I want to teach myself about electricity
- Thread starter Linda59
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J
Johnmelad502
Try the Electrics UK forum
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=8
Then click on the Wiki where you will find some interesting stuff, most of which will be incomprehensible but some you will understand, even I can understand some of it.
If what you want is not there, ask a question.
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=8
Then click on the Wiki where you will find some interesting stuff, most of which will be incomprehensible but some you will understand, even I can understand some of it.
If what you want is not there, ask a question.
Are you willing to read a book from the library?
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Blimey, here, try this http://tinyurl.com/lduaa5
if you find that too taxing, here's a plain person's guide with everything you need to know http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pruCd9qcKSQ
Blimey, here, try this http://tinyurl.com/lduaa5
if you find that too taxing, here's a plain person's guide with everything you need to know http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pruCd9qcKSQ
http://web.archive.org/web/20071013043715/www.kevinboone.com/PF_domesticinstallations.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20070327014113/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75416#75416
Hi Linda,
Lesson 1- Electricity can kill, very quickly indeed sometimes.
Lesson 2- even 'basics' can kill, i think wiring a plug and changing a light switch is one thing, but testing faulty appliances is another.
Contact your local college for info, they will teach you safe methods of work, without picking up bad practices or teaching dangerous short cuts.
Learning from the internet can be a great way to expand knowledge iin this respect, but i wouldn't want to start here.
May not be what you want to here, but you'll live longer
Lesson 1- Electricity can kill, very quickly indeed sometimes.
Lesson 2- even 'basics' can kill, i think wiring a plug and changing a light switch is one thing, but testing faulty appliances is another.
Contact your local college for info, they will teach you safe methods of work, without picking up bad practices or teaching dangerous short cuts.
Learning from the internet can be a great way to expand knowledge iin this respect, but i wouldn't want to start here.
May not be what you want to here, but you'll live longer
J
Johnmelad502
Ask away in the Electrics uk section
Shame a couple had to let you down on that statement.
I think the lady used the word basic to mean err, basic. So when asking about faulty appliances I suspect she was looking at finding out if the problem is with the appliance or the supply. That's pretty basic stuff.
Hello, Linda, are you willing to tell us what you want to learn for?
Do you for example want to do your own household jobs such as replacing or adding sockets and switches? In which case there is a very good book, "The "Which?" Book of Wiring and Lighting," or a similar book published by "Readers Digest" either of which you can buy, or borrow from your local library.
Or are you thinking of becoming an electrician?
Or something else?
Do you for example want to do your own household jobs such as replacing or adding sockets and switches? In which case there is a very good book, "The "Which?" Book of Wiring and Lighting," or a similar book published by "Readers Digest" either of which you can buy, or borrow from your local library.
Or are you thinking of becoming an electrician?
Or something else?
Hi johnmelad,
I wasn't being unfriendly, but if you are correct in what Linda is looking for then not much more than a bedside lamp and a simple contunity tester for fuses should be sufficient.
I would have a different point of view if i thought she intended to take the back off the telly if it stopped working, could end in tears (or steam off her tears)
I would be happy to to read what Linda's intention's were
I wasn't being unfriendly, but if you are correct in what Linda is looking for then not much more than a bedside lamp and a simple contunity tester for fuses should be sufficient.
I would have a different point of view if i thought she intended to take the back off the telly if it stopped working, could end in tears (or steam off her tears)
I would be happy to to read what Linda's intention's were
JM was right in that I want to learn the basics. I do not want to access any appliance, but do want to know how to find out what the fault is so that I can either fix it or get a pro in.
For example, the other day my bedroom TV stopped working. I did not know if the problem was the bulb, the fuse the supply or a fault with the TV.
I removed the plug, took out the fuse wrapped it in silver paper put the back on and the TV worked.
So I figured that it was the fuse that had blown. But I know that there is probably a safer and simpler way of doing this.
I know what I did was naughty and I have slapped the back of my hand and I immediately removed the fuse and paper and brought some fuses the next day.
Had the TV still not worked when I did this the next thing I would have wanted to do was see if there was power at the wall socket, this I would have done by plugging in a lamp or something else that I knew worked. Had it not worked I would have known that there was no power and that would have stumped me. If there had been power, then I would have assumed that the problem was with the TV and I would have got a TV tech to come look.
That is as basic as I wanted. No I do not want to become a spark. I want to learn the basics so as to eliminate the obvious and then get in an expert.
Have I explained myself sufficiently for people to stop jumping to conclusions?
So, to start me off, what should a BASIC (girly electrical) toolkit consist of other than screwdrivers and a swear box. ?
For example, the other day my bedroom TV stopped working. I did not know if the problem was the bulb, the fuse the supply or a fault with the TV.
I removed the plug, took out the fuse wrapped it in silver paper put the back on and the TV worked.
So I figured that it was the fuse that had blown. But I know that there is probably a safer and simpler way of doing this.
I know what I did was naughty and I have slapped the back of my hand and I immediately removed the fuse and paper and brought some fuses the next day.
Had the TV still not worked when I did this the next thing I would have wanted to do was see if there was power at the wall socket, this I would have done by plugging in a lamp or something else that I knew worked. Had it not worked I would have known that there was no power and that would have stumped me. If there had been power, then I would have assumed that the problem was with the TV and I would have got a TV tech to come look.
That is as basic as I wanted. No I do not want to become a spark. I want to learn the basics so as to eliminate the obvious and then get in an expert.
