want to help and raise each other up.
Well said mate 👍
Oh and little gardening fold up stool.. Saves those knees
Fair play Tom. 👍
I know this vid is all about not ripping others work but are you using bootlace ferrules on the blue fly leads feeding the Rcbo's
Well said Tom.
Nice old school. And no beeps. Hurrah
Some people can be horrible, we are ALL human. At the end of the day we all make mistakes. I make mistakes all the time. It took me approx 5 mins to write this as I made many mistakes by misspelling every word hehe I probably made a mistake by misspelling, misspelling. Hope everyone has had a fantastic day/evening where ever you are!
I’ve heard before you are not meant to cut the neutral leads on RCBOs? So I’ve always avoided it, not sure if there is any official advise though.
Love the vids keep up the good work
Hi Tom I'm a electrician myself we all supposed to stick together and not to criticise and we should not be criticised anymore else's work if apprenticed or not we should help each other out not criticizing
What Kewtech test leads are they ?My Megger 1553 leads have seen better days and I don’t like the look of the Megger 1700 series leads. Had a look last night and found 3 different models
Thank you Tom - I completely agree with the sentiment that there is no reason to just pile on to negative comments - add some constructive criticism and try to help out the new spark!
I agree with the comments about the young lad just starting out, but it works both ways. We have an apprentice who thinks he knows more than anyone. You can tell what he is being taught on his one day a week at college because he is suddenly the leading expert on it. I've learned to smile and ignore him as most of what he says is bs, and when he does finally get experience he may remember the things he's said and realise what an idiot he must have sounded.
On another note, try a 6+7 Hagar board. Also buy with it the Hagar fire rated pop in glands, you get one for each corresponding cut out in the board, they speed the install up considerably and at about £7 a pack theyre really worth it. I wont use BG, it just seems to fall apart and not work (including their accessories), my preference is MK but its too expensive for most of my clients (living in the million pound plus houses I service (rolls eyes).
Others note you cutting the RCBO ends. Its not good practise to do that. I leave them on and loop them into the top of the board, loop the live into the bottom of the board and correspond the RCBO earth into the corresponding circuits' earth tie wrapping them together. Crimping works but it takes longer.
Love watching your vids, keep em coming, dont let the haters hate, take some time for your family because when shit gets bad theyre often the only ones who you can fall back on. PS. Have a holiday pal, you look tired.
As for the twunt who hasnt paid you, you can do small claims online now, takes about 10-15 minutes, and you can include this time in your claim as costs incurred, you dont have to attend court if they dont respond to their summons. Either that or keep billing one to two hours labour for every house visit to collect payment. That one usually works best for me. Drop the bill through the door, taking pics as evidence, for each visit.
Well said !