Is a complete re-wire a DIY project?

[Pensdown]

Let me explain, a DIYer could well be someone who designs complex electronics for a living, if such a person wanted to DIY I'm sure its not beyond them to obtain a copy of BS7671 the OSG, and quite possibly the commentary by paul cook (such might be the mentality of such people) and study things completely and they then may well have a better idea of things than an apprenticeship trained spark who is just of the mentality that its a job, hasn't opened his copy of the regs in the last 5 years, etc.

Or what about the people who write the regs? Or people involved in designing the test instruments you use?, etc, etc

I think as long as the person is practical and can use their hands, with the correct advise a re-wire can be a DIY project.

It was good to read Craftys shed install post because he knows the regs and has posted loads of install solutions based on what he has read. However, when it came to actually doing it to take one example glanding the SWA were not as simple as he thought.

IMO the technical side of a house re-wire is the easy bit and can be learned form books etc, the physical install in the hard part.

For a bit of fun here are few non technical questions for anyone who's not a sparks

1. Roughly how long should the tails be between a back box and light switch/socket outlet?
2. When terminating a socket outlet on a ring do you a) strip the cables back and put them both in the terminals, b) twist the 2 cable together put and then put them in the terminals or c) double then over and then put them in the terminals?
3. Whats the name of the hammer & chisel used to chase a wall?
4. What drill bit would you use to make a hole through joists?
5. Whats the best way to lift a floor board to avoid breaking it?
6. After you have lifted 1 floor board how do you see under the floor to sort out a cable route?
7. If you have to take cable off the side of a roll, how should you do it to stop it kinking?

 

[Adam_151]

1. Roughly how long should the tails be between a back box and light switch/socket outlet?

Long enough that terminating them isn't an arkward exercise, short enough that you arn't shoving loads of excess wire in the box, can't really put a figure on it, on a cable that comes up from below, a conductor that goes to the top of the accesory will be longer than one to somehwere on the bottom of it for example

2. When terminating a socket outlet on a ring do you a) strip the cables back and put them both in the terminals, b) twist the 2 cable together put and then put them in the terminals or c) double then over and then put them in the terminals?

Don't twist, only double up if its a single 2.5mm² (if there is more than one, or its thicker.. don't) but do take care that call conductors are under the screw rather than to the side of it, and give them a pull to make sure they ain't gonna come out easily before putting it on the wall

3. Whats the name of the hammer & chisel used to chase a wall?

Lump hammer and bolster chisel, or scutch chisel

4. What drill bit would you use to make a hole through joists?

I'd probably use a spade bit, but any bit for drilling wood will be fine, spade, wood, hss, etc

5. Whats the best way to lift tongue & groove flooring?

I live in a bungalow but cut the tongue off and dig out the nails (easier said than done) ?

6. After you have lifted 1 floor board how do you see under the floor to sort out a cable route?

With a mirror

 

[Adam_151]

In addition...yes I know what you mean... as my struggle with PVC conduit will testify to

 

[Pensdown]

Long enough that terminating them isn't an arkward exercise, short enough that you arn't shoving loads of excess wire in the box, can't really put a figure on it, on a cable that comes up from below, a conductor that goes to the top of the accesory will be longer than one to somehwere on the bottom of it for example

Use your side cutters as a guide 2/3 down the handle from the entry point.

8/10

Don't twist, only double up if its a single 2.5mm² (if there is more than one, or its thicker.. don't) but do take care that call conductors are under the screw rather than to the side of it, and give them a pull to make sure they ain't gonna come out easily before putting it on the wall

Always try and fill the terminal so double on sockets even with 2 cables. Always double single cables

8/10

Lump hammer and bolster chisel, or scutch chisel

I assume a lump hammer is northern for club hammer?


10/10

I'd probably use a spade bit, but any bit for drilling wood will be fine, spade, wood, hss, etc

Speed bits (flat bits) have passed there sell by date. Auger bits save a trip to A&E with a broken wrist

7/10

I live in a bungalow but cut the tongue off and dig out the nails (easier said than done) ?

I hope your not on a price

Cut off the tongues...use a bolster to lift the board at one end and as you lift it slide another chisel under the board. Then push down (or hit) the bit you have lifted using the other chisel as the fulcrum. The nails will lift out with the board

2/10

With a mirror

and a torch..it's dark in them parts

9/10

For a non spark spotty teenager that was very good.

