I don't think it's a residential abode. It certainly looks like a residential place but the blue door stickers and the fire extinguisher blankets on the wall are not normal things to find in a normal home. At least not the ones I have been to hehe. It could be a stopping off or rest place for overnight workers having to work multiple days to save them having to travel so much. Or it could also be a training property.
This is why we served a proper apprenticeship all those years ago,you dont become an instant electrician in a few weeks ,worked in the electrical industry most of my life and i am still learning and willing to learn ,the sparky that knows everything is now dead ,!!!!
I bet the error wasn't made by someone who wasn't time served and trained. This lack of double checking and professionalism is far too common. It's a murderous error. The tester should lose their job qualification and this should be publicised.
I’ve seen time served boys do worse . Again are we thinking that this was done by someone one who wasn’t time served . Never assume . But always check your work .
As a retired electrician I thought what beautifully arranged wiring, a consumer unit I would have complete confidence in, however a hidden death trap lays ready not far away. My first thoughts were an induced current from a high current circuit into a the lighting neutral, however, I was confused regard LEDs allowing current to flow through the neutral. If I were testing a ring main socket I would have use my plug in tester, also I do find my volt stick very useful. Every month, I am being pressurised into having a smart meter installed, instinctively it doesn't seem very smart to me. I take and send in my meter readings every couple of months. Your explanation and presentation does your company credit
Please rethink the idea about smart meter = bad again, dynamic pricing will be unavoidable if we like to be self reliant on electrical power, that is the nature of renewable production right now
I fitted a couple of thousand so called gas smart meters for a IGT they were crap at the beginning and from what I hear still are regardless of what make or model I for one will never have one! and they are spies sending all your info to the shippers which they get paid for but the biggest thing is remote shut off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not mentioned by any advert shipper or whomever
@@tarant315 Au contraire, why don't you reconsider the practicality or possibility of renewable power? If it had been an honest announcement that there would be variable pricing and that smart meeters were needed, that would have been one thing. Anything that starts with a lie can never be truthful, and it started off with the preposition that by knowing your consumption at any instant, you could somehow consume less. Follow-up idea gas central heating boilers which are between 95 and 99+% efficient (depending on how you choose to corrupt the measurement) are wasteful because heat pumps can produce up to 4 times the amount of heat than the energy delivered to them. I can try to explain that only thirty-something percent of the calorific value of the fuel used to generate your electricity ends up as electrical power at your house. Simple clue, what does your gas cost you per kWh, and what does your electric cost you per kWh? So let's add a massively complex system to get us to be where about we were, whilst having to balance a generating capacity and distribution infrastructure for all the electric cars we will have. When did you last have an electrical power cut? Have you ever heard of a gas power cut?
@@COIcultist my last power cut was 3 weeks ago, but with a battery in the house, I have backup power on a extension line. It's not the wastefulness of oil or gas, but the pollution they create and yes I can't build a power station which will provide me with 100% clean energy, but my solar brought this up 60% from my side
The amount of times I've touched neutral and not even thought about it twice is unreal. I'm not an electrician but I do all my own work and I don't even bat an eyelid at neutral. This video just made me reconsider that 😂
Any work I do I treat everything as live just in case. My house has real old wiring and most wires are the same colour, so the only way to tell is with a volt meter anyway.
Great video, very well presented but more importantly well done for exposing what is clearly total incompetence! It's very concerning to know that there are contractors who are installing this equipment and must have some sort of certification but are actually leaving electrical systems in such a dangerous state. As you mentioned you were very lucky not to have been seriously injured as a direct result of this extremely poor installation! ⚡🤯
About 52 years ago, I came across the same when the local power company replaced a meter. I got a shock off a mains valve radio chassis I was repairing, it should have been neutral. I argued with my parents that their supply was wrong. They called the company who reluctantly came out and quietly did a bit of wire swapping. They probably wondered why this 14yr old kid was asking so many questions. At least they admitted to my parents they’d made a mistake. I took a career in electrical engineering, then electronics, then programming, then IT and Cybersecurity….but never get my live & neutral mixed up😳😊
Are you in the UK or one of the UK's commonwealth countries? Anywhere else in the world an there is no protection against line and neutral swapping at the outlets,
great video .... i am currently a smart meter engineer ...not for that company fortune...after being self employed for 10 years in the UK Gas and electrical industry and so i fancied a change from the hard house bashing graft. and here's my thoughts...firstly he /she should have powered down and up correctly. On charging the meter once energized a simple socket plug in tester would have prove this reverse polarity situation straight away ..and so it would prompt him to check his work and rectify....job done However... where i fault the industry is that way they will Fastrack literally anyone with absolutely no knowledge or experience to a meter operative in just 14 Weeks to work on both gas and electric and send them out live to work in people's property....yes i said just over 3 months training ... now you cannot buy experience in that time ... Even now i know of engineers who cant solder or alter pipework for gas or scared of having leaks ...let alone how to relight an old gas appliance like a warm air unit or back boiler once the gas meter has been changed. Then you have the company constantly on your back for more productivity daily ...not knowing even what the job even looks like to begin with...ie bring the wireing up to regulations with use of connector blocks or isolators. Which then brings me to my final point ...unfortunately after a very short while in the industry.. the company makes engineers loose intererst because of the constant micro managing bs and the job agencies recruiting for for the competition will lie and sell you the dream so that they can earn a commission... The final nail in the coffin is ...ots not even LAW atm to have smart meter fitted ... these companies are bullying customers with scare tactics .... to have them so that they can earn money from the Government and reach a fictitious target by a certain date . Thats my 2 cents ...Im going back to being self employed ... Oh and the pay is Shit ...for the qualifications and knowledge that you need let alone someone with my experience...bailing them out all the time on situations like this Hope this helps . Send this video clip to the news media.....but i bet you it will not be shown on TV ...😂 I dont know which of the above caused this ...but they need to either be retrained or get out of the industry as this could have been alot worst ...Thank God .
Thanks buddy, I've worked in the gas industry for 10yrs, previously electrical industry, recently thought of packing up & going to dual fuel meter installer with energy companies, but wouldn't be happy with targets and bs. Rather work at my own pace, with no one on my case !. And doing good work of course
Not sure who you work for to be live after 14 weeks. But before you jump on the band wagon, watch the video again. The sparky only had a reverse on one consumer unit, how is that possible if the meter engineer put his tails into the lucy block the wrong way round? If you are really a meter engineer than you should be calling bullshit about now. The sparky left one of the consumer unit reversed for two years! and your jumping on the bandwagon blaming the meter fitter?
What it's actually not law..so can the home owner ask for a replacement analogue meter or are they dateless.. Our supplier says the analogue meter is out of date and needs replacing? Any opinion is very welcome..
@@Porkchop259 He only showed us one consumer unit so why do you assume the other one was correct? And do you really think he would have made this video after realising the mistake was his in the first place? It's not credible. Plus, the label on the smart meter said the kitchen socket was tested, which was wired to the CU he showed us. Therefore the meter installer obviously falsified this test. He was 100% to blame.
@@Rockall57 they are lying and using scare mongering tactics to bully you into upgrading to a SM....Dont do it ....cause once to go smart ...its extremely difficult to go back to a traditional or analogue meter ... they wont do it . The excuses the use are... 1. your meter is reaching the end of it lifespan .... 2. Your house insurance will be void if you dont get it . 3. You have to have it . Its all BS ...
I just watched this video to see what it was about. Scary, but very glad I watched it. Lay people like myself often just trust without question that whoever is sent to their homes to do work is full trained, qualified and knows what they are doing. Thanks!
Yes it was a really neat install, hard to do within time constraints, but it paid off. That live neutral could easily kill, we all work on boards live, despite advice.... i have changed what i will do re: testing due to this video, and i have 33 yrs experience!
I'm a sparky here in glorious Devon, the tricky thing here is if the socket outlets are single pole switched then any appliance can still be 'live' when the user thinks it is switched off and safe. Brilliant work on the consumer unit.
This is a situation where test & inspections is absolutely vital, the regs are changing all the time, but the basics of polarity will never change. Cracking videos, well done 😎👍
Don't feel you owe any privacy to the culprits, this is a serious failure of duty. They needed an emergency call to recify the fault and be reported to the HSE. They can pin it on you if youve cut the seals or at least use that to muddy any investigation.
Yes, Although he didn't actually show it in the video, I hope this guy videoed/ took photos of the opening & the inside of the Henley block, before & after correcting the defect. Just in case any evidence was needed for any problems later on.
@@RichieReportsUK_UKCNews The Henley block is on the consumers side, so he is allowed to cut that seal, it doesn't *need* to have a seal on it... however, when the meter was changed, the meter fitter should have fitted a double pole isolator between the meter & the Henley Block.
