Questions tagged [uk]
Questions specific to DIY projects in the United Kingdom. Use with any relevant project tags (i.e. [electrical])
1
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2answers
44 views
What is the first step in fitting a switch to existing wiring?
Below is an image of cables previously connected to a double light switch at a building in the UK. The occupant wanted to know why there was an additional white cable and how to go about fitting a new ...
2
votes
1answer
33 views
Downlight density (spacing)
Im in the process of rennovating my house, and Im at the point of re-doing lighting on the ground floor.
Im looking at putting downlights in, removing the existing clusters of bulbs.
The thing that ...
1
vote
1answer
22 views
Keston C36 Combi boiler - Error E37
According to the boiler manual
E37 Water pressure error - You must top up the water pressure for your system
When opening the fill loop valve to add water pressure, water flows out the exhaust ...
24
votes
4answers
9k views
While drilling into kitchen wall, hit a wire - any advice?
While fixing the extractor hood yesterday, I accidently hit a wire when drilling and exposed the copper. The wires are too tight to get some kind of a box in there and putting an electrical tape may ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Is it safe/allowed to adapt a shaver socket (BS4573) to a standard BS1363 plug (UK)?
Bathrooms in the UK may have a shaver socket that is (to my understanding) limited to supplying 200mA, is protected by an isolation transformer and uses a two pronged plug similiar but not identical ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Connecting a shaver socket
I would like to install a shaver socket in my bathroom and the closest power supply is the bathroom light switch. Instead of lifting all of the loft insulation to find the lighting junction box, is ...
14
votes
2answers
6k views
Are USB sockets on wall outlets live all the time, even when the switch is off?
I got a USB wall socket fitted. When it was installed, I tested the USB port with a tester with the switches off, but the USB outlet was live. Is this normal?
1
vote
2answers
47 views
Can I leave an unused conductor when running wire for an extractor fan?
Whilst wiring a new extractor fan, I’ve ran out of twin and earth but I have some left over three core and earth from the lighting (1mm^2). The fan doesn't have an over-run and only requires 2+e. It ...
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Switches in other bedrooms turning on different lights after I put new light up
I recently put up a light in my bedroom but the switches in other rooms now turn on different lights, there are 9 wires altogether coming through the ceiling, 3 earth which are connected together, 3 ...
3
votes
1answer
115 views
Repair Drywall after electrical work
We've had some electrical work done which has resulted in a number of holes in drywall about 8cm in length by 2cm in height similar to below:
I was intending on making small cuts of plasterboard but ...
2
votes
2answers
116 views
Old Style Fuse Box
I'm in the UK and in the process of buying my first house (early 1900's victorian terrace). I paid for a home buyers report which came back with some areas for improvement, one being the fuse box. The ...
0
votes
2answers
72 views
How to safely cap a wire coming from a wall
I'm in the UK. I have taken two electric radiators off the wall, one behind where my fridge goes, and one behind a set of shelves. Each radiator has a standard (live/neutral/earth) wire coming out of ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
What is this object on my exterior wall?
This object is attached to the exterior wall of my three-year-old, estate built house. It sits immediately above the patio doors and internally, on the same wall, there is a black cable protruding ...
1
vote
2answers
104 views
Fused switches…where do they go?
As I know some systems and terminology are different worldwide, I will start off the post by saying I live in the UK.
There are a number of fused switches in my flat. Some of them I know what they ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
DIY copper lamp earthing
I'm planning on building a copper pipe based lamp along the lines of this: https://www.instructables.com/id/Copper-Pipe-Table-Lamp/
I currently have a lamp holder terminal of this brand: https://s-...
1
vote
2answers
142 views
What sort of lock do I need?
Would anybody know what sort of lock do I need based on this pictures? I'll dissemble it if that's impossible, but I wanted to avoid having to do the work twice and just buy the replacement.
I'm ...
1
vote
2answers
59 views
Do I need to install a local ground point for a secondary consumer unit in my shed?