 

[Adam_151]

Guessed there must have been a better way than struggling to dig the pinchers in to remove the nails, but could only think of a crowbar kinda approach which would mess up the board if you tried to pry up the board from the side with it...

anyway, thanks for that

 

[supersparky]

Use your side cutters as a guide 2/3 down the handle from the entry point.

box and a half, every side cutter is going to be a different size, hell, my electronics side cutters are one hell of alot smaller than my sidecutters i use on 35mm tails!

very un accurate, 5/10

Don't twist, only double up if its a single 2.5mm² (if there is more than one, or its thicker.. don't) but do take care that call conductors are under the screw rather than to the side of it, and give them a pull to make sure they ain't gonna come out easily before putting it on the wall

never twist as adam said
10/10 lol

Always try and fill the terminal so double on sockets even with 2 cables. Always double single cables

dont see the point personally, even had this out with MK when a know all-know nothing supervisor tryed insisting we re made about 100 sockets with 2*2.5s in

BUT, cant nock it, nout wrong there, personal style.
10/10

Speed bits (flat bits) have passed there sell by date. Auger bits save a trip to A&E with a broken wrist

your joking right my auger bit in the dewalt spun me 360 last week - ill admit its never happened before when drilling overhead! - nothing wrong with spade bits though, prefer augers, the lazy mans alternative

Cut off the tongues...use a bolster to lift the board at one end and as you lift it slide another chisel under the board. Then push down (or hit) the bit you have lifted using the other chisel as the fulcrum. The nails will lift out with the board

i hope hes not on price and one of our guys aswell

i use, either a jigsaw or preferably a circular saw, you can set the depth with a circ, although, if your good you can do the same with a jigsaw, just harder to control

In addition...yes I know what you mean... as my struggle with PVC conduit will testify to

dunno if anyoines told ya adam, but "****ing" the conduit with a cloth to heat up the area of the bend will help you no end, plus, always overbend and dont take out the spring straight away, see how much it reflexes if you need more bend, then add some, the clips shouldent be holding it in set

 

[supersparky]

Guessed there must have been a better way than struggling to dig the pinchers in to remove the nails, but could only think of a crowbar kinda approach which would mess up the board if you tried to pry up the board from the side with it...

anyway, thanks for that

there is, if your being really really neat, then use a 20mm holesaw and start it with the pilot right next to the nail and then lift the board, ok, lots of round cut outs but they stay on the joist and the boards up with no splits and easy to fill aswell

damn, im giving all my secrets away

 

[Steve]

It was good to read Craftys shed install post because he knows the regs and has posted loads of install solutions based on what he has read. However, when it came to actually doing it to take one example glanding the SWA were not as simple as he thought.

I think i am living proof that forums such as this are very useful for people to learn from. A bunch of electricians who give advice to DIYers - its a wonderful resource! Before 15th April 2005, I knew very little about circuit design, cable ratings etc.

As an example, before i knew about this forum, I helped my dad to wire our old shed, we used 2.5mm² T+E under the paving slabs from a 20A MCB, straight into a double socket in the shed for the tumble dryer. I also helped my grandad wire his summer house, from a plug top in the utility room, we used 1.5mm² cable clipped to the fence (where we could) straight into a double socket again.

Now, however, I have learnt the correct way to do things, as I have proved with my new shed install. Still need to get that SWA looking a bit neater around external bends though

I will be recommending my grandad gets his summer house rewired in due course - it is currently plugged into a 4-way in the utility room along with a fridge, washing machine, tumble dryer, bread maker. I think the whole utility room is a spur and there is a freezer and boiler and 300w outside light on the same spur He says an electrician wired the outside light, but there is no fuse anywhere. There is no RCDs anywhere either. But he has a fairly new hager CU so this should be easy to fix (all his downstairs sockets on the same circuit )

 

[JohnD]

there is, if your being really really neat, then use a 20mm holesaw and start it with the pilot right next to the nail and then lift the board, ok, lots of round cut outs but they stay on the joist and the boards up with no splits and easy to fill aswell

Oi, Mr Sparky, what are all these round holes in my floorboards?

They're knot holes

Well, if they're not holes, what are they?