Tag Electrical Fittings

Electrical installation is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Small mistakes can result in serious consequences. The term is also a broad term that can refer to a number of different services, this could be as simple as changing a light switch or as complicated as re-wiring your entire property.

When it comes to the idea of electrical installation you should also keep in mind the fact that there are a lot of jobs that can be undertaken. All of these jobs may require different types of material and there are certain factors that determine what sort of material you will need in order to carry out your required task, some of these factors could be:

oThe intended use of the installation and the amount of power that will be needed from the electric circuit

oThe type of occupancy as well as the size of the building

oWhat national and/or local regulations are in place

oThe environment in which the wiring will be operating

Wiring installations are regulated by the IEE Requirements for Electrical Installation. However on the 1st of January 2005, new legislations were brought into effect. From this date it meant that all new installations, alterations and additions to your electrical systems had to be inspected to ensure that they comply with strict safety performance tests. These standards cover the design, installation, inspection and testing of appliances in order to reduce hazards from domestic installations in the hope to reduce accidents associated which them such as fires and electric shocks.

These new regulations plan to address the fact that in the UK alone there are 10 deaths and over 750 injuries each year that are caused by faulty wiring in the home. These findings also highlighted the fact that every year more than 12,200 domestic fires are caused by faulty electrics.

An example of the services that are available to you are electricity cables, the setting up of data networks, testing appliances, installing and testing of fire alarms as well as emergency lighting for hospitals, prisons and nursing homes, CCTV systems, cameras and security systems also form part of the term electrical installation.

Most of the electrical installations within the home are fittings that are known as fixed. The fixed fittings can be seen, for example, in a new kitchen. A new kitchen will require a number of fixed electrical features such as additional sockets, extra lighting, such as spot lighting for otherwise difficult to see areas and also extra appliances such as built in cookers, washing machines and dishwashers. Fixed appliances are electrical aspects that are fixed to the building including sockets, switches, fuse boxes and ceiling fixtures including lighting features.

Getting the right electrical installation that is needed for your home or business is highly important. You need to have adequate fixtures available to cater for all of your appliances but this type of work is highly specialised and takes a great deal of skill to ensure the correct and safe work is carried out, because of this it is important that you enlist the help of a professional to carry out any electrical work that you wish to have done to your property.

Source by Helen Cox

This is a layman’s guide to the things you should consider before embarking on a new build or renovation project.

Terminology

The first problem many people encounter is the bewildering array of electrical terminology used. Here is a brief explanation of the basic terms you will come across.

Gang: the number of switches or sockets on one plate. A light switch with 3 switches is called a 3 gang switch. A standard double socket is called a 2 gang socket.

Way: the number of switches capable of switching a light. For flexibility, most switches are 2-way. A light controlled from 1 switch only requires a 1-way switch (although a 2-way switch can be used without any problems). A light controlled from 2 switches e.g. a landing light, will require two 2-way switches.

Intermediate: if a light can be activated from 3 different switches, two of them will need to be 2-way switches, and the third an intermediate switch.

Single Pole: a single pole switch has one contact. When switched it will break only the live current and leave the neutral current intact.

Double Pole: a double pole switch has two separate contacts and will break both live and neutral currents. Double pole switches are recommended in most situations, especially if there are children in the house.

Planning

Remember, you can put as many switches and sockets onto an electrical circuit as you require. However, it is still worth planning where you will need them before you buy. You should think about the different needs of the room and your lifestyle: where do you require most power sockets? With the proliferation of electrical gadgets you should install more sockets than you think you will need, and make them double sockets rather than single sockets, as the price difference is minimal.

Always buy switched sockets for extra protection. This does not apply to sockets for kitchen appliances such as freezers, which should not be switched in case the switches are accidentally turned off.

Most people only put 1 TV point in a room; don’t make that mistake! Install TV points on at least 2 different walls in a room, you may well want to re-arrange the furniture and move the TV in the future.

Also consider the lighting needs of a room. Dimmer switches provide a relatively cheap and easy way to vary the light levels in a room, particularly useful for creating different moods in dining, living or bedrooms. Remember that if a light is to be operated from 2 places, and one of the switches to be used is a dimmer, the other must be a standard 2-way light switch, not a dimmer.

Flat or raised plate?

The differences here are more than simply aesthetic. Flat plate sockets look sleek, modern and sophisticated, but they also offer a practical, space-saving solution to fitting sockets behind furniture. However, the drawback for renovations is that they often require deeper back boxes than were originally installed, 35mm rather than 25mm. Changing back boxes can be time consuming and messy.

Screwed or screwless?

Aesthetically, screwless flat plate switches give an even more modern look than screwed flat plate, but screwless switches and sockets have an added advantage: they save you time and money too, as they can be fitted without the front plate before you decorate, then painted around quickly and easily without the use of masking tape or worrying about marking the plate. When dry, simply clip the front plate on.