I've just installed outdoor sockets on the side of my brick shed, where previously we just had a double socket inside the shed itself. The original socket in the shed is on a spur from the ring main ...
0
votes
1answer
36 views
Dimmer dims the lights about once a second
I have a dimmer (Richmond/Zano GRID500) that, when turned up to full brightness, dims the lights on and off at a rate of about 1 Hz.
Turning the brightness down just a bit makes the blinking stop.
...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
In a one-way dimmer, can C and L1 terminals be swapped?
In a one-way dimmer switch, does it matter which way round the C and L1 terminals are connected (both electrically and in terms of UK wiring regs)?
For context, I have a dimmer that's wired the ...
0
votes
0answers
61 views
Is one failed test enough evidence to replace an RCBO?
The consumer unit in my shed (in the UK) has an RCBO.
I pushed the test button and the breaker did not trip.
I then reset and rearmed the breaker using the lever. It now trips every time I push the ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
How to spec buried wiring to a garden workshop
In the next few weeks, I'm installing a wooden garden workshop, 25 metres from the house at the bottom of the garden. I will need an electricity supply to it, and I'm trying to figure out exactly what ...
0
votes
3answers
68 views
How to wire a USA 50amp 2 phase double pole breaker supply for a UK 240v high capacity shower pump
I have recently moved to the USA from Scotland. I brought with me a "Waterfall" 3 bar shower pump, operating on UK 240V, 50Hz A/C,rated at 4 A, 850W, IPX2.
In our house we have a disused 50amp supply ...
4
votes
2answers
100 views
Light switch position in the room
I'm trying to place a light switch in a sensible place in a new room being built as part of an extension. I know that according to the building regulations, the switch must be at least 300 mm from ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Is this paint lead based?
In my cellar there’s a thin layer of crumbling paint directly on brick.
I am concerned that it might be lead based, and I need a better mask than a cheap dust mask. The house is old, Victorian (early ...
1
vote
0answers
64 views
Connect washing machine drain pipe to existing outlet
I am trying to install a washing machine next to our boiler. I don't have an SDS drill so I'm trying to get away with not drilling a hole in the cavity wall. There's an existing hole through the wall ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Does FENSA certificate prove that bay window meets structural requirements?
I am in the process of buying a house. One concern raised by the surveyor was that the replacement plastic bay window frames may not be adequate to carry the load of the wall (the original wooden ...
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Replacing light fixture UK unable to determine which wire is which
We had our kitchen redone within the last year, part of that was adding a new light fitting which was to be replaced later in the year.
That time is now, I've just taken the old one off which has ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Replacing dual light switch
I’ve the following set of wires:
And this dual light switch:
The switch controls light and fan, how to connect it to those wires?
Update
The old witch was connected in the following manner:
0
votes
3answers
76 views
Cutting off electrical supply to replace consumer unit
I have a 1946-built semidetached house in the UK, which has a standard 10-way consumer unit installed. Now, after having a new extension built, I need to replace it with another CU (10-way isn't ...
0
votes
1answer
100 views
How do I ground this metal switch faceplate? (UK electrical)
I'm replacing a plastic light switch with a metal one - so need to ground it.
Have done this before - where backbox has been metal, so easy to run a flywire from switch to grounding point on metal ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
What are these connectors on UK plug socket internal wiring?
My friend is renovating an old house in the UK. I was interested to notice that all of the (removed) mains sockets had these plastic terminals on the ends of the wiring coming out of the wall. I've ...
1
vote
2answers
361 views
Convert wall light to 3 pin plug
I'd like to put a couple of wall lights outside my garage but I don't want to wire this into the mains electricity as I want to connect them to a plug so I can control it with IFTTT.
Can I simply buy ...
0
votes
2answers
52 views
(UK) Timber stud sizes and types, 38mm vs 50mm
Can anyone clarify why some shops sell 50mm thick studs, while others sell 38mm ones? I'm having a hard time finding explanations for this.
Some sites even list both sizes!
I need to build a stud ...
4
votes
1answer
248 views
What are electrical rings?
