Spot light help

[phil d]

I walk away because I can't be bothered with jobs that are a lot of hassle for little money.

I was asked to quote to put 2 wall lights in 2 alcoves. I was presented with a freshly decorated living room with new carpet, new wallpaper (brick walls directly plastered).  Then I started listing what needs to be done, chase walls, re plaster, redecorate, probably lift the new carpet to protect it, floorboards up in the room above etc. The customer then said "you don't want the job then?" :C

I had one like that once, consumer unit under stairs, socket needed for phone at bottom of stairs, house freshly decorated. options were as follows, 1) chase wall and bury cables, not acceptable (obviously),

2) run surface trunking down wall, again not acceptable,

3) trunk along skirting from surface box, route cable below stairs into CU, (my preferred option) again not acceptable to client.

4)  drill through wall near CU to outside, run conduit along outside wall, then back entry into socket, either surface or flush, again rejected by client.

She thought it rather silly that all options involved the need for a cable, couldn't it be done wireless? I had to admit that I was beaten in this case.

 

[Andy™]

She thought it rather silly that all options involved the need for a cable, couldn't it be done wireless? I had to admit that I was beaten in this case.

i did once get called to a socket not working. plugged in tester, yep its dead. remove front no cables. not even a knock out removed on the box. seems as though previous tennant fitted it for some weird reason

 

[phil d]

i did once get called to a socket not working. plugged in tester, yep its dead. remove front no cables. not even a knock out removed on the box. seems as though previous tennant fitted it for some weird reason

Yep heard that from a bloke in a wholesalers, guy bought twin socket and surface box, comes back an hour later, "this socket doesn't work". Guy swaps it, same thing an hour later, guy's back again, "this don't work either"

One faulty socket maybe, two is highly unlikely, "have you checked your wiring"? asks the wholesaler

"what wiring"? replied the bloke, apparently he'd just screwed the box to the wall, fitted the socket front, plugged something in and voila, it didn't work!

 

[Rob.]

I had similar from a friend who had just recently purchased a new house. 

I don't do domestic electrical work an he knows it. However one weekend whilst setting up at his for a bbq that evening, he tells me one socket in his bedroom wasn't working. I had my tools in the boot of my car and seen as how he was going to be supplying a few beers and food later, I figured it was rude not to just have a quick look for him. 

Turns out it was one of those novelty mini safes. Nothing inside it unfortunately.