Have I explained myself sufficiently for people to stop jumping to conclusions?
So, to start me off, what should a BASIC (girly electrical) toolkit consist of other than screwdrivers and a swear box. ?
set of electrician's screwdrivers, a socket tester, cards of different cartridge fuses (3A, 5A, 13A) and a basic multimeter.
Don't get a neon screwdriver, they give misleading and unsafe results
I say a set of electrician's screwdrivers, although you will probably only use two sizes most of the time, because you can buy quite reasonable quality ones, in sets, in the DIY sheds for £10 or so. They have brightly coloured red and yellow insulated handles, and the blade is insulated as well. They are called VDE tools and are tested for safety. They are usually made of Chrome Vanadium steel, which is strong and hard. You can use them for other screws as well so you will end up with a handy household set. Cheap screwdrivers wear out quickly and will annoy you. Buying a set of 4 will probably be cheaper than buying two individually
This set in wickes is £8.80 and reasonable quality. You might find a set with matching pliers. Only buy it if both pliers and screwdrivers are Chrome Vanadium steel. If not, it is cheap rubbish. "Carbon Steel" is not good enough.
You can get a basic digital multimeter for £10 or so. The cheap ones have poor quality test leads so if you have a choice get one with thicker-looking leads. you can use this for continuity testing and other things like testing a kettle element or a lamp to see why it will not switch on (e.g. if the switch or flex is damaged) but we will tell you more about that when you need to know.
A socket tester does some basic testing of the circuit, it only detects quite gross errors, but it will at least tell you when to get an electrician in.
I think you can get a cheap one for £10 or less. mine is a Martindale, Fluke do a very good one which will be a lot more.
Have a look in your fusebox" (consumer unit) and describe what you see (there are at least three possibilities) or post a photo if you can. It may have a pull-down flap that you can safely open.
A metre or so of green-and-yellow-sleeving that you will need if you ever need to look at or change a socket or a light fitting
A roll of White Vinyl Tape and a permanent marker pen (you will need this (probably) to identify the circuits in your consumer unit (by using it to make label strip) and if you ever take a light fitting off, it is absolutely vital to identify and mark every wire before you disconnect them
A strip of plastic "choc block" connector (you will often need this and it is very cheap.
you will probably mostly use the 5Amp size but you might occasionally need 30A so if you can buy them singly for less than a pound, get one of each. It will probably last you years. If you only get one size, get 30Amp
A wire stripper for talking the insulation off wires (e.g. when changing a flex or fitting a plug) can save you damaging your teeth or blunting the carving knife or cutting your fingers off.
There might be a set containing a useful starter kit in the DIY shed or hardware store, but they are often very poor quality.
I still recommend that you read one of the books I mentioned. It will tell you lots of useful things, including those you didn't know you needed to know. And there is some useful stuff on //www.diynot.com/pages/el/
Don't get a neon screwdriver, they give misleading and unsafe results
I say a set of electrician's screwdrivers, although you will probably only use two sizes most of the time, because you can buy quite reasonable quality ones, in sets, in the DIY sheds for £10 or so. They have brightly coloured red and yellow insulated handles, and the blade is insulated as well. They are called VDE tools and are tested for safety. They are usually made of Chrome Vanadium steel, which is strong and hard. You can use them for other screws as well so you will end up with a handy household set. Cheap screwdrivers wear out quickly and will annoy you. Buying a set of 4 will probably be cheaper than buying two individually
This set in wickes is £8.80 and reasonable quality. You might find a set with matching pliers. Only buy it if both pliers and screwdrivers are Chrome Vanadium steel. If not, it is cheap rubbish. "Carbon Steel" is not good enough.
You can get a basic digital multimeter for £10 or so. The cheap ones have poor quality test leads
so if you have a choice get one with thicker-looking leads. you can use this for continuity testing and other things like testing a kettle element or a lamp to see why it will not switch on (e.g. if the switch or flex is damaged) but we will tell you more about that when you need to know.A socket tester does some basic testing of the circuit, it only detects quite gross errors, but it will at least tell you when to get an electrician in.
I think you can get a cheap one for £10 or less. mine is a Martindale, Fluke do a very good one which will be a lot more.
Have a look in your fusebox" (consumer unit) and describe what you see (there are at least three possibilities) or post a photo if you can. It may have a pull-down flap that you can safely open.
A metre or so of green-and-yellow-sleeving that you will need if you ever need to look at or change a socket or a light fitting
A roll of White Vinyl Tape and a permanent marker pen (you will need this (probably) to identify the circuits in your consumer unit (by using it to make label strip) and if you ever take a light fitting off, it is absolutely vital to identify and mark every wire before you disconnect them
A strip of plastic "choc block" connector (you will often need this and it is very cheap.
you will probably mostly use the 5Amp size but you might occasionally need 30A so if you can buy them singly for less than a pound, get one of each. It will probably last you years. If you only get one size, get 30Amp
A wire stripper for talking the insulation off wires (e.g. when changing a flex or fitting a plug) can save you damaging your teeth or blunting the carving knife or cutting your fingers off.
There might be a set containing a useful starter kit in the DIY shed or hardware store, but they are often very poor quality.
I still recommend that you read one of the books I mentioned. It will tell you lots of useful things, including those you didn't know you needed to know. And there is some useful stuff on //www.diynot.com/pages/el/
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