Electrical question (while it's quiet)

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

I bought a longer power cable for my TV but it's arrived with no plug, is it still legal (and safe) to fit your own plug? I haven't had to put a plug on something for 30 years. Google was unclear - thanks

 

[moggy]

Of coarse you can.
The regs only ever mention a "competent" person
With that in mind, you could effectively do any electrics at home but always get a sparky to test it.
I'm fully qualified by the way.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Of coarse you can.
The regs only ever mention a "competent" person
With that in mind, you could effectively do any electrics at home but always get a sparky to test it.
I'm fully qualified by the way.

Thanks, it was just that you never see any of the old type DIY plugs anymore, or come to think of it wires stuck direct into the socket and held in with matchsticks like my father used to do back in the 70s!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

There must be a whole generation (possibly two generations) of people who have NEVER changed a plug. Is this skill no longer taught in schools?

 

[Dick Swiveller]

I had to rewire the plug on my old portable TV I use for my old computers the other day. Probably the first time in 20 years I have had to do it.

 

[Justice]

I bought a longer power cable for my TV but it's arrived with no plug, is it still legal (and safe) to fit your own plug? I haven't had to put a plug on something for 30 years. Google was unclear - thanks

Be careful the plug Police will find out and kick your front door in.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Be careful the plug Police will find out and kick your front door in.

A certain type of plug police might kick in his back door too.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I am genuinely astonished. I know that appliances come with plugs these days (or batteries - what a racket and pain in the arse that used to be) but . . . but . . . . but it probably explains why although when I throw out an old electrical appliance I open and remove the plug, I have never made use of the ones I've saved. Maybe I should chuck them out.

What about chaging a fuse in a plug? You must have done that.

 

[jackanada]

I fitted my first plug to a TV when I was 9. The mother had thrown a fit about me watching too much telly and cut the plug off with a pair of secateurs.

 

[fat old seagull]

I hadn't a clue that changing a plug wasn't the norm. Can't remember last time I did, but would cheerfully do it if the occasion arose..... hardly feckin Rocket Science is it?

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Be careful the plug Police will find out and kick your front door in.

Im a bit of a lad, I've bent the law a bit in the past, it was more of a case of I didn't want to compromise my familiys safety. Again just to emphasis i haven't seen a DIY plug on anything for years but then come to think of it I can't remember the last time I saw two teams in the same division play a friendly

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

I am genuinely astonished. I know that appliances come with plugs these days (or batteries - what a racket and pain in the arse that used to be) but . . . but . . . . but it probably explains why although when I throw out an old electrical appliance I open and remove the plug, I have never made use of the ones I've saved. Maybe I should chuck them out.

What about chaging a fuse in a plug? You must have done that.

Yeah I've done it all back in the day, I just wanted confirmation off a sparks that there was no reason not to do it with today's appliances

 

[8ace]

I am genuinely astonished. I know that appliances come with plugs these days (or batteries - what a racket and pain in the arse that used to be) but . . . but . . . . but it probably explains why although when I throw out an old electrical appliance I open and remove the plug, I have never made use of the ones I've saved. Maybe I should chuck them out.

Same here, I've got loads of them stuffed in a cupboard somewhere.

 

[nickbrighton]

I went to get some fuse wire for our admitidly old fuse box the other week, only to find that B and Q deem it to unsafe to sell fuse wire to the public!!, they happily sell nail guns and power tools, but not 13am fuse wire for a fuse box specifically designed for the home owner to change the fuse wire!. quick search on ebay and a nice new load arrived 24 hours later- glad the old rusty nail across the fuse terminals held out!!!!!!

 

[Nottseagull]

Of course you can.
The regs only ever mention a "competent" person
With that in mind, you could effectively do any electrics at home but always get a sparky to test it.

Really? I remember doing some work over Xmas (2004?) to beat some regs due to come in forbidding the amateur (competent or otherwise) to replace the rubber wiring in a lighting circuit.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I was taught to wire a plug at school. Some years ago now

Yellow/green was earth, brown was live, and blue was neutral. Simple.

The other day we had to wire up an outside light in the back garden. Imagine my surprise when it turns out the wiring is no longer in these colours....

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

Really? I remember doing some work over Xmas (2004?) to beat some regs due to come in forbidding the amateur (competent or otherwise) to replace the rubber wiring in a lighting circuit.

He speaketh the truth

 

[Dick Swiveller]

I was taught to wire a plug at school. Some years ago now

Yellow/green was earth, brown was live, and blue was neutral. Simple.

The other day we had to wire up an outside light in the back garden. Imagine my surprise when it turns out the wiring is no longer in these colours....

BLue = Bottom left. BRown=Bottom right . That was how I learnt. Probably not much use now. Or is it? Not seen modern cabling.

 

[moggy]

Really? I remember doing some work over Xmas (2004?) to beat some regs due to come in forbidding the amateur (competent or otherwise) to replace the rubber wiring in a lighting circuit.

Amongst my many electrical qualifications I have which includes the 17th edition to the new amendments, the green book, it never states skilled persons holding certain qualifications.
Obviously you'd never get a job in the industry but it specifies a competant person. Now what quantifies a competant person? To my eyes that means someone who has a good understanding and ability to demonstrate that ability.
I may have lots of electrical qualifications but they may be people who have not been thru college but know just as much as us college goers.
This is clearly why lots of DIYers have a go themselves if they believe they have the knowledge.
Like I said before, always get it tested.
Any new circuit or change of circuit characteristics will need a minor works certificate which is where the normal DIYer would fall down with.

 

[maltaseagull]

I was taught to wire a plug at school. Some years ago now

Yellow/green was earth, brown was live, and blue was neutral. Simple.

The other day we had to wire up an outside light in the back garden. Imagine my surprise when it turns out the wiring is no longer in these colours....

I still use that to remember what goes where.
Do lots of home adding plugs and extra cable length to appliances.Most appliances are imported from Italy here and have two pin plugs whilst Malta has 3 pin like the UK.