I was mulling buying a powerline adapter, when I read this, from Which magazine.
There's one major caveat, however - powerline adapters won't work if your home electrical circuit is split over more ...
2
votes
1answer
362 views
Damaged oven plug, possible unsafe installation
I have an oven that was installed prior to moving into the property. It was connected to a regular UK plug socket via a regular plug. Recently power to the oven has been cutting out and it sounded ...
-1
votes
1answer
112 views
How do I correctly identify the purpose of a wire?
I have recently moved into a new home. When I tried to have internet set up, I realized there was no phone/internet socket.
I eventually realized that there were four TV/aerial sockets next to each ...
1
vote
1answer
102 views
How do I tell if an electrician is “qualified” in the UK?
(All of this is with regard to living in England, UK).
My wife and I bought a house recently, and it clearly needs a bit of work on the electrics and a number of other jobs which would affect ...
1
vote
2answers
342 views
Safety of clamping two solid core wires in a ring circuit socket
I just bought a house in the UK for the first time and have discovered the joys of ring circuits. One of the
double sockets in the house was faulty (switch would always stay on). I took it off the ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
Interior 30s wall construction
can anyone identify the materials in this wall? It's an interior wall in a 1930s UK house. Obviously ... bricks, and the outside is some kind of lime plaster I think. What is the black material?
2
votes
1answer
119 views
How difficult/costly would it be to extend a 400V 3-phase domestic supply 150m down a garden in the UK?
I do a lot of technology work for a large country house in the UK. We're currently looking at getting electricity 150m up the garden.
Despite being a residential property, the electrical supply ...
1
vote
2answers
478 views
How feasible is a brick veneer fake wall?
We want to brick veneer our chimney breast (Which has a TV mounted to it) but I had a thought that would allow us to hide the wires, brick veneer the wall and also keep the wall behind in a clean ...
2
votes
0answers
539 views
Boiler issue diagnostic steps for a layperson (E37/E99)
I'm having some boiler woes which seem to have stumped my landlord's plumber, and I'm wondering if there's any clues people more experienced with this setup may recognise, or any recommended ...
2
votes
1answer
206 views
Cable choice for kitchen. Maximum demand and diversity
I'm trying to calculate and chose the correct cable to rewire my kitchen. The general vibe for creating final ring circuits is to use 2.5mm Twin & Earth apart from the cooker.
I've been reading ...
0
votes
1answer
324 views
One of my 3 pin socket is not working
I have a dual 3 pin plug socket which one of them is not working now. Previously, all I had to do was to kind of palm-slap onto the plug of my laptop a couple of times to get it working and sometimes ...
3
votes
3answers
3k views
Joining two 10mm twin and earth cables
I've had an electrician install some new wiring for me for our new electric car charger. It is 10mm twin and earth. He's had to join two of these together, he hasn't fully finished yet, but I'm ...
0
votes
0answers
56 views
Ventilation for Garage below house
We have built a garage into our new build 4 story town house (garage and upper floor plans attached) which sits below the main house in its foot print. The floor above the garage is beam and block ...
17
votes
2answers
13k views
Is there supposed to be a gap between the wall and the roof?
We bought a new house last year. Going up to the loft we noticed there is a considerable gap (5-6 cm) between the roof and the wall, like this:
Is it supposed to be like that?
It's freezing up there ...
5
votes
1answer
230 views
Mains wires aren't paired, is this a problem?
I'm wanting to add another socket outlet to my ring main, on the opposite side of the wall to an existing socket outlet.
When I've removed the old socket the live and neutral wires aren't paired (...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
40 to 50 Volts on Generator (Neutral to Earth) “Normal”?
We recently installed a new generator (Mosa GE6000SX) and during the troubleshooting process for something else, the electrician noticed that when the generator was running but disconnected with no ...
1
vote
2answers
146 views
Is whitewood timber suitable for loft boarding?
I'm planning to part board my loft (an area about 2.5m by 2.5m) for storage and it seems like the norm is to use tongue and groove chipboard like this. However I have some concerns about it;
The ...
