Fuseboard finishing and Grid switching (how to) 

I love it when Tom starts a sentence with "I do understand....". Its usually a precurser to something politely passive agressive :)

drill a 3mm hole in the back box, threading tool to tap a thread, extension screws... job done (works perfectly on back boxes with missing lugs also)

I was always taught to put the bottom piece as the full width and the sides shorter as this stops lids sliding down

I've just fitted a 7kW induction hob, and with diversity, 16m of cable and clipped direct across the loft space and down a wall with no insulation, I calculated and installed 4mm T&E on a 32A RCBO. With a clamp metre it drew the maximum of 7kW when boiling two pans of water for no more than 60 seconds before the temp control cut in, so diversity works. Yes, if at any point there was insulation involved I would have had to go up to 6mil. 7kW = 30A, div = 10A + 7A = 17A, 4mm T&E clipped = 37A

When you are joining the Worktops together you need a completely dust free environment and then when you add the glue and start sanding down you’re going from 500 grit to 5000 grit. It’s incredible to see it completed like i do with the commercial kitchens we fit weekly so completely understand people being amazed by it

Absolutely bloody brilliant video as usual. I have never laughed so hard as when you were trying to get out of the window. I would love to see the full footage that Camera Guy shot doing that segment.

Top quality Tom, people forget about the actual skills and knowledge required to do certain installs.

Looks great to me. Semi retired Master electrician in Kansas 52 years. I liked that trim edging you used Very good planning, looks very nice. You guys do things a little different but good craftsmanship is still the same.

The "Fire Escape" had me dead :D So much effort because of someones random comment :D About the 1.5mm for the induction hob. In Denmark we would pull a 3P+N+PE 2.5mm cable to the hob from the circut board, which is protected by 16A fuses, the cable can hold about 18A'ish and the 1.5mm can hold about 18.5A and on 2P the hob doesnt use 16A. But we have 3P+N installations and generally dont use higher than 2.5mm in house installations (except central heating systems and car chargers and so on, where we usually never go over 6mm.

Here in Australia we have an Electrical Company named Voltex .Their led 9.5w downlights are enclosed warranteed for 7 years life Excellent product

Loved the “fire escape” demo!

Good point about files. As my Engineering apprentice instructor and Toolroom Forman told me many years ago. Files are only designed to cut on the forward stoke, they lifted off the work piece as you bring the file back to the start point of stroke.

The original and still the best.staight talking and no bull .keep them coming

If you get some 20/25mm female brass bushes it looks nice and also gives a round over to help stop any potential snagging on the cable insulation. Great job 👍🏻

The double consumer unit looks mint Tom, top job mate. 👍

The amount of effort you out in to your channel is brilliant. 30 minute video! God knows the hours of filming and editing went into this. Thanks for the entertainment. Appreciated, thumbs up.

It is actually quite easy, it is the same way we do it here in Germany. The power for the whole kitchen cooker is divided on three phases. L1 and L2 are for the cooking plates, L3 is the baking oven. Every line is fused with 16 A, and for 16 A the 1.5mm² is perfectly fine. But the cables used for the connection between the fuse board and the outlet is at least a 5G2.5mm². The three phase 16 A connection is enough for round about 11 kW. On single phase I personally wouldn't use that cable. The thing is the lines would be big enough, but the neutral is not. In a three phase installation only the differential current flows through the neutral so the current on it will be not higher than 16 A. For example you draw 16 A out of L1 and 16 A out of L2, nothing from L3 the current flowing through the neutral will be 16 A. If you draw 8 A out of every of the three lines, then the current flowing through the neutral is exactly zero.

Always spin a lock ring in for a spacer, it saves a world of pain!! Splendid job sir!

I’ve fitted 30 robus fully incapacitated in my bungalow four years ago no problems so far, nice job on the board Dave will be proud 😂

Hey Tom, thanks for another A1 video, it was really relaxing interesting and entertaining. You're on very good form on this job.

