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Re: CURRYS KNOW HOW
I think it is just a numbers game, they need engineers for their own in house g’tee stuff so why not add a chargeable side to the portfolio? most faults are relatively simple and cheap so they can make money there, if it’s going to cost to much they just give the customer the money back! Always after the quick buck and fast turnaround! And if all else fails send them in store where they can buy another piece of Chinese tat! Win win situation for currys.
If this does work out for them what next? Taking on manufacturer and insurance work directly taking head on the likes of 0800,repaircare etc. They will be able to sell it well they will have the infrastructure(direct engineers, storage, exchange deliverys for ber etc) , contacts, buying power to force them to negotiate!. Does not take a lot to see where they are coming from or going. Its potentially another big revenue stream for them, that’s what they will be thinking.Phil
Re: CURRYS KNOW HOW
Makes me laugh in the terms and conditions it says “over the phone diagnosis!” Mmm so they’re going to train call centre staff to diagnose faults from afar?! Should be interesting.
Phil
Re: Posh Plumbers
I wonder how much manufacturers charge for service in central London now? £80 + vat would seem cheap to be honest in that neck of the woods. I bet some manufacturers charge a lot more then that! I suppose their plumbers make their money on out of hours call outs which really wouldn’t happen in our trade.
Your right same as everything else you need to be multi skilled nowadays to be in with a chance of getting anywhere, i know its cost and time but say for example of you do your gas why don’t you add the boilers, gas fires etc to your acs etc same with the electrics do your 17th or even one of those 5 days course for part p etc then at least you can do extra remedial work when you see something dodgy (bit like British gas) instead of passing work over and at least you have always got strings to your bow. I’m not saying do a full rewire or boiler swap but the smaller stuff you could definatly do instead of warning the customer and walking out the door with nothing for it!
I know its expensive and its time but in the current climate its got to be better then nothing.Re: The 0800 Thread
Apparently the company who make miele door seals also do patten door seals that fit miele machines, in fact they’re meant to be that good they even have the same miele part number stamped on it! Lol
Re: The 0800 Thread
There is only a limited amount of engineers in our trade as we all know , so there as got to be quite a few of their engineers on here be direct or indirect and as such they’re obviously scared to put their heads up because they will be lynched! Lol
So obviously some are making it pay somehow! Or is it robbing peter to pay Paul?!
Or just empty promises?! If so they will only last so long before they run out of engineers perhaps that’s why they want direct engineers now so they’re in more control? 0800 are now a big outfit with a lot of work, so someone as got to do it.Phil
Re: electrical safety testing ?
Oh just for the record proper loop testers measure the re or incoming earth anyway so it’s a piece of cake if your already doing a loop test
Re: electrical safety testing ?
Just saying earth continuity being paramount, that is what will save your life under fault conditions is it not? Its important on the machine and electricity supply but not he the pipework? Which Could be attached to other faulty appliances boiler, dishwasher fridge etc its only a glance less then a second! Your there anyway!
If you go down that route martin it does not work like that because your measuring the path of the water instead of the reliability of the bonding. And even all plastic fittings should be looped, So say for example a plummer is working on the system not unlike. the poor soul who got killed and drains it at least he can rely on the bonding as opposed to the path of the water.
It will never stop until there is proper guidelines, rules and regulations for the industry . mock it all you want it is only half a job unless you can do it properly and back it up!
And yes you should look at the board and incoming earth if your doing a proper loop test but we have already covered that!Re: electrical safety testing ?
I agree with all the safety testing but a quick look under the sink to see if the pipes are bonded aswell would not go a miss while you are trying to unplug the machine!
Re: Loop / Socket Testing.
You could always get yourself a martindale ez150 sorry don’t have a link. They’re about 50quid. Just an advanced socket tester that does basic loop test very easy to use not commiting yourself to a great outlay if it flags anything up just tell customer to call in the sparks. You’ve checked for basic saftey, I think as appliance engineers it covers as far as we need to go otherwise gets very complicated and costly.
How you can also get a leads kit so you can do hard wired cookers etcPhil
Re: Loop / Socket Testing.
No im saying if your going to test it test it properly and understand what your testing because you could be giving out wrong advice and people / laymen are looking at you as the professional!
Sparks don’t need to be qualified just need to demonstrate an understanding and be competent! You can not do a loop test without even looking at the fuse board or incoming mains your just doing it wrong and as such all though it might be safe you can not say it is because you’ve not done it right to start with but you’ve put yourself in a tricky situation if something happens at the house which you said was ok and deemed yourself competent to tell the customer is safe
There isn’t much that is law even the 17th edition regs is only a guideRe: Loop / Socket Testing.
Loop testing is very easy! just a press of a button a few seconds later you got your results It is the interpretation of reading’s where the fun starts, for example you have got to know if it is a ring main or radial, 2.5 or 4mm cable the approximate size of the circuit, size of the breaker is right, the bs number, the rcd or rccb, the type of earthing system etc. And then you cross check it against the regs then you know it has passed the test. That is without going into other stuff which you should do like continuity and insulation tests, rcd trip tests at 0.5, x1, x5 the time it trips in and phase rotation @ 0 and 180 degree’s on the circuit, the psc (potential short circuit), re readings (incoming earth) And that’s just sockets! If you don’t know what you’re doing you could really easily be giving bad and dangerous advice. You can not just think that looks a low reading it will do don’t work like that!
Im all for safety but a little knowledge can be dangerous! Even if meant with best intentions. As i have said before 75percent of qualified sparks fail their inspection and testing course is that hard there is no easy quick guide if you want to do it right!
And for the record you don’t need a loop tester to loop test you can do it with a simple multi meter but then you really do need to know what you are doing and its more long winded but can be done.Phil
Re: Hotpoint Bearings
Brings an interesting question up, how old is the average engineer now? Somehow i do not believe there is many below the age of 35-40 and i heard somewhere that the average age is low to mid 50’s a bit worrying for the trade.
Phil
