Electrics

[CJC]

I have recently moved into a new house, and been decorating. Well when I was painting my walls I removed the plug sockets and put them back as before well I noticed that the red wire was going into neutral and black was going into live. Whereas in this diy readers digest book it says that red is live and black in neutral so I followed readers digest book and it still works?

Is is possible for it to work either way?

I also noticed this on the light switch and I have put it the way the book says. black = neutral red = live.

Am I doing this right, or should I keep it the way it was?

[Frank Erskine]

You really *must* have the whole installation tested and remedial action taken. It may be that the reds and blacks are reversed at the CU as well, so that electrically the polarity is correct, but with wire colours wrong.

[mrcheerful]

an appliance will work with the wires either way round, However, it is wrong, get an electrician in to put it right, failure to do so might kill someone, possibly you.

[CJC]

Is this something I can work out myself? if all the plug fixtures in the house are wired reverse would that then suggest I should make sure they are all backwards?

[Frank Erskine]

No. You have to make sure they're all the RIGHT way round, as well as the connections to the CU. If they're wrong, what's the chances of light circuits also being wired incorrectly, so that lampholders are still live as you change a bulb?

[CJC]

Just called an electrician and they said call out is =A360 plus =A320 for each hour. Is this reasonable?

is there anything I should look out for when getting an electrician i.e any type of approval etc.

[The Simpsons]

..........................................

Why not check each socket yourself with one of these.

[CJC]

Cheers for that, that looks brilliant.

So presumably if I get one of those, plug it into each socket, what ever one says its crossed over I then unscrew the plug face plate and swap them around?

Or any other suggestions how anyone would tackle this?

[philipuk]

You need to make sure the entire installation is correct. (i.e. wires have the correct polarity at both ends). I would suggest that from the nature of these posts you havn't a clue what you are doing and should get a man in.

Philip

[CJC]

completely agree I have not much idea about electrics, completely a PC man myself.

Though would it not be reasonable to say that if that plug tester said they're wrong way round and then I swap the live and neutral round and then the tester says its correct - then would it not be correct??

Then as longs as each plug in the house registered correct then its ok?

[philipuk]

If you can't see the pitfalls with that then you are not competant to do the work. Get someone more knowledgeable in.

Philip

[CJC]

Ok fair point, obviously to someone in the know.

I'll stick to computers and get the experts in.

Does anyone know what I should look for in an electrician i.e. boilers you ask for corgi registered is there any particulars for an eleci?

[Richard]

chances are its a one off, somebody has replaced it in a rush and has been careless, it could have been like that for years. Highly unlikely that the whole house is wired arse about face.

[Richard]

chances are its a one off, somebody has replaced it in a rush and has been careless, it could have been like that for years. Highly unlikely that the whole house is wired arse about face.

[Handy]

Google for qualifications electricians UK

[philipuk]

Totally agree.

Philip

[CJC]

Just has a quick google and got the following:

part p self certification scheme kitemark bsi approval

thanks for everyone's help. Hopefully it is just a little bit that is incorrect and not the whole thing.

How much is reasonable for an eleci fee, as earlier i was quoted =A360 call out and =A320 an hour on top?

Cheers

[Staffbull]

sounds reasonable.

[Tim..]

part p self certification scheme kitemark bsi approval

thanks for everyone's help. Hopefully it is just a little bit that is incorrect and not the whole thing.

How much is reasonable for an eleci fee, as earlier i was quoted £60 call out and £20 an hour on top?

No call out fee with either of the local electrican's I use (south shropshire) but they both charge £20 / hr. Thats pretty good value as it goes..

Tim..

[Tim S]

What you probably need to be asking for is a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) and will cost, probably in the region of 150-200 these days (guess, based on extrapolating the fee from 4 years ago).

It's a prescribed and fairly thorough inspection and electrical test.

HTH

Tim