Great example of testing and fault finding. Well done solving this one. Scary situation and you would hope the meter installation contractor would get a serious warning about this!
That's all very well YOU bumping your gums that it wants reporting, to who exactly? NO-ONE cares, they just pass the responsibility of it around. The electricity company might just send the same clown out or another equally non-qualified muppet, health & safety wont show any interest, the Fire Brigade wont get involved, they'll only tell you to try complaining to Trading Standards or to speak to Citizen's Advice or even your local authority, at the end of the day, the person's left with a KILLER supply and the reality is, NO-ONE CARES!
reporting to who? supply provider doesnt give a shit about you. I told a meter installer what I thought about him and his time keeping and they just black listed me!!
Should report it to DNO/provider, not so much to get the installer in trouble but to highlight possible issues in their training packages and retraining to the installer! Good educational video, thank you!
Great video! I agree, at the end of the day "we're only human", however 142 years after the first Electric Lighting Act and countless steps, pages of standards and costs later to minimise risk this basic error should be a never event. But what do these big companies care as long as their profit margins increase every quarter.
At the risk of making a poor joke about something so serious....TRULY SHOCKING! Incredible that the basic safety checks must have never taken place. That is so appalling. Great that the landlords have you as their electrician. A really comprehensive and clear video. You are a good man👍🏻
Thanks so much for your comments it is so much appreciated that junction box is a death hazard to human people the people who left it that way are frightening cheers bro for your work in pointing this out thanks Declan 🖐️🖐️👍👍👍🙏🙏
As a professional I understand making a mistake. However, there is no excuse for lying about test results that put the residents at mortal risk. Whoever did this is not fit for the job - ever and the company should be sued for the cost of the electrician.
Mistakes happen. Not finding this sort of mistake should not. If I make a simple change to something don't test and the ATM doesn't pay out when that fitter next tries to get cash he'll be annoyed but chances are it's not life threatening (unless if being mugged I guess) but I'll have a whole day lost explaining myself and potentially find my position eradicated. Was the fitter even given a half hour refresher course after this? Probably not, that would cost a tiny, unnoticeable fraction of the electric co's profits.
It's NOT a mistake, in the UK you're not allowed to touch Gas or Electricity unless you're qualified and legally registered to do so. The person who did that in the video committed a crime by falsifying the test and if anyone had been killed by it like the guy filming could have then they would go to prison for manslaughter, and if their boss forced them to do it they also go to prison for corporate manslaughter. There's mistakes, then there's serious crimes.
I’m going to agree with the comment, humans make mistakes, that is why final testing is so important. I also agree that sometimes live work is necessary to test, but you should always have extra precautions when working on anything live. The first and most important thing is to assume every terminal is live until testing proves otherwise. That simple rule has saved my life several times over. As for rectifying the problem, that is up to you to decide if someone fitting meters deserves to get away with potential killing you, or me (if I was to go there), or the customer. I don’t think it is acceptable to have skipped the final testing, thus putting lives at risk. I understand you need to make sure the customer is safe and happy, but also that you document everything and report the problem.
That was excellent buddy, I hope you reported it to the responsible body immediately to get that person correctly trained. Thank goodness it did not cause the cold taps to become live!
I’m not an electrician and basically know nothing but I knew straight away that the polarity was wrong. Anyone with a brain cell could work that out. Keep up the good work mate. Excellent video
Funny enough, I`m a retired spark from the local DNO ,the last time my smart meter was changed the meter fixer connected my house reverse polarity at the DP switch..right in front of me ! luckily no issues. And talking about electricians getting a shock, when I got called out to jobs where an electrician got a shock because of a fault/mistake on the DNO side , the electrician was quite right to be annoyed...but I always asked the spark " what was the very first thing you got taught as an apprentice.......prove the equipment is not live with your test gear.... unfortunately we all get blasé because we work with electrics all the time.
It pays to do one's job correctly. Enjoyed this video. I can't understand why a meter installer doesn't have to be trained better. Like you said, this could kill someone. Your breaker boxes seem to be better designed than what we have in the United States. Your boxes are neat and laid out well, allowing the wiring to be much neater. You do good work and knew the problem had to have been created after you did the original installation. I also learned that British English is quite different from American English. 😀
As a DIYer - one of those people _constantly_ denegrated by UA-cam electricians - I just want to say I *really* enjoyed this. A beautiful diagnosis of a major, and potentially lethal, cock-up made by a 'professional'. In all the years of doing minor electricals around my home I have _never_ done anything like this. I may be unqualified but I am very, very, VERY careful and methodical. Safety, safety, safety. (And no, I never touch meters or CUs.) Also, full credit to you for making a video without being acidic about the person who made the mistake; we are indeed all human.
Gotta say, if that's the consumer unit as you installed it bravo, that's some of the nicest work I've seen in a LOOOOOONG time, glad to see somebody who still takes pride in their work. Soon as I saw the 240V on the neutral bar I knew they'd swapped active and neutral from the meter.
I did a project with nPower in Leeds a few years back. We were developing a handheld unit for meter installers. Immediately after completing the installation, before starting any tests, a screen would come up on the handheld unit, asking the engineer to do a visual check of polarity. The screen background had to go red to ensure they were alerted to this visual check. Why? Because of the number of times meters were installed with reversed polarity. I won't give you the figure but it was astonishing how many times this happened... You've got one job!!!
[Because of the number of times meters were installed with reversed polarity. I won't give you the figure but it was astonishing how many times this happened.] Viewing this from across the Atlantic, and having helped work on UK mains in work sojourns in the electronics industry, your claim validates my observation. That 'Henley Block' offers an overwhelming chance for mistakes.
Your "that's impossible" moment at 5:41 reminds me of how as a software guy we usually ask: when was it last known to be working, and what's changed since then? We have version control systems to show us everything that's moved but you're relying on an informed client
That was a very interesting video that you’ve just put out but worrying to see that sort of workmanship you’re very lucky to spotted that thanks for sharing it with us
Nice wiring in that consumer unit . Well done . I wish all consumer units looked like this when opened , it would make an electricians life much easier .
I'm an electronic engineer (not an electrician) and I'm shocked that an electrical supply company could get such a fundamental thing wrong. Clearly, no proper test was done.
I'm a retired electrician, i have seen this many times before smart meters on industrial sites as well domestic properties, they was seasoned electricians, We were doing an electrical installation on some industrial units, my colleague while installing cable had an electrical shock from the neutral bar, when we tested the Black phase conductor was connected to the neutral while the blue conductor was connected to the Phase terminal of the 3 phase meter. The installer got suspended for failure for not checking his work on a 3 phase 415v system installation and endangering life. I think the meter installers are not qualified electricians. only trained ? on meter changing.
@@123tinhat123 I keep getting phones calls about changing my meter, but when i ask if the meter installer has 17th / 18th edition of the IEE REGS their is silence at the other end of the phone. and i will want to see evidence of this before they do any electrical work
The only other thing is that the connector block is actually wired backwards,the have to be infront for safety reasons,its still the engeneers fault for not checking but its partially the electricians fault too
@@naydenangelov8598 Yes you are right the live conductor's should be on the rear connection block and the neutral's on the front connection block, So if the cover is removed from the henley block only the neutrals could be accidently touched.
I got a belt off a neutral bar once, suspected that, but it was a completely different wtf,..... 3ph incomer with 3 individual 1ph CUs, a live was coming out of one CU and returning the N to the CU i was working on, which was isolated (or so i thought)... (no rcds obviously)
As you stated the mistake was excusable but the failure to test correctly is not. I would guess the "test at the kitchen" was to turn the toaster on and since it worked it's ok we are good. Someone could have been seriously if not fatally injured here from this.
I suspect he (or she) did the test at the start, with a plug tester, standard procedure, but failed to do the same after the work, because polarity was correct at the start
Yes, they are the ones who are providied with martindales. Gas workers aswell as Sparks. Supposed to leave them in until supply restored so that you are testing from same point. No use in testing at one skt b4hand and at a different skt afterwards. That 2nd socket itself maybe wrong polarity for years before and not whole installation. That way, these one day course sparks would panic and nprobably change tails to wrong polarity. At least 1 skt would be ok... LOL
I guessed it was polarity, and was trying to clock the meter as I have myself experienced the DNO/Smart Meter installers causing such issues …3 times now in my 25 years of Electrical vocation. I myself am a Spark from Bristol, and I commend you on your workmanship, Leon, I can see that you take great pride in your work. I always make the rear most connector in a two pole link box the live, reason being they are made from Bakelite which can be broken relatively easily, and I assume that in the advent it was knocked and damaged then the Live would hopefully be a little more inaccessible being at the bottom and the back, and I’ve always explained to my apprentices why I do this. I also use a marker to denote a L or N on the cable as it enters/leaves these boxes. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way, but I try to use single pole Henley boxes since the fore mentioned issues now anyway, as this seems to be far to easily messed up by these 3rd parties! *Also, I think a 2 Pole isolator should always be fitted by them, as we shouldn’t have to make appointments to isolate someone’s electrical supply when carrying out our work.
