Bad Electrical Work and RECI

Juwwi

Just have a question .

We got house wiring upgraded ,not a full re wire .

The Registered Electrician used the job for his yearly RECI inspection .

RECI passed the job but some of his work has been brought to my attention that is unbelievable bad , bathroom spot lights aren't suitable for bathrooms and the wires with connectors above the ceiling aren't in a box or even insulation tape put on the connector .

In the new fuse board he has connectors were it looks like cables were short .

The list goes on .

What l cant understand is how can RECI pass this work.

My question Im wondering is there anywhere l can report RECI to ,do the RECI inspectors have someone higher than them they have to report to .?

2011

Have you raised this with RECI? That would be the first step. Perhaps send them an email and include a few photos.

JohnTravers

the connectors above the ceiling and in the distribution board the inspector probably didn't see them


the bathroom spotlights could be ok,you may be mistaken

Juwwi

Thanks for replys ,

No l haven't contacted RECI about it yet .

The electrician failed the test first time around , one of the things he failed on was above the kitchen ceiling he the connectors were on show and he had to get boxes for them, the RECI inspector then not checking if the bathroom lights had the same problem seems poor considering above bathroom ceiling is the attic .

The connectors in the fuse board are visible when the cover is taken off ,, lm not that educated on electrical stuff but l would of presuming the inepector should of taking the cover off.

He doesn't have a continuous earth cable to the earth rod from the fuse board either which l've been informed is a big no no .

2011

Juwwi wrote: »

No l haven't contacted RECI about it yet.

Well start with that and see how you get on.

Juwwi

I presume RECI will just tell me to contact the registered electrician again if l contact them .

Edit didn't see your reply above before l posted ,,

JohnTravers

Juwwi wrote: »

Thanks for replys ,

No l haven't contacted RECI about it yet .

The electrician failed the test first time around , one of the things he failed on was above the kitchen ceiling he the connectors were on show and he had to get boxes for them, the RECI inspector then not checking if the bathroom lights had the same problem seems poor considering above bathroom ceiling is the attic .

The connectors in the fuse board are visible when the cover is taken off ,, lm not that educated on electrical stuff but l would of presuming the inepector should of taking the cover off.

He doesn't have a continuous earth cable to the earth rod from the fuse board either which l've been informed is a big no no .

it's sloppy to leave exposed connectors when you can use an enclosure- it depends on the type of fitting how sloppy it is

i doubt there's an actual rule saying you can't extend the cable to earthrod

connectors in a DB would be allowed but they would need to be mounted on the rail

is there a dispute over money or just the standard of workmanship?

Juwwi

No dispute over money he was fully paid last summer ,Ive just recently came accross this work left behind by him .

Im just annoyed potentially dangerous work has been left and that RECI inspector passed it .

Tuco88

An extra row on the board, and use the top row for din rail connectors is what I used to do. Unfortunately he didn't really do anything wrong with the connectors in the DB, but not ideal unless he used those wago ones? You can get at and inspect them is all that matters.

Juwwi

I didn't get up close to see exact which type of connector but from the ground l don't think it was a wago one looking at google image .

A different electrician was inspecting the board ,this is how I've come accross this information .

The bathroom lights are an easy fix , its more the fuse board issue l was concerned with but doesn't sound now its as big a deal as l was thinking .

JohnTravers

connectors not in enclosure is obviously not allowed


it's hard to say much without seeing the installation

Juwwi

No they aren't in an enclosure ,, just hanging in the middle connecting what looked like a cable that was too short , no insulation tape or anything around it .

Theres at least 2 connectors like this in it.

The RECI inspector failed him first time around on the earth cable only being a 6 square and not a 10 square , thats why l was presuming on the re test that he would of taking off the cover to check earth cable , so twice he should of having the cover off.

Juwwi

While drilling the ground to put in the green box for earth rod outside l suspect he nicked the main cable as there was a bang when he was drilling , l've now also to get someone to break up the path to inspect the cable as its right under where the cable enters the house .

Tuco88

Its probably why it passed the reci inspection, the connectors are located in the DB?

A new D.B can be intresting inspections. Often done as a handy Foxer/Nixer by sone depending on where you are from.

I'm surprised at the RECI inspection, was usually a tooth and comb job.

kramer1

Honestly , I'd rather have strip connectors inside the board than din rail connectors, they look nice but they re useless on solid core cable , they come loose quite a bit.

Juwwi

Is a strip connector safe enough inside the board then ?

It isn't in any box just in the middle of a load of wires with no insulation tape around it .

I could take up the floor above it and put connection under the floor in a box there .

Well not me but an electrician .

From what I've described ,do some electricians use strip connectors in the way my electrician did ?

And would that pass a RECI ?

Thanks for help it's probably difficult without pictures

Tuco88

Well I cant say much, I have not seen the workmanship.

In general yes, connectors are fine located in a DB if terminated well but its not ideal. Personally I would use din rail terminals. If there is space in the DB and slack on the cables it can be done handy enough.

2011

Tuco88 wrote: »

Well I cant say much, I have not seen the workmanship.

In general yes, connectors are fine located in a DB if terminated well but its not ideal. Personally I would use din rail terminals. If there is space in the DB and slack on the cables it can be done handy enough.

+1

It doesn’t sound like high quality workmanship.

Juwwi

It definitely wasn't quality workmanship .

In the kitchen spotlights in the ceiling he failed the RECI test on these because
he didnt have boxes fitted in the ceiling covering the connectors .

