Socket and switch covers

Heedtheadvice

Risteard comes in for a lot of stick on this forum. IMHO it is because of how he writes, short, to the point, in accordance with standards/regulations and without a lot of sympathetic chat.

That winds up many who disagree.....even though he if often (if not always ) technically correct! I have disagreed the odd time or two but from memory just on business issues.

People writing on forums such as this are not always competent to comment with any authority and the reader has usually to guess on that competence. Someone having done it this or that way without disaster does not make it right and at worst could be advocating something unsafe or illegal!

Wiring regulations are there to protect us all and Risteard is quite correct to point out what is required even in brief terms such as 'inspection and testing' but unfortunately it appears that many posters do not know what is meant by that, what needs to be inspected and which tests should be conducted. If that is not known then they should not offer advice to others who also lack competence.
All too often with exchanged components errors can be introduced inadvertantly and the inspection/testing is to show up errors and prove safety is not compromised.

On the point that the OP asks then perhaps the electrician (who is responsible for the quality of the work to be done and has therefore a contractual and legal responsibility) which manufacturers of the sockets and switches would be acceptable? Also it is not just a matter of the terminations meeting the Standard but also the quality of the sockets/switches. Many of the cheap plastic ones are not very good such as they can break during installation when screwing up the connections and who would be responsible for replacements? White is by far the most common type and thus cheaper than less common coloured ones. Metal much more resilient and expensive to produce, often of higher quality and the fancy/attractive ones not as common and can command a premium. So you can hardly do a good comparison of the two extremes. You pays your money and makes your choice!
As an example from the CPC supplier a Crabtree 2 gang white socket is about £3 but a satin chrome metal equivalent is approx. £16

Norman_Castle

Risteard wrote: »

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.

Its clear that your only understanding of competence is qualification whereas people who define what is covered by part P guidelines think otherwise.

I suspect you interpretation of wiring regulations relates only to people employed as electricians rather than people working on their own homes.

Heedtheadvice

Norman, I think on the point you quote relating to competence is that you would seem to miss the one Risteard makes.


Whilst I would probably agree that Risteard seems to believe that a qualified electrician equates to competence and therefore a complying job being done (and I disagree that it follows in practice though it should) surely the point he makes in the quote is that competence means that the person doing the work, be they professional or amateur, complies with the regulations? They are not optional but a legal requirement.


Professionals, qualified in electrical work ought to be familiar with the current regs and apply them for design, practical work, inspection/testing and record keeping. Indeed professionals are required to be qualified.

Amateurs may or may not be familiar with the regulations but cannot be considered competent to work to the regs if they are unaware of their requirements!



Part P building guidelines are just that and it should be noted that those guidelines regarding electricity are not common throughout the uk whereas the wiring regs apply to the whole of the UK and even to some countries abroad such as Cyprus (the south anyway) though not necessarily the latest version.

Risteard

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Its clear that your only understanding of competence is qualification

Where have I suggested that? You could be qualified but not competent. Competence is a mixture of training, experience and qualification. If I had meant qualification I would have stated such. I specifically mentioned COMPETENCE.

Obviously literacy is not your forte. (Editor won't allow accent - it's not a mistake on my part.)

I suspect you interpretation of wiring regulations relates only to people employed as electricians rather than people working on their own homes.

Again, I made it clear that everyone should comply with the IET/IEE Wiring Regulations. (Unless they are in another jurisdiction where a different standard applies, of course.)

Norman_Castle

Risteard wrote: »

Competence is a mixture of training, experience and qualification.

Is it?


competence
!!!712;k!!!594;mp!!!618;t(!!!601;)ns/
noun
noun: competence; plural noun: competences; noun: competency; plural noun: competencies
1.
the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.




No mention of qualification there. My literacy is fine. You can be competent but not qualified.

Risteard

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Is it?


competence
!!!712;k!!!594;mp!!!618;t(!!!601;)ns/
noun
noun: competence; plural noun: competences; noun: competency; plural noun: competencies
1.
the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.




No mention of qualification there. My literacy is fine. You can be competent but not qualified.

The definition used in law suggests that it is a mixture. Note this isn't the same as saying that any particular qualification or qualifications are necessary to be competent. However it is one of the factors. But you don't know what you're talking about so it really doesn't matter.