I'm an electrician, and the first thing I noticed was what a lovely neat Fuse board, well done. By the way, did the DNO not fit a main isolator switch as part of smart meter install, makes it really tricky to alter main tails in service connectors without removing main cut out fuse
This is what happens when the person changing the meter is NOT a trained electrician and has only gone on a 1 day course. Just had my "Smart" meter changed for the third time ( late last Friday). The "Meter fitter" got a screw cross threaded and asked to borrow a hammer to bang the screw in. A complaint will be going in at 9.00 AM tomorrow.
@@mohammedusman7065 Those meters are very customer unfriendly, they measure apparent and reactive power which the mechanical ones were not, plus the inertia of the disc in old meters did not count usage "spikes", everyone that I know said their bill has gone up after getting smart meter.
@@picklyplum Sorry to burst your bubble but I have had 3 Smart Electricity meters fitted by G4 meter fitters, sub-contracted to British Gas, who have been open about only going on a 1 day "Meter fitting" training course and now I have had 2 visits from Octopus sub-contractors to change my electricity Smart Meter. Neither of then have either done any "Apprenticeship" nor have any of them been trained "Electricians". Ps I have already lodged a formal complaint with Octopus and tomorrow I will be sending them photo's of the newly installed isolator switch c/w its hammer driven bent cover screw.
No way should you have rectified ,emergency call to DNO and firm who installed also notification to HSE, Too many of these instances along with gas meter changes where no proper tests are carried out .Once you took off those seals proof gone.
Yes i had a similar situation with things tripping. Turns out that they left the neutral loose. It was quite burnt and if left could possibly have caught fire. It wasn't the DNO but an energy sales company who also do GAS...LOL. They tried to charge me £185 call out, in case it was not their fault. I retorted, i shall just go to the papers and explain why you're risking burning a family to death, and happy to leave them without electricity. They came eventually, no apology was given. 😞
Yeah, agree with Eddie, you should report to HSE and tell client what you've done. It's good that you filmed it. Funny that the landlord phoned you rather than the meter installer
I don't disagree with anything you say but, who wired the Henley block back-to-front in the first place? I very much doubt that it was the (probably inadequately trained) MO (meter fitter). Certainly the MO should have done a final polarity check, but these days the "training" is all about quantity, not quality.
I'm a wireman. Basic checks to ensure polarity is correct throughout. Obviously none carried out here. That company who installed the smart meter should be repromanded for that. Your a decent pro tradesman who found the fault. Luckily the tenants were not electrocuted by this shoddy work.
Lack of testing is inexcusable, but I can see why they buggered the job up. In my experience Henley blocks usually have the neutral at the front and the live at the back, so they just assumed this block was wired like this. 🤦
Hi I agree, this is how all double Henley blocks should be wired. If anything the outgoing tails have been connected in reverse and with no colour identification on the tails, I blame the contractor for doing this, I can see how this has occurred, however there is no excuse for not testing properly.
Yeah I spotted the exact same. It caused the meter fitter to get caught out. He's a fool for not testing. But you can see why it actually happened in the first place. The electrician here bears some responsibility.
As a rertired Electro-Mechanical Engineer [ HND ] and a past owner of a very successful Mechanical & Electrical Contacting company. If anybody in my electrical division had done a job reversing the live & neutral not only would he or she be given their P45 I would have made it known to all the M & E contractors in the area just exactly what he or she had done. I firmly believe that the NICEIC should be informed because if they done it at this property how many other properties have been reversed. The reason why I quote NICEIC is because this smart meter installation totally goes against IEE Regulations.
Open ended ending, what did you do in informing the company who created the fault. Other consumers need assurance the same person is not allowed to make the same error.
I’m a consumer, not an electrician, and I wondered the same. Are you allowed to remove the “tags”. Aren’t you supposed to notify the installer concerned?
@@paulmac8016 100%. I pull main fuses if there's no customer side isolator present (I wish they hadnt stopped fitting them). I quote the EAW act, I MUST isolate where possible. Cutting a seal and pulling a cutout is certainly possible. Never got in any trouble
I'm just a DIYer but found this really interesting. I don't even know what a DNO is but I wish a commenter had stated the name of the culprit. Thanks for posting.
DNO is distribution network operator, used to be the electricity board. They are responsible for everything up to the output terminal of the cutout (main fuse). NOT the meter any more, that's down to the misnamed 'energy supplier' who own the meter and the tails (meter cables) on the left side of the meter. The ones on the right side of the meter are the consumer's property. Correctly speaking the meter fitter should not have been in that henley block at all
@@AlanJan_UK_49 not a criminal offence unless the HSE define it as that, but it's lethal, and that meter fitter needs a boot in the arse. As you are a DIYer, i recommend you get one of those plug testers. Unlike many uk sparks i don't discourage DIY, if you know the rules. It's sad that someone who is working on metering didn't use one AFTER. toolstation part number 82826 :) Less than a tenner, again,. sad that a 'pro' didn't use one
Very dangerous indeed. Consumer thinks their appliance is turned off yet the electrical guts of the appliance would still be live, especially for hard wired appliances on single pole switches.
Normally henley blocks are wired with neutral at the front and live at back. Not sure why you installed it the other way round? Also those type of henley blocks are rubbish, they should only make single 100a ones
You are 100% correct. Meter man has no excuse for not finding this out but he was correct in making the rear terminal live and the front one neutral. Every electrician should know this. He was set a trap!
This is the "swiss cheese" model. Each operation has risks (the holes) and you hope that the holes in the multiple operations don't line up. The backwards-from-convention wiring in the Henley block was a hole that should have been covered by the smart meter guy's testing. The smart meter guy's failure at testing should have been covered by the installer knowing the convention. The installer's not knowing the convention could have been covered by Henley blocks being labeled.
@@chrisreynolds6331 - I can’t understand how this could happen if they did the kitchen plug test. It’s obvious they did no tests. That’s criminal negligence.
This puts me in mind of when they changed the meter in my partner's house. After her meter was changed it read nothing at all. So they accused her of somehow defeating the meter. They then came and looked at it saying it was ok. This went on despite 3 more separate visits from the engineers. My partner was in tears because they were accusing her of some elaborate theft. So I asked her to send me a phone picture of her meter cupboard. On the phone picture I could immediately see that they had crossed the neutrals each side between the input and output of the meter. This meant that the electricity that went in on the live side was subtracted by what came back from the neutral side - which caused the meter to read nothing at all! I told her to write this down and tell them all this next time they came around (4th visit). Only then did they actually correct it. What this tells me is that these 'engineers' are all insufficiently trained - i.e. they know nothing at all about electricity and even the things they are installing...
Hopefully when the electric company tried to extract money from your partner for the [inflated] estimated of her usage in that time she turned round and asked them for 3 times the amount plus punitive damages for causing her mental anguish, accusing her of theft, branding her a criminal, potentially recording this judgement amongst her personal information stored under GDPR all because of their incompetence. Big companies, as well as their small sub-contractors, need to be held accountable they already ride roughshot all over us customers.
I may be missing something here but looking at the way the meter tails go in from the meter to the tail block it looks correct ie the neutral at the front and the live at the back. So i assume that the tails going to the boards are connected with the live at the front and the neutral at the rear which not the usual way to connect those blocks and which has probably confused the smart meter installer in the first place. However no there is no excuse for not doing any testing to check polarity at least.
The title was a bit of a clue, but a glimpse of the meter early in the video showed it was wired correctly, so I suspected the chassis of some Isolated AV kit that had floated up to ~110V which once caught me on a TV aerial 12m up. In the event it was straightforward polarity reversal. In answer to queries, the lights got enough electricity to light up slightly, like the tiny leakage through a mains testing screw driver. There was a separate fuse box for the fire alarm for two reasons. When the alarm was added the main box was full, and second you don't want the alarm unpowered if the RCD trips. We had a similar arrangement for many years, but upgraded to a larger split range box a decade ago. Alarm, boiler and deep freeze are on on side and everything else on the other.
This is a potentially deadly mistake, I can't believe there are people being paid to do this that do a worse job than people that don't even do this professionally. But of course, from the perspective of the power companies it's more important to get these scammy meters up and running than hiring proper professionals to set these up. It's a shame you didn't name and shame the company since this is really more of a matter of public health and safety, but it's your choice at the end of the day.
