builders electricians

[murdock]

i go visit a mate who is doing building alterations...the first electrician no longer works at the house...the second electrician has been chasing walls and fitting surfix...while chasing the walls cuts one of the exsisting light circuits cables...so no problem he puts a juntion box with a connector and all is well...not really because i notice a piece of plastic sticking through the plaster so i get a hammer and chisiel and break the wall open and guess what i find the other connection point done with a connector block and plastered directly into the wall no junction box...but thats not were it ends i look down and see a 6 mm twin +e connected to the 16 mm supply cable which was a couple meters short so they decide to join a 6 mm piece to extend it and were hoping to plaster it into the floor were nobody would even notice it...it would be fine if the electrician was registered and had to issue the COC but i now find out that he is not registered...he advertises as "a cut above the rest" in the highway mail and he is under investigation for bad workmanship on other sites.

[murdock]

thought i would share the pictures...sure dont look like no temp. job to me all chased in and ready for floor screed.

[murdock]

was suspect about this joint box so i chopped the wall open to find the connector block plastered directly in the plaster.

[murdock]

a different site in fact an old age home some uniform chasing done by the builders electrician i wont show you the scary pics...problem with this installation being carried out is that it is below the frail care unit were the old people are locked in for their own safety...eeeeeish...i have to try sleep at night after seeing what i see everyday and there is nothing i can do to stop what is going on because their is no policing of electrical installations in KZN...all i can do is from now on start posting as many pictures as i can to hopefully make someone who has the authourity to put an end to these dangerous illegall installation and prosecute the culprits with fines which will actually make an impact.

[Dave A]

The scary part is once it's all plastered in, you can't see it. Call on a wireman who does a test and now he is held responsible OK. Not quite if you put all the right comments on the COC, but still.

Technically I expect on extensions like this there really should be a new installation sign-off, but I wonder how many people know the difference

all i can do is from now on start posting as many pictures as i can to hopefully make someone who has the authourity to put an end to these dangerous illegall installation

I think I'm going to ask my electricians to start doing the same.

[murdock]

what a waste of my time...i went to visit the house were some of the pics in this thread were taken...all pastered into the wall now... you cant even see the boxes or covers anymore they are all under the plaster and the walls are painted you cant even see there are juntion boxes in the wall ...i asked the home owner so what now... they say they just want the builder off site so the job must get finished... i honestly dont know why i wasted my time...why should i care if the house owner is happy with the crap workmanship and pay the bill knowing what is going on who am i to say otherwise they must suffer for their own stupidity and when they sell the house the electrician who signs the COC wont even know the wiser... after tonight the comments i hear brian made to the electricain (he doesnt know what all the fuss is about) i actually couldnt really care either anymore.

the electrical industry in KZN is a joke...it a free for all.

i see eveyones in for the money...their slice of the cake.

[SilverNodashi]

.... till the day that the wiring melts, which is under the plaster, and could lead to serious problem.

[murdock]

well i have decided after my visit site and the comments made to the electrician on site i am gona go back to making fun of the COC like i have done in the past...look out for COCs filled in by jack sparrow with an ntl no. 10810 p...for pirate...hee hee... lets see how long i can carry on making a mockery of COCc without being caught...i have been issuing them over the past 3 years just to test to see if anyone actually checks them and to date i have had a 1come back...just one lawyer he made all sorts threats but i think he to realised he was wasting his time so i havent heard any more about it...i do feel bad because the poor sucker who purchased that house had quiet a list of faults which were never repaired.

[murdock]

talking about creating bussiness opitunities i see the eca even got wise and has climbed on the COC money making band wagon offering COC coures for R 400+ the coure last 4-5 hours working out to almost a R1000 per hour for the instructor...i have only ever earned that kind of money at Alusaf hillside smelter for work which i had to do on a saturday and sunday...i need to start thinking like a bussiness man and not as an electrician.

[Dave A]

I sent all my wiremen and a few others on that course. A regular brush-up on the regs, trends and latest ideas on best practice is a pretty good idea, I think. In my guys' (and 1 gal's) opinion it was worth the spend.