Socket and switch covers

Risteard

bris wrote: »

Your a bit of a "that jobs mine kinda guy aren't you". There are plenty basic electrical jobs you can do yourself.


Repairs you can do yourself

However, there are some jobs that you can do yourself without calling in a qualified electrician as long as you are competent with DIY/Handyman works around the house. These do not fall under !!!8216;Part P!!!8217; guidelines, so you don!!!8217;t have to notify your local building control body if you want to:

• Replace light bulbs or plug fuses
• Replace a simple light fitting
• Replace an existing socket or light switch like for like
• Make repairs to loose wirings in switches, light fittings, or plugs
• Replace a hard-wired smoke detector
• Fit a replacement door bell
• Replace dimmer modules
• Replace light switches
• Replace sockets
• Replace spotlight transformers
• Connect or disconnect appliances
• Re-position sockets (as long as it doesn!!!8217;t involve a running new circuit or wiring)
• Install new or replacement extractor fans (like for like)
• Replace like-for-like electric radiators
• Replace like-for-like towel radiators

So as you can see, even if you!!!8217;re not a fully qualified electrician there are still plenty of jobs around the house you can do yourself. However, if you don!!!8217;t feel confident about doing any of those little fixes around your home (and we do understand that people are naturally wary of working with electrical fittings), then don!!!8217;t hesitate to call in a professional.

You have completely missed the point that the work needs to be inspected and tested to verify that it is safe. You aren't competent to do the work if you are not able to inspect it and test it.

Norman_Castle

Risteard wrote: »

You have completely missed the point that the work needs to be inspected and tested to verify that it is safe. You aren't competent to do the work if you are not able to inspect it and test it.

I think you've missed the point. You don't need to be qualified to inspect and test these jobs to be considered competent to do them.

Hermione_Granger

Risteard wrote: »

You have completely missed the point that the work needs to be inspected and tested to verify that it is safe. You aren't competent to do the work if you are not able to inspect it and test it.

Exactly what sort of inspection and testing is required when changing a wall socket or light switch?
Take wires out of terminals of old switch making a note of which terminal they came out of.
Put wires into terminals of new switch or socket making sure that they go into correct locations.
Operate switch to see if lights come on or plug something into the socket to test it.

In reality, changing a socket/switch isn't any more complicated or difficult than replacing a 3 pin mains plug and I suppose you think that this job should always be carried out by a qualified electrician as well.

cool_dude_2000

Ignore Risteard. He's about as useful as a fart in the wind.

If anyone even told him to lighten up, he would probably say get in an electrician.

George_Michael

Risteard wrote: »

Replacing a lamp is not an addition or alteration to the electrical installation. Of course it does not require inspection and testing. What would you hope to achieve?

If you take out a 40w lamp and fit a 60w lamp or replace an incandescent lamp with an LED one then you are altering the installation so using your logic, this would require inspection and testing.

Risteard

Norman_Castle wrote: »

I think you've missed the point. You don't need to be qualified to inspect and test these jobs to be considered competent to do them.

No, YOU have missed the point. You are NOT acting as a competent person but a wholly incompetent person if you are unable or unwilling to verify your work via inspection and testing. Indeed this is a requirement of the Wiring Regulations.

Risteard

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

Exactly what sort of inspection and testing is required when changing a wall socket or light switch?
Take wires out of terminals of old switch making a note of which terminal they came out of.
Put wires into terminals of new switch or socket making sure that they go into correct locations.
Operate switch to see if lights come on or plug something into the socket to test it.

In reality, changing a socket/switch isn't any more complicated or difficult than replacing a 3 pin mains plug and I suppose you think that this job should always be carried out by a qualified electrician as well.

The required tests in BS7671 - continuity of cpcs, continuity of ring final circuit conductors (where relevant); RCD tests etc. (and strictly speaking preferably insulation resistance tests). You do not know that you have correctly connected the accessory otherwise, or whether the cpcs are actually connected to the Main Earthing Terminal and Distributor's Earthing arrangement/your Earth electrode. You have no idea whether disconnection times will be met, or whether the additional protection is functioning (or even absent altogether).

Earthing and bonding arrangements need to be verified, and you need to ensure that your work does not impair the safety of the electrical installation, and that the existing electrical installation does not impair the safety of the work you have done.

This is all detailed in BS7671:2008 (2015) - Requirements for Electrical Installations - the IET (IEE) Wiring Regulations, Seventeenth Edition incorporating Amendment No. 3.

Risteard

George_Michael wrote: »

If you take out a 40w lamp and fit a 60w lamp or replace an incandescent lamp with an LED one then you are altering the installation so using your logic, this would require inspection and testing.

No you aren't. A lamp has nothing to do with the fixed wiring of the electrical installation. If you ignore the manufacturer's instructions as to maximum lamp wattage etc. to fit then that is wrong - it's not something to be tested though.

dunroving

pnat wrote: »

thank you very much

To respond to why i prefer to have them changed
i. a number of them have superficial cracks
ii. they are more than two colours around
iii. multiples designs
Just doesn't make the place appear neat

With the prices
1. White Schneider
https://www.screwfix.com/p/schneider-electric-lisse-13a-2-gang-sp-switched-plug-socket-white/6232j
2. Metallic Schneider
https://www.screwfix.com/p/13a-sp-1-gang-switched-socket-mocha-bronze-black-insert/687ff
The white is a double socket so clearly the price is more than four times of the white

I'm with you on the Schneider Lisse, and have just ordered them for my whole house, light switches, power sockets and multimedia outlets.

I am getting fully qualified professionals to fit them. ;-)

scottishblondie

I!!!8217;d suggest ordering the Schneider stuff from somewhere other than Screwfix. I found the cheapest place when I was buying Schneider was RS Electrical Supplies.