Tip from an old sparks mate. Fault finding. Always start at source. I enjoyed the vid. Reminded me of a petrol station where the pumps kept dropping out. Turned out to be the mains switch on the CU that had melted on causing a volt drop that the pumps didn't like lol. I found that quickly because I started at source.
As a sparks I thought nothing can surprise me... got called in to look at a rental property... where the tenants left.. found thay rewired the flat with doorbell wire less then 1mm ( sockets and lights ). What was worse there was a kids bed silver metal with burn marks where the cable is... I have never in my life seen this in my life...
That's terrible, when I was a trainee my boss told me to go in to the attic and cut out all of the lighting cable, I started cutting and then bang, I got a jolt and a big spark in front if me, made a hole in the cutters and then my boss was going mental at me, saying I should know what wires are what by now, I kept saying I cut through the 1mm cable, he turned the power back on, came up in to the attic, took one look and asked the customer who did the wiring before, they said a builder friend, so he told them that they nearly killed his apprentice because they had used 1m cable throughout the whole house
Was constantly getting calls and emails from supplier to change to a smart meter and because of all the bad press on the smart meters I said no .The calls intensified to all times of the day and night and started to get very aggresive and warnings about loss of amenities . I complained to the companies customer services department and the CEO .I then recieved a letter stating I would not get any more comms on smart meters and that is still the case .I do now get a reminder every month to submit my readings but having seen this video I will never have a smart meter.
The meter installer should have done the proper checks. But something I've always done when using grey sheathed meter tails, that might have stopped them making the polarity mistake, is to put brown tape markers on live tails and blue tape markers on neutral tails.
Wow thanks for Sharing, I will pass this on to my Old Landlord, as there Property has a Smart Meter and is doing the same. Also the Cooker often blows the fuses. Might not be the issue but they can check it.
Shouldn't the electricity company have been called out to correct the fault seeing as the box had a seal on it, and for them to verify the dangerously incompetent work of their employee
Alot of us know which company it is and the guys sealing pliers number is clear to see so he will definitely be getting pulled in soon if not already, but this guy should not have cut the seal and put it right, should have called the company that fitted to come back and left customer off supply they would have came immediately on a emergency, he could be fined for cutting the seal
@@scitec717 He can't be fined for cutting the seal. Everything after the meter is the property of the home owner, including the tails coming out of the meter and the henley blocks. Putting a seal on the henley blocks is pointless and the homeowner or one of their contracted personnel is well within their rights to rip it off to fix something. As for the cutout, since the meter installer didn't fit an isolator while they were installing the meter, the only way to safely isolate the supply (as required by the HSE and EAWR if possible) is to cut the seal on the fuse and pull the fuse out. No DNO is going to prosecute you for working safely, as long as you inform them that you have done so, so they can come and inspect it to make sure it's safe for continued use and to re-seal it. I've cut cutout seals on many occasions.
Yes, al very good you saying we are only human - but how many more sockets has this individual wired up the same way..!! Fundamental mistake and should be reported - you CANNOT be castigated for telling the truth.!
As a sole trader gas engineer a couple of years ago I'd called around to help another gas man take an old boiler off the wall and put the new on. He's a mate of mine and we help each other as needed. He'd disconected the flue and pipework and was ready for the lift off. I asked him if he had taken the fuse out not just pulled it and left it in its holder? He showed me the fuse on the side, away from the spur. Also he showed me the disconected wire from the boiler block. He had taken the live wire and taped it over the bare cable back to the cable sheaving. The neutral and earth were left bare. When we lifted the boiler off the wall the cable became disslodged from where he'd left it. As it fell it brushed my bare forearm. I had a right belt off it, I nearly dropped the boiler. My mate couldn't understand it? But I had a good idea. Although as a Gas engineer we are allowed to connect into a spur but not wire the spur to the supply. However the boiler was about 14 years old it had been running all those years with reverse polarity.
@@jdaley197931 100%, not doing checks nearly killed me changing a kitchen light. Locked on, hand to hand, only saved by falling off the steps. My eyes were vibrating. You can guarandamntee i do my checks diligently now! still got the imprint of the hexagonal term block of an old style JB on the ball of my right thumb as a reminder
@@TheChipmunk2008 That's the problem, most equipment will still function OK, except that any single pole switches will only be switching the neutral side & leaving the rest of the appliance at mains voltage.
I agree with this in as much as it looks before changed like the meter operator connected their tails correctly with the brown at the back and neutral at the front. Scrolled trough the video but couldn't clearly make out where the brown went. Would have been more obvious if cu tails were coloured outers too
At first I thought residual current leaks and led lights being sensitive to that but when you got 240 at the neutral I knew this was serious thank god they noticed the lighting issues before somebody got shocked and as everyone else says nice wiring job I used to work wiring automatic roll fast doors and all my panel work was done like that loops in the 3 phase wires etc it’s called pride in your well done young man and carry on the good work
That is the cleanest wiring installation in a consumer unit i have ever seen... great job!
I don't think it's a residential abode. It certainly looks like a residential place but the blue door stickers and the fire extinguisher blankets on the wall are not normal things to find in a normal home. At least not the ones I have been to hehe.
It could be a stopping off or rest place for overnight workers having to work multiple days to save them having to travel so much.
Or it could also be a training property.
@@Jizzlewobbwtfcus I believe it's a HMO set up
@@ammarrashid1214 No clue what that is. I was only assuming what it might be hehe. Thx for the info though. What is HMO?
@@Jizzlewobbwtfcus House of Multiple Occupation, e.g a house converted into multiple flats or apartments.
@@cambridgemart2075 ahh. Why don't they just call it a flat then? All this Fancy Schmancy stuff :D
Thank you for not killing a great blog with music. Your nice, clear voice and good description made me think.
I listen to most vids at a higher speed, this one is quite clear at 1.75 x, very good clarity.
If you lived in my area I’d have you on speed dial. Tradesmen who have the knowledge the skill and the right attitude are worth their weight in gold
Ditto.
Well done. A man who knows his job. Good old style pride in his work.
This is why we served a proper apprenticeship all those years ago,you dont become an instant electrician in a few weeks ,worked in the electrical industry most of my life and i am still learning and willing to learn ,the sparky that knows everything is now dead ,!!!!
I bet the error wasn't made by someone who wasn't time served and trained. This lack of double checking and professionalism is far too common. It's a murderous error. The tester should lose their job qualification and this should be publicised.
I’ve seen time served boys do worse . Again are we thinking that this was done by someone one who wasn’t time served . Never assume . But always check your work .
i know a fella used to install smart meters, six week training course...
@@davidrowewtl6811a bit like double negatives in languages! (Sos!)
@@Roy-gi5ul Who can be neutral with such a serious charge‽ We need a positive attitude to such polarising issues. ;-)
As a retired electrician I thought what beautifully arranged wiring, a consumer unit I would have complete confidence in, however a hidden death trap lays ready not far away. My first thoughts were an induced current from a high current circuit into a the lighting neutral, however, I was confused regard LEDs allowing current to flow through the neutral.
If I were testing a ring main socket I would have use my plug in tester, also I do find my volt stick very useful.
Every month, I am being pressurised into having a smart meter installed, instinctively it doesn't seem very smart to me.
I take and send in my meter readings every couple of months.
Your explanation and presentation does your company credit
Please rethink the idea about smart meter = bad again, dynamic pricing will be unavoidable if we like to be self reliant on electrical power, that is the nature of renewable production right now
I fitted a couple of thousand so called gas smart meters for a IGT they were crap at the beginning and from what I hear still are regardless of what make or model I for one will never have one! and they are spies sending all your info to the shippers which they get paid for but the biggest thing is remote shut off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not mentioned by any advert shipper or whomever
@@tarant315 Au contraire, why don't you reconsider the practicality or possibility of renewable power? If it had been an honest announcement that there would be variable pricing and that smart meeters were needed, that would have been one thing. Anything that starts with a lie can never be truthful, and it started off with the preposition that by knowing your consumption at any instant, you could somehow consume less.
Follow-up idea gas central heating boilers which are between 95 and 99+% efficient (depending on how you choose to corrupt the measurement) are wasteful because heat pumps can produce up to 4 times the amount of heat than the energy delivered to them. I can try to explain that only thirty-something percent of the calorific value of the fuel used to generate your electricity ends up as electrical power at your house. Simple clue, what does your gas cost you per kWh, and what does your electric cost you per kWh? So let's add a massively complex system to get us to be where about we were, whilst having to balance a generating capacity and distribution infrastructure for all the electric cars we will have. When did you last have an electrical power cut? Have you ever heard of a gas power cut?