Finishes

Polished chrome, brushed steel and black nickel are the most popular modern finishes. The disadvantage of polished chrome particularly is that it shows up finger marks very easily. One way to help to avoid this is to choose a range where the plate is polished chrome or black nickel, but the switches themselves are made of black or white plastic. Of the 3 finishes mentioned above, brushed steel (also known as brushed chrome) is the easiest to keep clean.

Now you’re ready to take the next step of your project. Good luck!

Source by Paul Blythe

Electricity has made our lives fast, easy and comfortable. Almost everything around us needs some or the other type of electrical installation. According to researches, electrical fires are accountable for almost 300 deaths every year. Most of these fatal incidents are the result of defective electrical fittings. Improper wiring set up, circuit beakers and abnormal use of extension wires are the biggest contributors to these deadly events. So, it’s very important to hire the right professional who has experience in electrical jobs.

Residential fittings

Every residence requires electrical set ups. Whether you’re building a new house or reconstructing the old one, you need a professional electrician for wiring the entire building and connecting the cords to the power lines for receiving electricity. Common items that need electrical mechanisms are wall outlets, circuit breakers and regular appliances like lights, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers.

Car installations

Vehicles are full of multiple electrical elements that need proper fittings. Some common items in a car that need thorough electrical wiring are satellite navigational mechanism, fire alarms and sound systems. What’s more, you’ll find various types of cords below the dashboards, which are crucial for the functioning of the automobile.

Power line fittings

Power lines generally need a trained electrician to make sure that a specific area gets constant electrical supply from generating points. The voltage level in these power lines are quite high and supply electricity to loads of people. Nevertheless, some power lines have low voltage level and make sure that street and traffic lights function properly.

Commercial set ups

There’s a lot of similarity between residential and commercial installations. Nevertheless, there are a few differences between the two. Commercial set ups generally focus on bigger projects like educational institutions, corporations, businesses, factories and manufacturing plants. Commercial and business set ups need electricity that circulate throughout the building. At the time of installation, a professional electrician ensures that a particular building receives sufficient amount of electricity, without placing too much load on the circuit breaker.

So, no matter what the purpose is, choosing the right electrician is very important. A lot of people tend to do the electrical work on their own but that’s very risky. Even the slightest mistake on your part can put your life at stake. So, it’s better to hire a trained person who can execute the task to perfection. However, make sure that you’re hiring the right person. Remember, a wrong professional can spoil the entire set up of a building.

Source by Daniela Scott

Our lives today are unimaginable without electricity and electricians are the people who bring electricity to our homes and offices. Earlier, the job of an electrician was considered a job of an artist and hence, no formal training existed. Knowledge was passed on from senior electricians to juniors. But, now the times are changing. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace that any electrician who does not keep pace with technology will soon be pushed behind by better informed adversaries. Also, a formal training can lead to easier acceptance and immediate recognition in the market place. This brings up the need for electrical courses.

Electrical courses can address a variety of issues based on the target audience and since the audience is from varied cross-sections of the society, so are the courses. The education market is flooded with electrical courses, and a number of institutes have suddenly popped out, offering electrical courses. Some courses are meant for fresh people who wish to make a sound career as an electrician. These courses generally deal with all the basic knowledge an electrician would need as well as take the students through advanced modules to inculcate the intricacies of the profession in them such as safety at work, better installations, team management, working with futuristic materials and latest technology, etc.

Specialized electrical training to handle the installation and maintenance of electrical fittings at offices and factories are also available. Electricians tending to the needs of such commercial establishments have to be very professional and be able to work with large scale installations and ensure that these lines never fail as a single failure can result in a major financial loss, and sometimes even the life of the workers may be at stake. For large scale industries, electricians may have to work in teams and good electrical courses must address this issue also. Electrical courses incorporating a good amount of team work and extensive documentation in standardized codes of the profession are most suitable for such would-be electricians.

There are also electrical courses for those who wish to just learn a bit of stuff for their personal awareness and for handling minor jobs and emergencies. These courses simply consist of introduction to various aspects of electrical fittings and a few hands-on sessions to familiarize the students with the electrical stuff. And that is not all, some electrical courses are especially designed for people who have already been in the profession for quite some time and would like to prove their competence in a standardized format. Upon successful completion of these special electrical courses, experienced electricians can obtain a certificate, which they may need for a job in any big company. Also, certain institutes help in securing excellent jobs after completing the electrical courses they offer.

Hence, whatever you may want to learn to be a successful electrician, chances are very good that you will find a tailor made electrical course which can give you a jumpstart in your career as an electrician or boost your already booming career.

Source by James Copper