Questions tagged [uk]
Questions specific to DIY projects in the United Kingdom. Use with any relevant project tags (i.e. [electrical])
162
questions
2
votes
0answers
107 views
Euro modules, is there an actual standard for them? or are they just a de-facto thing?
In the UK over the last decade or so a system of modules and faceplaces known as "Euro modules" seems to have taken off. Modules and faceplates are available from a wide-range of vendors. A regular "...
0
votes
4answers
181 views
RCCB trips and causes sockets to lose power, but lights, etc. don't lose power
Several times in the last month, we have experienced small power surges that cause the circuit breakers to trip. Most of the time this has been the "sockets" circuit breaker, however 15 minutes ago ...
0
votes
2answers
139 views
What heating system do I have, and what can I do about water pressure in my shower?
New homeowner (UK based) and getting to grips with all that comes with that. I previously only lived in a flat with a standard combi boiler, my new home seems to have an older system in place ...
1
vote
0answers
273 views
What does the Bearing Plate in a Worcester boiler do?
Recently our Worcester Greenstar boiler became unable to start.
The solution turned out to be that the plastic flaps on the bearing plate had degraded and fallen apart, so the plumber simply removed ...
1
vote
2answers
149 views
Help me understand this power strip installation
I moved into a flat which has the following electrical setup in the kitchen:
Regular looking 4-socket power strip
Combi boiler plugged into power strip
Washing machine plugged into power strip
Front ...
0
votes
1answer
692 views
Can I safely remove/reattach the back of a fitted wardrobe?
I've recently gotten a new flat, and the second room has fitted wardrobes along one wall (e.g second picture). I would like to put a TV and playstation in one of these as I don't need the storage ...
0
votes
0answers
245 views
Leaking waste pipe connector
I live in a semi-detached house in the UK (built in 1946). Until recently, one of the the upstairs bathroom's walls was the outside wall of the house (the side wall). The toilet is connected to an ...
0
votes
2answers
192 views
Can an electrician with 16th edition rules do work in anybody's home?
I did an elim course taking city and guilds for the 16th edition electrical installation and maintenance. Can I still do work in people's houses without having to give certificates the types of work?
...
0
votes
2answers
117 views
Electrical Appliance Killing Extension Leads
I've got a circular saw that has been responsible for damaging a total of three extension leads. Not in the typical sharp bit cutting the cable you may have expected.
I've had the saw for a year and ...
1
vote
4answers
1k views
Will a hammer drill also fix screws?
I’ve just purchased my first home and have many improvements to make but seem to have way too many useless tools cluttering the garage and as they are outdated I’m looking to replace them for a multi ...
0
votes
1answer
71 views
Wiring a ceiling pendant UK wiring
I've done this before, but maybe because I'm replacing a ceiling fan with a pendant light the wiring is different.
I have 3 brown wires, with one live
1 Earth (No neutral wire.)
This is the end of ...
2
votes
1answer
71 views
What are the requirements for fire doors in homes?
A family member is having some major remodeling planned on an end-terraced house. The builder's plans apparently are calling for fire doors on essentially every interior doorway - bathrooms, bedrooms, ...
0
votes
2answers
53 views
Are there requirements for periodic inspection of your consumer unit? (UK)
The house I am in has the sticker I pasted below on the consumer unit.
It "recommends" an inspection 3 years after the prior one. Is this a requirement? Even if it is not required, is it actually a ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
UK regulations concerning external staircases
We're looking to buy a house which has a newly-built external triple garage, which has an external staircase to a storeroom above the garage.
Our plan is to turn this storeroom into an office.
What ...
1
vote
0answers
197 views
Dishwasher chassis outputting an AC voltage
I've recently noticed that touching the metal interior of my dishwasher gives me a slight tingling. I put that (stupidly) to static electricity.
For "fun" I then decided to touch a finger on the ...
1
vote
0answers
62 views
Splicing or Extending 2.5mm2 Twin & Earth (UK)
I am trying to install a WiFi connected smart switch to control a ceiling light. The wall box is too shallow to accommodate this, so I need to install it inline.
To do this, I need to move the circuit ...
30
votes
4answers
21k views
Why am I getting an electric shock from the water in my hot tub?
I have noticed that when I touch the water of my Hot Tub when I am grounded (barefoot standing outside of tub) I am getting a very small electric shock.
Using a multimeter it is reading 2Vac between ...
1
vote
2answers
504 views
Replace door knob with lever handle on rim latch door
I have 1950s solid wood internal doors with rim latches. I want to replace the door knobs with lever handles. The doors are 33mm thick, with narrow (95mm) rails, and have rim latches.
I've been ...
0
votes
3answers
109 views
What do I make of this wiring?
I am trying to replace a toilet pull cord switch.
Wiring seems unusual in the sense that there are:
2x brown wires
1x brown wire that is live and by itself
1x yellow/green earth
no blue wires
...
17
votes
5answers
5k views
What should I be aware of in buying second-hand sinks and toilets?
I am planning an extension to my house, including a new ensuite bathroom and a downstairs WC. To save money and embedded energy I'm thinking of buying secondhand basins and toilets. There seem to be ...
1
vote
2answers
77 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
77 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
810 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 ...
25
votes
4answers
11k 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
112 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
61 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
7k 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
115 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
3k 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
695 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
335 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
Do doors with overlapping swings violate building regulations in the UK?
I am buying a new build property in Salisbury, UK and the cloakroom door swing overlaps the kitchen door swing, so if someone is coming out of the cloakroom at the same time as someone coming out of ...
0
votes
2answers
473 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
102 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
299 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
433 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
169 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
371 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
44 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
45 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
64 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
61 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
159 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
383 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
98 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
85 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
121 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
73 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
62 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
216 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 ...