My objection to smart meters is that they have a remote disconnector in them and can be used to give selective rolling blackouts
@@COIcultist my last power cut was 3 weeks ago, but with a battery in the house, I have backup power on a extension line. It's not the wastefulness of oil or gas, but the pollution they create and yes I can't build a power station which will provide me with 100% clean energy, but my solar brought this up 60% from my side
The amount of times I've touched neutral and not even thought about it twice is unreal. I'm not an electrician but I do all my own work and I don't even bat an eyelid at neutral. This video just made me reconsider that 😂
nice to see you here
my thoughts exactly - that torch thing that lights up that he had - is excellent.
Always test. Include ground. Better safe than think it's not logical that any particular wire is anything but what it should be.
I know my house is wired correctly, as I've wired it myself. I still check whenever I need to add some home automation stuff or whatever.
Any work I do I treat everything as live just in case. My house has real old wiring and most wires are the same colour, so the only way to tell is with a volt meter anyway.
Great video, very well presented but more importantly well done for exposing what is clearly total incompetence! It's very concerning to know that there are contractors who are installing this equipment and must have some sort of certification but are actually leaving electrical systems in such a dangerous state. As you mentioned you were very lucky not to have been seriously injured as a direct result of this extremely poor installation! ⚡🤯
About 52 years ago, I came across the same when the local power company replaced a meter. I got a shock off a mains valve radio chassis I was repairing, it should have been neutral.
I argued with my parents that their supply was wrong. They called the company who reluctantly came out and quietly did a bit of wire swapping. They probably wondered why this 14yr old kid was asking so many questions. At least they admitted to my parents they’d made a mistake. I took a career in electrical engineering, then electronics, then programming, then IT and Cybersecurity….but never get my live & neutral mixed up😳😊
Nice storey. ❤
Are you in the UK or one of the UK's commonwealth countries? Anywhere else in the world an there is no protection against line and neutral swapping at the outlets,
@@stevegrayson3719 I'd rather be alive than neutral.
@@cambridgemart2075 I’m in the UK and 52 years ago and apart from fuse wire any other protection was nonexistent at the time.
Th@@cambridgemart2075
Your knowledge and diagnostic skills are more than impressive...congratulations on a wiring job done perfectly !!
great video .... i am currently a smart meter engineer ...not for that company fortune...after being self employed for 10 years in the UK Gas and electrical industry and so i fancied a change from the hard house bashing graft. and here's my thoughts...firstly he /she should have powered down and up correctly. On charging the meter once energized a simple socket plug in tester would have prove this reverse polarity situation straight away ..and so it would prompt him to check his work and rectify....job done
However... where i fault the industry is that way they will Fastrack literally anyone with absolutely no knowledge or experience to a meter operative in just 14 Weeks to work on both gas and electric and send them out live to work in people's property....yes i said just over 3 months training ... now you cannot buy experience in that time ...
Even now i know of engineers who cant solder or alter pipework for gas or scared of having leaks ...let alone how to relight an old gas appliance like a warm air unit or back boiler once the gas meter has been changed.
Then you have the company constantly on your back for more productivity daily ...not knowing even what the job even looks like to begin with...ie bring the wireing up to regulations with use of connector blocks or isolators.
Which then brings me to my final point ...unfortunately after a very short while in the industry.. the company makes engineers loose intererst because of the constant micro managing bs and the job agencies recruiting for for the competition will lie and sell you the dream so that they can earn a commission...
The final nail in the coffin is ...ots not even LAW atm to have smart meter fitted ... these companies are bullying customers with scare tactics .... to have them so that they can earn money from the Government and reach a fictitious target by a certain date .
Thats my 2 cents ...Im going back to being self employed ...
Oh and the pay is Shit ...for the qualifications and knowledge that you need let alone someone with my experience...bailing them out all the time on situations like this
Hope this helps .
Send this video clip to the news media.....but i bet you it will not be shown on TV ...😂
I dont know which of the above caused this ...but they need to either be retrained or get out of the industry as this could have been alot worst ...Thank God .
Thanks buddy, I've worked in the gas industry for 10yrs, previously electrical industry, recently thought of packing up & going to dual fuel meter installer with energy companies, but wouldn't be happy with targets and bs. Rather work at my own pace, with no one on my case !. And doing good work of course
Not sure who you work for to be live after 14 weeks.
But before you jump on the band wagon, watch the video again.
The sparky only had a reverse on one consumer unit, how is that possible if the meter engineer put his tails into the lucy block the wrong way round?
If you are really a meter engineer than you should be calling bullshit about now.
The sparky left one of the consumer unit reversed for two years! and your jumping on the bandwagon blaming the meter fitter?
What it's actually not law..so can the home owner ask for a replacement analogue meter or are they dateless..
Our supplier says the analogue meter is out of date and needs replacing? Any opinion is very welcome..
@@Porkchop259 He only showed us one consumer unit so why do you assume the other one was correct? And do you really think he would have made this video after realising the mistake was his in the first place? It's not credible. Plus, the label on the smart meter said the kitchen socket was tested, which was wired to the CU he showed us. Therefore the meter installer obviously falsified this test. He was 100% to blame.
@@Rockall57 they are lying and using scare mongering tactics to bully you into upgrading to a SM....Dont do it ....cause once to go smart ...its extremely difficult to go back to a traditional or analogue meter ... they wont do it .
The excuses the use are...
1. your meter is reaching the end of it lifespan ....
2. Your house insurance will be void if you dont get it .
3. You have to have it .
Its all BS ...
I just watched this video to see what it was about. Scary, but very glad I watched it. Lay people like myself often just trust without question that whoever is sent to their homes to do work is full trained, qualified and knows what they are doing. Thanks!
Great troubleshooting, helped by your initial install being so neat and tidy
Yes it was a really neat install, hard to do within time constraints, but it paid off. That live neutral could easily kill, we all work on boards live, despite advice.... i have changed what i will do re: testing due to this video, and i have 33 yrs experience!
I'm a sparky here in glorious Devon, the tricky thing here is if the socket outlets are single pole switched then any appliance can still be 'live' when the user thinks it is switched off and safe. Brilliant work on the consumer unit.
Dawlish by any chance?
No ablestringer....West Devon.
This is a situation where test & inspections is absolutely vital, the regs are changing all the time, but the basics of polarity will never change.
Cracking videos, well done 😎👍
Don't feel you owe any privacy to the culprits, this is a serious failure of duty.
They needed an emergency call to recify the fault and be reported to the HSE. They can pin it on you if youve cut the seals or at least use that to muddy any investigation.
Yes, Although he didn't actually show it in the video, I hope this guy videoed/ took photos of the opening & the inside of the Henley block, before & after correcting the defect. Just in case any evidence was needed for any problems later on.
Name and shame...what's the point of standards otherwise?
@@RichieReportsUK_UKCNews The Henley block is on the consumers side, so he is allowed to cut that seal, it doesn't *need* to have a seal on it... however, when the meter was changed, the meter fitter should have fitted a double pole isolator between the meter & the Henley Block.
Calm down mate 😂
Should definitely be reported
Great example of testing and fault finding. Well done solving this one. Scary situation and you would hope the meter installation contractor would get a serious warning about this!
that mistake should be a criminal offence
I have heard it’s an instant dismissal
Shocking work wants reporting
And all their other work checked.
No pun intended? ;-)
British Gas wont accept liability, Pretty sure they use sub contractors to install these as well meaning they dont technically work for them.
That's all very well YOU bumping your gums that it wants reporting, to who exactly? NO-ONE cares, they just pass the responsibility of it around. The electricity company might just send the same clown out or another equally non-qualified muppet, health & safety wont show any interest, the Fire Brigade wont get involved, they'll only tell you to try complaining to Trading Standards or to speak to Citizen's Advice or even your local authority, at the end of the day, the person's left with a KILLER supply and the reality is, NO-ONE CARES!
reporting to who? supply provider doesnt give a shit about you. I told a meter installer what I thought about him and his time keeping and they just black listed me!!
Should report it to DNO/provider, not so much to get the installer in trouble but to highlight possible issues in their training packages and retraining to the installer! Good educational video, thank you!
The home owner should take legal action against the company that installed that meter!
for what ? nowt happened
@@rodneyhull9764 They had to call an Electrician (Rygol Electrical and Renewables Bristol) in. That's what happened!
@@rodneyhull9764nowt happened? Lmao sure
@@andrewvannan1714 pray tell?
The installer should pay for the technician who corrected their mistake someone has to pay him
Great video! I agree, at the end of the day "we're only human", however 142 years after the first Electric Lighting Act and countless steps, pages of standards and costs later to minimise risk this basic error should be a never event. But what do these big companies care as long as their profit margins increase every quarter.
That’s some smart wiring you did in that distribution box.
I'd really enjoy hearing Big Clive's opinion
😂
Great educational warning video 👍👏👏👏
At the risk of making a poor joke about something so serious....TRULY SHOCKING!
