Hands up if you get bogged down with domestic jobs. I had four class 1 light fittings to put in place of the usual class 2. Checked with the customer what sort of age is the house; pretty modern, so I thought to give it an hour. First two lights no problem, everything measured fine. The other two lights spurred together on a two way circuit with a dimmer at one end. First problem, I couldn't get an R1R2 reading at either of them but got a good reading of R2. Insulation resistance was fine but again couldn't get a Zs reading. Checked polarity using neon and it was ok. Pulled off switches, checked wiring......... blah blah blah. The rest is history. I don't know about you but I cannot remember a domestic lighting circuit where I have come across problems making a simple job into an investigation that turns out to be long and laborious. What is it with domestics.

The problem with domestics is that everyone thinks they can do it. As long as it works, it must be OK.
Then we come along and almost always amnesia sets in, or I've just moved in, or some excuse that usually means that the 5 minute job ends up with either (a) a rewire of the lighting or (b) most of the day trying to find the first thing you should of looked at.
Still, it keeps me out of mischief.
Latest 'little difficulty' is the new cheap sockets that don't accept 3 pairs of power cables without cutting some of the 7 /029 strands - some even struggle with 3 * 2.5mm particularly after they were twisted together in the first place (another nasty habit!).

-------------------------
Norman

I seem to find the smallest jobs take the longest - can be the worst jobs to do.

Today i had a prime example - Ze test of an old Crabtree Starbreaker fuse board.

I unscrewed the terminal where the main earth was connected into and the screw fell out.
The fuseboard was in a cupboard so i couldnt get my head in to have a look where it was.

It had landed on the top of the insulated busbar and had wedged between that and the Din Rail.

I could feel it but i couldnt get it!!!! I had to disconnect about 5MCB's to get it out, then i dropped it!!!

It bounced twice and then finsihed up under the kitchen unit!!! At this point i was soul destroyed! 10 mins had gone by.

Couldn't get the plinth off to get under the unit so had to get my super rod mirror and a head lamp to see where it was, i could see it and couldnt reach it.

Out comes the super rod magnet and i got it back!!!

Did the test, went to screw the earth back in and i dropped it again..............!!!!!

25 mins it took me to do a Ze test! simple job but what a joke!




Another example was i had to change a double socket - Saturday morning little foreigner job a couple of years ago.

Went to the job unscrewed the socket and the previous spark had crossed threaded the screw. two turns and the 3.5mm pin sheared off. Managed to finally get it out and re thread it. Great! Moved the CPC cable to connect it and it snapped off in my hand! Previous guy had nicked it with his cutters so it had snapped pretty easy!!

Managed to re strip and join with a through crimp. Great.

Fitted the new socket and the adjustable lug snapped off!!!! Could not believe it! Had to fit a new KO box. 20 min job turned into a 2 hour job.

Always allow a bit of time for these small jobs - dunno what your going to find!

Don't get me started on domestics.

you didn't bypass the.... !!!!!!!! did you?

Hands Up if Someone Shouts Hold up .. Or Maybe Hands up if the thing your working with is just to hard to DO!

I'd say Hands UP , I cant do it

The indicisiveness of the domestic clients always creates "interesting" logistical headaches.

Whereas, if it were a commercial install and they were giving me such issues I could counter-charge them and be done with it. Domestics is a very different beast.

Nah, by passed the dimmer and still got nothing. Reading the other reply about screws, one common one I come across is screws in mcb's that have no head left and you can't get them to undo.

The things we have to put up with; I should start charging for psychological stress.

I went back today to try and finish a gardening power and lighting job I started about seven weeks ago before being ill and all the rain. You know you have been away too long when you have to pull up the self set potato plants coming up through the membrane and gravel the landscapers put down before you can get in to work!

Andy