I have just found out that instead of disconnecting the wire and putting the wire through the little holes he broke away the plastic so the cover just fitted over the wires ,if that makes any sense .

I dont know the exact name of the box or l'd post up a picture .

This is why Im so annoyed over it and RECI .

The RECI inspector came back why did he not properly inspect the boxes ,why didn't he check if he put any boxes over the bathroom spotlights considering if there's exposed connectors in the attic with insulation up there its even more dangerous .

I asked the RECI inspector about the path outside and told him the story about the bang while he was drilling the ground and he said he did a test and nothing showed up .

An electrician who looked at the area said within 60 seconds he'd be 90% sure he has nicked the mains cable if he was drilling there and there a bang , so now l've to pay to get path broken up and it checked .

There should be someone RECI is answerable to .

When l look on RECI /safe electric site all l see is ways to report the contractor , there is nobody to report an inspector to it seems .

Juwwi

I don't see the point of RECI myself if they pass stuff like this man has left behind .

also this job he picked to do his test on ,what sort of work is he doing when nobody is inspecting it as l would of presumed he'd be trying to do everything as good as he could with the inspection .

2011

Juwwi wrote: »

I don't see the point of RECI myself if they pass stuff like this man has left behind .

also this job he picked to do his test on ,what sort of work is he doing when nobody is inspecting it as l would of presumed he'd be trying to do everything as good as he could with the inspection .

When you feel you have exhausted every possible avenue with RECI you have the option of reporting RECI to the CRU. I would exempt that the threat of this will result in a change in attitude from RECI, so perhaps just “float” this with RECI first

Juwwi

2011 wrote: »

When you feel you have exhausted every possible avenue with RECI you have the option of reporting RECI to the CRU. I would exempt that the threat of this will result in a change in attitude from RECI, so perhaps just “float” this with RECI first

Thanks I didn't know that .. I haven't contacted RECI over this yet .I want to see what damage is done to mains cable before l consider anything .no point me making a fuss until l have facts straight ..

Tuco88

The mains cable he nicked with the drill? Was it from drilling the wall? If its in the floor it must be an swa?

An insulation resistance test is what the reci inspector probably carried out.

2011

Juwwi wrote: »

Thanks I didn't know that .. I haven't contacted RECI over this yet .I want to see what damage is done to mains cable before l consider anything .no point me making a fuss until l have facts straight ..

Be warned: Only go down this road as a last resort.
Things will get nasty and there is no turning back!

Juwwi

Tuco88 wrote: »

The mains cable he nicked with the drill? Was it from drilling the wall? If its in the floor it must be an swa?

An insulation resistance test is what the reci inspector probably carried out.

Yes with a drill ,, drilling the footpath to put the green box down that the earth cable is in outside .

He dismissed it at the time saying it was his drill that made the bang saying "what could l of hitting " the mains cable is way down .

He didn't drill anymore though he left the green box above ground .

Juwwi

2011 wrote: »

Be warned: Only go down this road as a last resort.
Things will get nasty and there is no turning back!

Thanks ,, yes it did cross my mind that no good would come from it .
and l am hesitant of complaining about the RECI inspector .

They will have their ass's covered over things like this , he did his test and nothing tripped .

I presume they will just tell me to get back to the original electrician who l would never use again even if he did say he'd fix the work .

a worst case scenario they come out and condemn the job and tell the esb to turn off the power until everything fixed , (or maybe lm wrrong on that )

l'll wait to see what happens with mains cable inspection ,
will then ask the electrican to cover the esb's bill for repairing it .

other stuff l'll get done ,, they aren't big things ,, the fuse board seems the most awkward it seems .

Tuco88

No test will really show a cable with a nick on it. An insulation resistance test might depending on what damage has been done.

Juwwi

Tuco88 wrote: »

No test will really show a cable with a nick on it. An insulation resistance test might depending on what damage has been done.

That's what he did an insulation test l think ,, he said he had something that would show up a damaged cable underground .

But from what l was telling him happened with the bang , when you open the door on the box outside that has main meter and see the way the cable runs down the wall and look at the spot he drilled it seems common sense he could have hit a cable .( nothing confirmed here but would be crazy not to investigate )

these 2 were telling me there's nothing to worry about forget about it.

Im actually wondering could the RECI inspector and the electrician have been mates or old colleagues or something .

both in their 60's , wouldn't be surprised ,,

Juwwi

I got the cable checked and the REC had hit it .esb repaired it today but came home to this ..that can't be right could it .


Edit tried to attach a picture but cant ,, basically the mains cable is coming out at an angle and going underground but part of the cable is visible between the bottom of the house and then when it goes under ground

2011

kramer1 wrote: »

Honestly , I'd rather have strip connectors inside the board than din rail connectors, they look nice but they re useless on solid core cable , they come loose quite a bit.

I agree with you for some fiddly DIN rail connectors, they tend to deform when tightened. However I have found some makes such as Weidmuller terminals to be excellent.

kramer1

2011 wrote: »

I agree with you for some fiddly DIN rail connectors, they tend to deform when tightened. However I have found some makes such as Weidmuller terminals to be excellent.

I'll keep an eye out for them , hate the look of strip connectors inside a consumer unit but I've come across too many dodgy din rail connectors to trust them. Good to know there's decent ones out there

Tuco88

The only advantage I could see with strip connectors is, you could use both screws if you terminate correctly. As in both cables in one side.

Still try to avoid, and use din rail terminals imo.