Incredible that the basic safety checks must have never taken place. That is so appalling. Great that the landlords have you as their electrician. A really comprehensive and clear video. You are a good man👍🏻
Thanks so much for your comments it is so much appreciated that junction box is a death hazard to human people the people who left it that way are frightening cheers bro for your work in pointing this out thanks Declan 🖐️🖐️👍👍👍🙏🙏
As a professional I understand making a mistake. However, there is no excuse for lying about test results that put the residents at mortal risk. Whoever did this is not fit for the job - ever and the company should be sued for the cost of the electrician.
Mistakes happen. Not finding this sort of mistake should not. If I make a simple change to something don't test and the ATM doesn't pay out when that fitter next tries to get cash he'll be annoyed but chances are it's not life threatening (unless if being mugged I guess) but I'll have a whole day lost explaining myself and potentially find my position eradicated. Was the fitter even given a half hour refresher course after this? Probably not, that would cost a tiny, unnoticeable fraction of the electric co's profits.
I think he's made it all up,because he didn't film rectifying it
Wiring reversed
It's NOT a mistake, in the UK you're not allowed to touch Gas or Electricity unless you're qualified and legally registered to do so. The person who did that in the video committed a crime by falsifying the test and if anyone had been killed by it like the guy filming could have then they would go to prison for manslaughter, and if their boss forced them to do it they also go to prison for corporate manslaughter. There's mistakes, then there's serious crimes.
I’m going to agree with the comment, humans make mistakes, that is why final testing is so important.
I also agree that sometimes live work is necessary to test, but you should always have extra precautions when working on anything live. The first and most important thing is to assume every terminal is live until testing proves otherwise. That simple rule has saved my life several times over.
As for rectifying the problem, that is up to you to decide if someone fitting meters deserves to get away with potential killing you, or me (if I was to go there), or the customer. I don’t think it is acceptable to have skipped the final testing, thus putting lives at risk. I understand you need to make sure the customer is safe and happy, but also that you document everything and report the problem.
That was excellent buddy, I hope you reported it to the responsible body immediately to get that person correctly trained. Thank goodness it did not cause the cold taps to become live!
I’m not an electrician and basically know nothing but I knew straight away that the polarity was wrong. Anyone with a brain cell could work that out. Keep up the good work mate. Excellent video
Funny enough, I`m a retired spark from the local DNO ,the last time my smart meter was changed the meter fixer connected my house reverse polarity at the DP switch..right in front of me ! luckily no issues.
And talking about electricians getting a shock, when I got called out to jobs where an electrician got a shock because of a fault/mistake on the DNO side , the electrician was quite right to be annoyed...but I always asked the spark " what was the very first thing you got taught as an apprentice.......prove the equipment is not live with your test gear.... unfortunately we all get blasé because we work with electrics all the time.
Every time you don't test it's wrong.
rubbish the very first thing you learn as a joey is how to make a proper cup of tea 😁
Excellent, informative video.
It pays to do one's job correctly. Enjoyed this video. I can't understand why a meter installer doesn't have to be trained better. Like you said, this could kill someone. Your breaker boxes seem to be better designed than what we have in the United States. Your boxes are neat and laid out well, allowing the wiring to be much neater. You do good work and knew the problem had to have been created after you did the original installation. I also learned that British English is quite different from American English. 😀
As a DIYer - one of those people _constantly_ denegrated by UA-cam electricians - I just want to say I *really* enjoyed this. A beautiful diagnosis of a major, and potentially lethal, cock-up made by a 'professional'. In all the years of doing minor electricals around my home I have _never_ done anything like this.
I may be unqualified but I am very, very, VERY careful and methodical. Safety, safety, safety. (And no, I never touch meters or CUs.)
Also, full credit to you for making a video without being acidic about the person who made the mistake; we are indeed all human.
I would guess the smart meter fitter is just trained to fit smart meters but hasnt taken onboard polarity checks etc. 😢 pleasure watching u work 😊
Gotta say, if that's the consumer unit as you installed it bravo, that's some of the nicest work I've seen in a LOOOOOONG time, glad to see somebody who still takes pride in their work.
Soon as I saw the 240V on the neutral bar I knew they'd swapped active and neutral from the meter.
I did a project with nPower in Leeds a few years back. We were developing a handheld unit for meter installers. Immediately after completing the installation, before starting any tests, a screen would come up on the handheld unit, asking the engineer to do a visual check of polarity. The screen background had to go red to ensure they were alerted to this visual check. Why? Because of the number of times meters were installed with reversed polarity. I won't give you the figure but it was astonishing how many times this happened... You've got one job!!!
[Because of the number of times meters were installed with reversed polarity. I won't give you the figure but it was astonishing how many times this happened.]
Viewing this from across the Atlantic, and having helped work on UK mains in work sojourns in the electronics industry, your claim validates my observation. That 'Henley Block' offers an overwhelming chance for mistakes.
@@stephensaines7100 Especially when that Henley block is wired back to front with no cable markings by the electrician. Just saying.
Excellent explanations, thanks for taking the time to explain everything for those of us that aren't experts.
Your "that's impossible" moment at 5:41 reminds me of how as a software guy we usually ask: when was it last known to be working, and what's changed since then? We have version control systems to show us everything that's moved but you're relying on an informed client
That was a very interesting video that you’ve just put out but worrying to see that sort of workmanship you’re very lucky to spotted that thanks for sharing it with us
Nice wiring in that consumer unit . Well done . I wish all consumer units looked like this when opened , it would make an electricians life much easier .
Nice example. Thanks for sharing.
I'm an electronic engineer (not an electrician) and I'm shocked that an electrical supply company could get such a fundamental thing wrong. Clearly, no proper test was done.
Or proper training evidently.
This is an awesome vlog for all who work on electrical systems, most likely will save lives in the future that’s for sure,👍👏👏👏👏🙏🏻
I have done the same thing but picked up on it when testing. It was a good learning experience to always remember to test everything you have done.
I'm a retired electrician, i have seen this many times before smart meters on industrial sites as well domestic properties, they was seasoned electricians, We were doing an electrical installation on some industrial units, my colleague while installing cable had an electrical shock from the neutral bar, when we tested the Black phase conductor was connected to the neutral while the blue conductor was connected to the Phase terminal of the 3 phase meter. The installer got suspended for failure for not checking his work on a 3 phase 415v system installation and endangering life.
I think the meter installers are not qualified electricians. only trained ? on meter changing.
I was talking to an meter reader recently, he told me lots have been trained up to replace the meters.
@@123tinhat123 I keep getting phones calls about changing my meter, but when i ask if the meter installer has 17th / 18th edition of the IEE REGS their is silence at the other end of the phone. and i will want to see evidence of this before they do any electrical work
The only other thing is that the connector block is actually wired backwards,the have to be infront for safety reasons,its still the engeneers fault for not checking but its partially the electricians fault too
@@naydenangelov8598 Yes you are right the live conductor's should be on the rear connection block and the neutral's on the front connection block, So if the cover is removed from the henley block only the neutrals could be accidently touched.
I got a belt off a neutral bar once, suspected that, but it was a completely different wtf,..... 3ph incomer with 3 individual 1ph CUs, a live was coming out of one CU and returning the N to the CU i was working on, which was isolated (or so i thought)... (no rcds obviously)
As you stated the mistake was excusable but the failure to test correctly is not. I would guess the "test at the kitchen" was to turn the toaster on and since it worked it's ok we are good. Someone could have been seriously if not fatally injured here from this.
I suspect he (or she) did the test at the start, with a plug tester, standard procedure, but failed to do the same after the work, because polarity was correct at the start
@@TheChipmunk2008 "Standard Procedure" for an untrained muppet, but IT IS NOT standard procedure for a trained & QUALIFIED electrician.
@@NOELTM Thinking of the toaster.... The toaster element would be live when it's off, even if switched off at the socket! Scary.
@@1t_wasnt_mewhich meter fitters aren't
@@1t_wasnt_me I've had numerous trained qualified sparkies sent round to our house by the landlord and i've literally corrected them. I'm not a spark
British Gas.... reg 31 ... reverse polarity in the Henley block ....takes seconds to plug the martindale in after the installation
Yes, they are the ones who are providied with martindales. Gas workers aswell as Sparks. Supposed to leave them in until supply restored so that you are testing from same point. No use in testing at one skt b4hand and at a different skt afterwards. That 2nd socket itself maybe wrong polarity for years before and not whole installation. That way, these one day course sparks would panic and nprobably change tails to wrong polarity. At least 1 skt would be ok... LOL
I guessed it was polarity, and was trying to clock the meter as I have myself experienced the DNO/Smart Meter installers causing such issues …3 times now in my 25 years of Electrical vocation.
I myself am a Spark from Bristol, and I commend you on your workmanship, Leon, I can see that you take great pride in your work.
I always make the rear most connector in a two pole link box the live, reason being they are made from Bakelite which can be broken relatively easily, and I assume that in the advent it was knocked and damaged then the Live would hopefully be a little more inaccessible being at the bottom and the back, and I’ve always explained to my apprentices why I do this. I also use a marker to denote a L or N on the cable as it enters/leaves these boxes. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way, but I try to use single pole Henley boxes since the fore mentioned issues now anyway, as this seems to be far to easily messed up by these 3rd parties!
*Also, I think a 2 Pole isolator should always be fitted by them, as we shouldn’t have to make appointments to isolate someone’s electrical supply when carrying out our work.
Excellent video and explanation and great diagnosis and fixing. Well done.
I'm an electrician, and the first thing I noticed was what a lovely neat Fuse board, well done. By the way, did the DNO not fit a main isolator switch as part of smart meter install, makes it really tricky to alter main tails in service connectors without removing main cut out fuse
This is what happens when the person changing the meter is NOT a trained electrician and has only gone on a 1 day course.
Just had my "Smart" meter changed for the third time ( late last Friday). The "Meter fitter" got a screw cross threaded and asked to borrow a hammer to bang the screw in.
A complaint will be going in at 9.00 AM tomorrow.
Along with lack of experience or proper training, they're also under pressure to install as many meters as quick as possible
NVQ's 😄👎
@@g4joe If they are being issued with NVQ's then this only confirms they are NOT worth the paper they are printed on
@@mohammedusman7065 Those meters are very customer unfriendly, they measure apparent and reactive power which the mechanical ones were not, plus the inertia of the disc in old meters did not count usage "spikes", everyone that I know said their bill has gone up after getting smart meter.
@@picklyplum Sorry to burst your bubble but I have had 3 Smart Electricity meters fitted by G4 meter fitters, sub-contracted to British Gas, who have been open about only going on a 1 day "Meter fitting" training course and now I have had 2 visits from Octopus sub-contractors to change my electricity Smart Meter. Neither of then have either done any "Apprenticeship" nor have any of them been trained "Electricians".
Ps I have already lodged a formal complaint with Octopus and tomorrow I will be sending them photo's of the newly installed isolator switch c/w its hammer driven bent cover screw.
No way should you have rectified ,emergency call to DNO and firm who installed also notification to HSE, Too many of these instances along with gas meter changes where no proper tests are carried out .Once you took off those seals proof gone.
Yes i had a similar situation with things tripping. Turns out that they left the neutral loose. It was quite burnt and if left could possibly have caught fire. It wasn't the DNO but an energy sales company who also do GAS...LOL. They tried to charge me £185 call out, in case it was not their fault. I retorted, i shall just go to the papers and explain why you're risking burning a family to death, and happy to leave them without electricity. They came eventually, no apology was given. 😞
Yeah, agree with Eddie, you should report to HSE and tell client what you've done. It's good that you filmed it. Funny that the landlord phoned you rather than the meter installer
It's what happens when they train them on a 12 week course and push them to do as many meters as quick as possible
@@davidbriggs8076even so fair play to the landlord actually getting an electrician to take a look
I don't disagree with anything you say but, who wired the Henley block back-to-front in the first place?
I very much doubt that it was the (probably inadequately trained) MO (meter fitter).
Certainly the MO should have done a final polarity check, but these days the "training" is all about quantity, not quality.
Great Common sense and informative clip. Nice bit of knowledge to store away. Thank you
Thank you for a great video. Clear, logical analysis and explanation of the issue.
I'm a wireman. Basic checks to ensure polarity is correct throughout. Obviously none carried out here. That company who installed the smart meter should be repromanded for that. Your a decent pro tradesman who found the fault. Luckily the tenants were not electrocuted by this shoddy work.
how would they get electrocuted by swapped L & N ?
Earth to neutral (now live) fault. For instance, say an Edison screw light would be live on the screw thread.
Lack of testing is inexcusable, but I can see why they buggered the job up. In my experience Henley blocks usually have the neutral at the front and the live at the back, so they just assumed this block was wired like this. 🤦
Hi I agree, this is how all double Henley blocks should be wired. If anything the outgoing tails have been connected in reverse and with no colour identification on the tails, I blame the contractor for doing this, I can see how this has occurred, however there is no excuse for not testing properly.
Yeah I spotted the exact same. It caused the meter fitter to get caught out. He's a fool for not testing. But you can see why it actually happened in the first place. The electrician here bears some responsibility.
As a rertired Electro-Mechanical Engineer [ HND ] and a past owner of a very successful Mechanical & Electrical Contacting company. If anybody in my electrical division had done a job reversing the live & neutral not only would he or she be given their P45 I would have made it known to all the M & E contractors in the area just exactly what he or she had done.
I firmly believe that the NICEIC should be informed because if they done it at this property how many other properties have been reversed.
The reason why I quote NICEIC is because this smart meter installation totally goes against IEE Regulations.
NICEIC are a joke. The only thing they are interested in is their members subs.
Superb practice. Very competent and cautious - excellent.
Well impressed with the neatness of the wiring installation. Top marks.
Open ended ending, what did you do in informing the company who created the fault. Other consumers need assurance the same person is not allowed to make the same error.
I’m a consumer, not an electrician, and I wondered the same. Are you allowed to remove the “tags”. Aren’t you supposed to notify the installer concerned?
@@AlanHH Not where there is danger to life or property. Make it safe all day long.
@@paulmac8016 100%. I pull main fuses if there's no customer side isolator present (I wish they hadnt stopped fitting them). I quote the EAW act, I MUST isolate where possible. Cutting a seal and pulling a cutout is certainly possible. Never got in any trouble
The tester should have their licence revoked
@@normangale3159driving licence
I'm just a DIYer but found this really interesting. I don't even know what a DNO is but I wish a commenter had stated the name of the culprit. Thanks for posting.
DNO is distribution network operator, used to be the electricity board. They are responsible for everything up to the output terminal of the cutout (main fuse). NOT the meter any more, that's down to the misnamed 'energy supplier' who own the meter and the tails (meter cables) on the left side of the meter. The ones on the right side of the meter are the consumer's property. Correctly speaking the meter fitter should not have been in that henley block at all
@@TheChipmunk2008 Thanks. It looked like a criminal offence to me. It could have killed someone.
@@AlanJan_UK_49 not a criminal offence unless the HSE define it as that, but it's lethal, and that meter fitter needs a boot in the arse. As you are a DIYer, i recommend you get one of those plug testers. Unlike many uk sparks i don't discourage DIY, if you know the rules. It's sad that someone who is working on metering didn't use one AFTER. toolstation
part number 82826 :)
Less than a tenner, again,. sad that a 'pro' didn't use one
even for non diyers, it's worth owning, to let the resident know they need to call someone
@@TheChipmunk2008 Whats even more concerning, are they just as careless when installing gas meters & checking for any leaks afterwards?
I wonder how many other jobs the perpetrator wired incorrectly? That wiring job you did on the consumer unit is a perfect work of art.
Excellent presentation! Thank you!
Great job well done the equipment you have to test with is brilliant.
Very dangerous indeed. Consumer thinks their appliance is turned off yet the electrical guts of the appliance would still be live, especially for hard wired appliances on single pole switches.
great video, how did you correct it if you couldn't get into the sealed part that was done wrong
Normally henley blocks are wired with neutral at the front and live at back.
Not sure why you installed it the other way round?
Also those type of henley blocks are rubbish, they should only make single 100a ones
You are 100% correct. Meter man has no excuse for not finding this out but he was correct in making the rear terminal live and the front one neutral. Every electrician should know this. He was set a trap!
This is the "swiss cheese" model. Each operation has risks (the holes) and you hope that the holes in the multiple operations don't line up. The backwards-from-convention wiring in the Henley block was a hole that should have been covered by the smart meter guy's testing. The smart meter guy's failure at testing should have been covered by the installer knowing the convention. The installer's not knowing the convention could have been covered by Henley blocks being labeled.
Professional & lovely calm attitude sir respect
Thanks Arnold :)
Always air on the side of safety first always. Great work Rygol. Stay safe, great work.
That’s criminal in my books. It could kill.
It most certainly could. If it hadn't been for the flickering LED lights nobody would have ever known.
@@chrisreynolds6331 - I can’t understand how this could happen if they did the kitchen plug test. It’s obvious they did no tests. That’s criminal negligence.