Lovely job Tom, looks great with the galv trunking 👍🏻

When I did air con about 10 years ago. We used clear steel braid (SY) cable for air con units all the time. Supplies to isolators was always armoured.

No qualms here Tom, top job, your customer should be immensely proud of the standard and quality of work.

Haha nice demo on the apparent fire escape ! JCC v50s are good been using them for a short while with no issues. Greenbrook LED fittings are brilliant, used them for almost 3 years and had 1 faulty one. And I have also used Ansel LED downlights, again good products and never had a faulty one. I tend to only use Ansel when it comes to LED fittings due to never having had an issue. JCC for downlights only, because of cost. I personally don't like the can fittings, great if you want your own lamps in but the cans may not give the air space the GU10 lamps need to last its expected life. There is a reason the LED fittings have huge heat sinks on, and a drive larger than the normal size GU10 lamp. I had the same thoughts with the hob I fitted last week! Came with a similar flex.

You're last few videos have been on point Tom. Really enjoying your work mate. Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Love your real world sarcasm as ever Tom - the 'fire escape' had me in stitches !! Fixed LED's - I've done the opposite (though probably worked out similar value) and we, as Sparks, still lose out i.e customer pays for replacements after warranty but I've fitted FOC as a gesture of goodwill.

4mm or 6mm Ho7 for hob fitting depending on Kw. Always bin the super short 1.5mm x2 flex supplied with appliance. Garage tray / trunking and boards look nice 👍🏻

We always fit JCC fire rated cans with just led screwfix bulbs, they’re good because they have push connectors in too!

To go on about the all in one downlights, id say its rather simple. Nothing in this world nowadays is designed to outlast its warranty period. Id say you still should have charged for the material and work. As long as you done your work correctly then its not your fault the lights broke, especially if you suggested to get standard downlights and they wanted the all in ones. About the trunking, i only finished serving my time a few years ago, and when i was at college learning to do metal conduit, trunking, plastic etc etc, except from once where they showed us to do a 45 on some 50x50 trunking, we pretty much only got shown how to use manufactured bends. Pretty much told the building world is a perfect place, where all walls are square and straight, no plumbing will ever be in your way, and you can just use manufactured for everything. When i started working on sites, in old buildings etc etc i tell you it was a massive shock of a difference

I love these vids, not even training to be a spark. Theyre just so entertaining to watch! 🤣

If there's something hot enough outside to melt those cable ties, you aint going through that window even if you could fit

When I did Engineering at college we were taught to file on the push stroke of a file to get a better finish and less chance of damaging thin items. Also when filing thin stuff clamp it as close to the edge as possible or use a wooden baton to reduce its flex. Got the same table and got it mainly for the clamping method!!

Tom your class man. Your work is neat and very professional . And your humour is top. 👌

@Thomas Nagy, May I just say, with it being Christmas Eve here in New Zealand, I wish yourself, Dave, Laura and the Camera Guy a happy and safe festive season! Thanks for the awesome content this year that we have all watched and enjoyed. Hopefully there aren't too many call-outs over this time. Have a good one!

I’ve got the same bench and never realised this either 😂🤦🏻‍♂️Mind blown! 🤯

Hi-Tuff sure is what it's name suggests. Dug up (with a mini digger!) the supply to my septic system (wanker spark put the cable 200mm below the lawn with no warning tape) anyway, dug it up, cable was undamaged. It pulled it out of the consumer unit, that stuff is damn strong :)

