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KYLE GAMBLE: WE WERE CALLED TO A JOB WHERE A CLIENT HAD A KITCHEN REFURBISHED AND WAS GETTING SHOCKS FROM THE DISHWASHER! EVERY SINGLE WIRING ACCESSORY WAS SIMILAR TO THE PHOTOS.
There were so many photos from Kyle’s call-out, so I chose those that I found would give the best impression of the many faults he’d found.
Firstly, the left and centre photos show the connections for recessed downlights. In both photos, we can clearly see that the cpc has been cropped and not continuous; this means that a cpc has not been taken to every point and accessory in the circuit. This alone is an unsatisfactory finding, but the centre photo shows that the manufacturer had supplied a terminal to connect the cpc, which would have ensured the integrity of the cpc throughout the circuit.
The outer sheath of the twin and earth cable on both light fittings has been removed, leaving single insulation exposed and not taken into the enclosure, another unsatisfactory finding. It looks as if the line conductor terminals have been twisted together, leaving only one of the conductors in a termination, relying on the twisting to give mechanical joint stability, so again not satisfactory.
In the third photo, which I’m assuming is a fused connection unit (FCU) (as the photo isn’t too clear), we can again see the cpc is cut and not continuous; therefore, not taken to each accessory and point in the circuit. With the general lack of electrical understanding, by removing the cpcs, which are fundamental to safety, it’s more than possible that the dishwasher has a current present on its housing or casing. The current present could be innocent leakage current, which is classed as functional and therefore normal, but without a cpc to allow this to have a pathway back to the MET, anyone in contact with it could become the pathway. It is most likely that the shocks were perceived shocks. Regardless, perceived shocks can instill a significant amount of fear into those receiving them and highlight that the installation user could receive a fatal electric shock in the event of a fault.
A genuinely horrific installation, cobbled together by someone with no understanding, skills, or conscience.
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