This puts me in mind of when they changed the meter in my partner's house. After her meter was changed it read nothing at all. So they accused her of somehow defeating the meter. They then came and looked at it saying it was ok. This went on despite 3 more separate visits from the engineers. My partner was in tears because they were accusing her of some elaborate theft. So I asked her to send me a phone picture of her meter cupboard. On the phone picture I could immediately see that they had crossed the neutrals each side between the input and output of the meter. This meant that the electricity that went in on the live side was subtracted by what came back from the neutral side - which caused the meter to read nothing at all! I told her to write this down and tell them all this next time they came around (4th visit). Only then did they actually correct it. What this tells me is that these 'engineers' are all insufficiently trained - i.e. they know nothing at all about electricity and even the things they are installing...
Hopefully when the electric company tried to extract money from your partner for the [inflated] estimated of her usage in that time she turned round and asked them for 3 times the amount plus punitive damages for causing her mental anguish, accusing her of theft, branding her a criminal, potentially recording this judgement amongst her personal information stored under GDPR all because of their incompetence. Big companies, as well as their small sub-contractors, need to be held accountable they already ride roughshot all over us customers.
Did you test ALL kitchen sockets for polarity? Meter maid might have tested at different socket.
Brilliant!
Not my world. This dropped into my feed and I thought what the hell - I'll just watch it!
Great video - and......NO annoying music. !
I may be missing something here but looking at the way the meter tails go in from the meter to the tail block it looks correct ie the neutral at the front and the live at the back. So i assume that the tails going to the boards are connected with the live at the front and the neutral at the rear which not the usual way to connect those blocks and which has probably confused the smart meter installer in the first place.
However no there is no excuse for not doing any testing to check polarity at least.
Agreed.
The title was a bit of a clue, but a glimpse of the meter early in the video showed it was wired correctly, so I suspected the chassis of some Isolated AV kit that had floated up to ~110V which once caught me on a TV aerial 12m up. In the event it was straightforward polarity reversal.
In answer to queries, the lights got enough electricity to light up slightly, like the tiny leakage through a mains testing screw driver.
There was a separate fuse box for the fire alarm for two reasons. When the alarm was added the main box was full, and second you don't want the alarm unpowered if the RCD trips. We had a similar arrangement for many years, but upgraded to a larger split range box a decade ago. Alarm, boiler and deep freeze are on on side and everything else on the other.
This is a potentially deadly mistake, I can't believe there are people being paid to do this that do a worse job than people that don't even do this professionally.
But of course, from the perspective of the power companies it's more important to get these scammy meters up and running than hiring proper professionals to set these up.
It's a shame you didn't name and shame the company since this is really more of a matter of public health and safety, but it's your choice at the end of the day.
If I were the Landlord I would keep you in my proverbial pocket!
Tip from an old sparks mate. Fault finding. Always start at source.
I enjoyed the vid. Reminded me of a petrol station where the pumps kept dropping out. Turned out to be the mains switch on the CU that had melted on causing a volt drop that the pumps didn't like lol. I found that quickly because I started at source.
Shocking! Interesting and informative video, even for an inexperienced viewer.
Total cowboys Thank goodness this Engineer knows his stuff
Good job man, just I'm wondering how you managed to swap mains wires around without breaking DNO seal on that black junction box?
As a sparks I thought nothing can surprise me... got called in to look at a rental property... where the tenants left.. found thay rewired the flat with doorbell wire less then 1mm ( sockets and lights ). What was worse there was a kids bed silver metal with burn marks where the cable is... I have never in my life seen this in my life...
That's terrible, when I was a trainee my boss told me to go in to the attic and cut out all of the lighting cable, I started cutting and then bang, I got a jolt and a big spark in front if me, made a hole in the cutters and then my boss was going mental at me, saying I should know what wires are what by now, I kept saying I cut through the 1mm cable, he turned the power back on, came up in to the attic, took one look and asked the customer who did the wiring before, they said a builder friend, so he told them that they nearly killed his apprentice because they had used 1m cable throughout the whole house
Unbelievable.. lucky landlord knowing a real spark.. well done mate..
Amazingly educational! Thank you.
Also; it’s not the smart meters fault, it’s the cowboys on horse back.
Was constantly getting calls and emails from supplier to change to a smart meter and because of all the bad press on the smart meters I said no .The calls intensified to all times of the day and night and started to get very aggresive and warnings about loss of amenities .
I complained to the companies customer services department and the CEO .I then recieved a letter stating I would not get any more comms on smart meters and that is still the case .I do now get a reminder every month to submit my readings but having seen this video I will never have a smart meter.
The meter installer should have done the proper checks. But something I've always done when using grey sheathed meter tails, that might have stopped them making the polarity mistake, is to put brown tape markers on live tails and blue tape markers on neutral tails.
Wow thanks for Sharing, I will pass this on to my Old Landlord, as there Property has a Smart Meter and is doing the same. Also the Cooker often blows the fuses. Might not be the issue but they can check it.
O my goodness that's so bad 👎 glad you fund the problem, well done 👏 stay safe 👍
Shouldn't the electricity company have been called out to correct the fault seeing as the box had a seal on it, and for them to verify the dangerously incompetent work of their employee
I think they've proven they're not qualified.
Alot of us know which company it is and the guys sealing pliers number is clear to see so he will definitely be getting pulled in soon if not already, but this guy should not have cut the seal and put it right, should have called the company that fitted to come back and left customer off supply they would have came immediately on a emergency, he could be fined for cutting the seal
@@scitec717 He can't be fined for cutting the seal. Everything after the meter is the property of the home owner, including the tails coming out of the meter and the henley blocks. Putting a seal on the henley blocks is pointless and the homeowner or one of their contracted personnel is well within their rights to rip it off to fix something. As for the cutout, since the meter installer didn't fit an isolator while they were installing the meter, the only way to safely isolate the supply (as required by the HSE and EAWR if possible) is to cut the seal on the fuse and pull the fuse out. No DNO is going to prosecute you for working safely, as long as you inform them that you have done so, so they can come and inspect it to make sure it's safe for continued use and to re-seal it. I've cut cutout seals on many occasions.
Yes, al very good you saying we are only human - but how many more sockets has this individual wired up the same way..!! Fundamental mistake and should be reported - you CANNOT be castigated for telling the truth.!
As a sole trader gas engineer a couple of years ago I'd called around to help another gas man take an old boiler off the wall and put the new on. He's a mate of mine and we help each other as needed. He'd disconected the flue and pipework and was ready for the lift off. I asked him if he had taken the fuse out not just pulled it and left it in its holder? He showed me the fuse on the side, away from the spur. Also he showed me the disconected wire from the boiler block. He had taken the live wire and taped it over the bare cable back to the cable sheaving. The neutral and earth were left bare. When we lifted the boiler off the wall the cable became disslodged from where he'd left it. As it fell it brushed my bare forearm. I had a right belt off it, I nearly dropped the boiler. My mate couldn't understand it? But I had a good idea. Although as a Gas engineer we are allowed to connect into a spur but not wire the spur to the supply. However the boiler was about 14 years old it had been running all those years with reverse polarity.
Whaw what a story,one you will never forget, shocking 😲 surprised it ever worked 👍
@@Andrew-ki5jz most AC appliances don't care
Glad you were ok Tony Greenbank. That's an example of why safe isolation checks should be carried out.
@@jdaley197931 100%, not doing checks nearly killed me changing a kitchen light. Locked on, hand to hand, only saved by falling off the steps. My eyes were vibrating. You can guarandamntee i do my checks diligently now! still got the imprint of the hexagonal term block of an old style JB on the ball of my right thumb as a reminder
@@TheChipmunk2008 That's the problem, most equipment will still function OK, except that any single pole switches will only be switching the neutral side & leaving the rest of the appliance at mains voltage.
I'm not an electrician but I did find this video very informative, thanks buddy.👍
Very nice tutorial. Really enjoyed it. Well done bravo!
All that safety and made redundant by this type of mistake. Lethal mate, glad you didn't touch the neutral bar!
Should the Henley block not have been installed with the live at the rear and neutral at the front? Great find by the way.
Yes indeed, the live is at the rear snd the neutral is at the front. But the reversed polarity means it is the opposite.
@@Leon-nn7rn I never really liked the double pole connector blocks. Phase blocks are a better choice if room permits.
Very informative video re “safety first”--ie check everything-take nothing for granted
I agree with this in as much as it looks before changed like the meter operator connected their tails correctly with the brown at the back and neutral at the front. Scrolled trough the video but couldn't clearly make out where the brown went. Would have been more obvious if cu tails were coloured outers too
Man that is just so dangerous, the meter installer obviously lied on that test sticker as any Martindale would have shown
A great video. If you were based in my area I would certainly be using your services. Well done!
At first I thought residual current leaks and led lights being sensitive to that but when you got 240 at the neutral I knew this was serious thank god they noticed the lighting issues before somebody got shocked and as everyone else says nice wiring job I used to work wiring automatic roll fast doors and all my panel work was done like that loops in the 3 phase wires etc it’s called pride in your well done young man and carry on the good work