Hi Thomas, big fan of your channel and your content and how you "keep it real". I only discovered your channel a few weeks back when I was looking for some background practical info on an electrical job. I've learnt a lot of different pieces of information from you all of which are really useful and wish you all the continued success. It's great to see how your content has evolved and your business, so congratulations again. Anyway, it looks like I can give back here so here goes re integrated spotlight fittings (which you've also mentioned in the past having issues with). Basically, I design and build smart tech homes for many years and we inevitably installing many type of premium light fittings/systems. An integrated spotlight from a top manufacturer is by far a technically superior lighting product in many different ways but essentially in the quality of light output and longevity. However, Enlite which is owned by Aurora and many other brands sold by these big chain merchants are not very good hence cheap. Basically, if you use a technically superior spotlight product from the likes of ALL LED, Collingwood, etc. you will not have come backs like you've been experiencing and in terms of lighting quality are far superior. The only brand which over the years have caused considerable issues as we've been using LED spots on our projects for over 10 years were from Aurora and Enlite IMO are a cheaper trade version of them. Hope this helps mate.

PMSL absolutely spot on Tom, you cant fix stupid unfortunatley. Fire escape thats right next tp air con unit on to a enclosed area. Keep doing what your doing fella.

I fitted, leds 6 years ago in my mates, working fine still, samsung chipped gu10s

I agree Tom, I no longer fit integrated LED down-lights and won't until the reliability improves.

With respect to the window, Approved document B 0(B1 for dwellinghouses) places a constraint on what can be considered an "emergency escape window"; section 2.8 (a) clarifies this. "The window should have an *unobstructed openable area* that is at least 0.33 m^2 wide that is *also* at least 450mm wide and 450mm high". Considering the window is tiny as fuck (clearly less than half a metre high) and the window is obstructed by the external paving, I'd say this isn't an emergency escape option. Some people are clearly lacking in the common sense department and let their fingers, rather than their brain, do the talking. I think your demonstration was sufficient to show common sense usually prevails in these situations. Source: ADB B1, am fire safety consultant. Great vid as always Tom!

Hi tom, sparky from Newcastle, I fit the integral led downlights, which are an enclosed fitting with a 3 year guarantee, very reasonable price and a very good light 👍👍👍

Thank you, oh thank you for trying to climb out of that window.😂 Absolutely superb 😂

We use robus or ksr downlights at work. Fitted hundreds of them in the past 3 years or so and we have only had to change about 2 or 3 in that time

Thanks for the fire escape demo 😂🤣

I fit Collingwood downlights. Solid fitting. The H2 Lite is a good entry with 4 years warranty. I must of fitted 3-4k fittings and changed a handful.

Great video love the finished work

Watched your channel for a while now try not to worry about the negative comments it’s nice to see someone taking pride in their work! Everyone has there own ways of doing things but I think some people criticise when there’s no reason to

That fire-escape tryout was EPIC!! Why do only you do something that funny???? :D Merry Christmas!

I have that exact same bench and had no clue those clamps go in like that. That is the dogs bollocks it's solid, easy to carry around and it's cheap.

You getting through that window has made me laugh so hard lol. you tell them. x

Have a merry Christmas and great New Year love you videos.

Around 15:30 the squeeze through the window That shit had me in stitches mate. What a knob gobbler that second guy commenting on the op's post about the zip ties.

Just started watching your vids mate, pretty entertaining as well as informative. Your work looks pretty neat to me. Even the best electricians in the world are constantly learning. I know plenty of Irish Pixies who would definitely fit through that "fire escape" though. Brilliant

Retired A/C engineer, we always used SWA cable. Some industrial units required it (BT etc)

And some hobs self limit power draw. It's amazing there is no distance for the tap, Aus Standards go into massive detail around wet areas and water holding v essiles.

Great job, Tom. 👍👌👏👏

Long reach bushes with a locknut as a spacer and a locknut for securing board. Acts as secondary equipotential bond too. Use Galv spray or Zinc Spray for Cut Ends Please.

Think i would have ditched the tray and done the whole lot in the same trunking you've used for the dis board, legrand salamander also has far nicer buckles. 👌 AC guys like it because they don't have to make off a gland!, they also use SY cable then never use the correct glands one stuffer and a bit of tape around the braid.

I'd personally always recommend to the customer the LED lights are garbage and will eventually fail. Then if you have to go back and fit them new ones charge them the whole price for lights and labour. Its their risk and they should listen to someone who's been in the trade so long to tell them their rubbish. Great video!

The fire escape was amazing 😂 “ rrrrrright lets give it a go” . You should do a doing it with Tom series on that sort of stuff where common sense clearly comes into play over a regulation

It is a very neat job , good work

Absolutely

Any chance of a video of drunk Tom ranting about silly RU-vid comments? I think that would be entertaining 😁

I nearly always put cans in for exactly that reason. A bulb goes, most customers can change it themselves or it will take seconds to replace. The only two reasons I would fit an all in one unit is limited cavity space or the wider beam angle is needed.

PMSL at fire escape, loved it Tom

lovely job mate

Hi Tom, you made the point about the cable supplied with the induction hob. Back in the early 2000's I fitted a Tritan show for my boss at the time, sorry but I can't remember all the details. However, we noticed on the paperwork that came with the unit a list of installation options, one of which was to use 2.5mm cables. we looked at the reg's and did the mathes and yes you can do a show fit with 2.5mm cable but it would be completely unreasonable to do so. I think we worked it out to something like 2 to 3 ft cable run, surface mount etc. I wander if the hab manufacturer tried to cheat the reg's as triton did. P,S, nice work with the trunking around the consumer unit.

Well high tough can be used outside and is extremely good protected against water ingress. Additionally there's quite some vibrations on the AC units, by fans and compressors. Normal cables might rub through if not suspended carefully.

26:50 - Gotta remember when you've got say, 1m of copper stranded flex there's about 12 or so strands, in parallel, significantly reducing the resistance of the cable, this goes even further if you double the cores up. I work making offshore marine cables (well, furloughed at the moment) and for power cores we typically double up 20AWG (about 6mm^2) cores for ground and live (red/black because DC), on higher current cables. I wouldn't do it for a HV Sonar Boomer plate (those use 30mm^2 conductors with giant crimps and a soldering iron the size of my hand to put those crimps on), but for say, 60A feeding a Magnetometer via a tow cable, it works quite well. Data we double up to reduce loop attenuation and increase the SNR margin (signal-noise ratio)..though Offshore marine and Oil & Gas are still using COM ports, RS232 and RS485. Your work looks as good as my dad's does (he's a sparky as well).

Merry Christmas Thomas. Have a good one. 👍😁

Looks neat Tom!

brilliant video

With the 11kw cable it's V×R=I so with that diameter and length you get a resistance value match it with the mains voltage and you get the cables max handling value so that appliance could be run on that cabke no problem at all but only that small run of 2 metres any longer and it will get heat problems so the 10mm is needed to bridge the gap of whatever is needed to keep the overall resistance low, so really it's the minimum copper diameter the manufacturer can give for the power handling and the length of 2 metres is chosen as the max mounting cable needed for most houses all for cost in the end it won't be in the box at all.

The provided flex for the hob does look like it‘s originally intended for a three phase supply and the single phase usage is an afterthought, which would make sense for a Miele device, because Miele is German and in Germany hobs are typically connected to a three phase 16a breaker wich would both fit the 11kw and 1.5mm2 wire.

For the cooker cable Look at appendix A of your onsite guide. Factoring in for diversity (means manufactures have proof to lower cable size) 10Amps + 30% of the load. Plus 5amps if theres a socket on the cooker control unit. 11kw cooker 230v So I=P/V I 47.8amps then factor in diversity so 30% is 14.35 amps 10+14.35+5 = 29.35 amps So before diversity - 47.8 amps, so 10mm cable twin and earth (clipped direct) After diversity with socket - 29.35 amps, so 4mm cable twin and earth (clipped direct) or a flex. After diversity without a socket 24.35 amps, so 2.5mm cable twin and earth (clipped direct) or flex. So either they'll bump it up by half a millimeter to 3mm or they go with the assumption that there isn't a socket. They'll do just to save them self some money.

I don't think you made enough effort to get out that fire escape 🤣. Lol. Had me in stitches!

Hi Tom, I know what your saying about the LED sealed fittings. I always fit the GU10 fire rated spots then the customer can change there own lamp when required. I have the same problem with domestic flood lights, after 12 months most fail and the customer can’t understand why the lamp can’t be replaced.

Fit the fire rated ansell downlights. Csn get ip20 or ip65 for bathrooms and they're pushing. 76mm cutout. They're so good and unbelievably quick to fit

Hi Tom, I always fit cans and GU10 led lamps.I never touch enclosed led fittings. And I've actually got to the stage that I get the customer to supply all other led fittings like floodlights or counter lighting, etc. such is the failure rate of these fittings.

Nice tidy install mate 👍🏼

15:50 - after demonstrating that it's not a fire escape, camera switch to inside view had me lol 😂😂😀👍 Yeah integrated LED light is a no no, I agreed and I rather stick to GU10 LED.

In Sweden we use 99.9999% spotlights with fixed LED light source in. I use Zebra Downlight Light 6.5W Dimwarm. Don't know if you get them in the UK, but can recommend them if you get them. Have never had any problem with them. 🇸🇪😊

OMG almost peed my self with the fire escape window saga loved it

do enjoy the vids, i prefer to slot trunking rather that bushes /l/rings, especially if at a later date you want to add or remove cables on a packed board

Hi Tom,on a job at the moment fitted over 150 Saxby sealed plaster in light fittings they come with a 3year warranty,but we don't offer that warranty to customers only 12months because of how unreliable led fittings are, you can pay high end for fiitings and still get crap due to being manufactured abroad e.g china

I like how people were arguing that you need steel cable ties (because regs), as that window 'could' be a fire escape, despite that fact that per regulations it could never actually be one. Building regs require 3 things for a fire escape window - min height/width of 45cm, unobstructed open area of 0.33m2, and a cill no more than 1.1m off the floor. That window fails on all 3.... It can never legally be a fire escape without significant structural alterations.

I totally agree with you, I will only install GU10 fittings now. Been caught out too many times myself! And no, I have never billed for going out and replacing - morals will bankrupt me! If a customer wants intergrated light fittings I insist they provide them and explain I will not be liable to replace them for free when they fail!

I'd be taking those lights back to whoever I bought them from and kicking off to get replacements. Falling far short of Sold As Described Functions for A Reasonable Time regardless of 1 Year warranty.

Hi-tuff cable is basically the same thing as another type of cable used in the States called tray cable. It has different ratings/use cases, but essentially the main feature is indeed impact resistance, and in many cases also UV & moisture resistance if it transitions to the outdoors. The UV stability and impact resistance is why the HVAC fitters are so up on the Hi-tuff. Oh, and of course, they can just run it into a regular stuffing gland. So fast terminations.

Enjoying the vids am a electronics engineer by trade, and a biker too and yes i nod!

Nice work

Man I fully enjoyed this video haha great stuff!

1.5mm flex can do around 15A so two of them is 30A and an 11kw hob is 48A but with cooking appliances I've always been told that you take the first 10A then 30% of the remaining current (around 12A with this hob) so your supply only needs to handle 22A in this case. This is because the 11kw is presuming the full hob is on at max which would never happen as within the first few seconds of it being on it'll be near temperature so will draw significantly less than 11kw

As Usual great vid, i never understand why the haters can't move on & watch something else.

Nice to have a longer video Tom. Where's Dave been recently?

wow that bench is really cool and yes you only file one direction

Re downlights, always fitted minisun GU10 they have 60 SMD so any dropouts are minimal. And yes replaceable lamps are best. Ps retired 3yrs ago

I’ve fitted some Enlite fittings and they have a 3 year warranty so you may want to check.

Nice job !