I thought you might be interested in an ALDI advert I saw in a national newspaper for an outside "power breaker" socket that the store has on sale.

The caption below the socket reads: "No electrician required to install this extremely useful and safe outdoor power source all year round."

This statement begs numerous questions: How do you get the cable to the socket in the first place? How will the customer know if the circuit it is coming from is rcd protected? Do they know what size cable to use? Oops I forgot, they could go to any large shed and buy that, along with a leaflet telling them how to rewire their house. Are they going to have the equipment to test the works, and more importantly that the rcd is tripping as required?

I was under the impression that all electrical works in a kitchen, bathroom and outside are reportable to building control. Certainly, they are if installed as a new circuit.

Stores are selling and advertising electrical products blatantly encouraging Joe Public to install willy-nilly. Are they going to go to the trouble of reporting this work? No is the answer. Will the store vet the person to find out if they are competent? No. Once again the policing of Part P and the public's awareness of it comes under debate.

Steve Taylor, Roberts & Prowse

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor