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Posts Tagged switches and sockets
Tips for Kitchen Safety from ESC – water and electricity can be dangerous!
Posted by the electrician in ask Mr Sparks, customer service, electrical products, electrical safety tips, guest expert, standards and regulations, switches and sockets, website update on February 13, 2012
![Tips for Kitchen Safety from ESC - water and electricity can be dangerous! [picture: complete kitchen]](http://blog.sparksdirect.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Maytag-Kitchen-electrical-appliance-300x225.jpg "Tips for Kitchen Safety from ESC - water and electricity can be dangerous! [picture: complete kitchen]")
The kitchen is usually packed with electrical appliances, eating utensils, all kinds of cups and bowls, etc. There are usually not enough sockets in the kitchen, so there’s all kinds of extension cords lying around, etc. There is much danger for an electrical hazard if some simple rules are not respected when it comes to water and electricity.
Water and electricity can be a dangerous recipe; here are some tips to make sure the wrong things don’t get cooked.
What should you do?
- Your sockets and switches need to be fitted a safe distance from the sink (at least 30 cm horizontally).
- The sockets under worktops, where fitted washing machines, dishwashers and fridges are plugged in, need to be installed with fused switches. These should be above the worktop to make your appliances easy to turn on and off.
- It is recommended that any socket which is likely to have DIY equipment, a lawnmower, an outdoor light or anything else portable, would be protected by an RCD. Under the new national safety standard, this life-saving device that protects against electric shock, should now protect all sockets in any new home or any new sockets added to your existing home.
Kitchen Safety – Do!
- Take special care when using any kitchen appliance – the mixture of water, hot surfaces, flexible cables and electricity can be very dangerous.
- Check that flexible leads and appliances such as kettles and toasters are in good condition.
Kitchen Safety – Don’t!
- Use any electrical equipment or switches with wet hands.
- Wrap cables around equipment (such as a kettle) when it is still warm.
- Clean an appliance while it is still plugged in.
- Fill a kettle or steam iron while plugged in.
- Try to get the bread that is stuck out of a toaster while it is still plugged in especially with a metal knife as there are often live parts inside.
The above simple tips are from the Electrical Safety Council’s own guide, Kitchen Safety. Read more via their website to find our more tips and advices concerning electrical safety at home, outdoors, etc. The picture can be found online via, Maytag Kitchen (we do not sell these devices / design; the picture is for illustration purposes).
BG Nexus Wiring Devices – Nexus Metal, Nexus Moulded, Nexus Storm, and Nexus Grid
Posted by sparksdirect in all-time best-seller, ask Mr Sparks, electrical products, guest expert, products pictures, switches and sockets on January 26, 2012
From time to time the wiring devices, lighting, electrical items, and lamps manufacturers “reinvent their website”, adding new designs and new pictures, descriptions, functionalities… Also, from time to time we discover this as we’re browsing through their online catalogue. This is how we noticed the new presentation pages at the British General Wiring Accessories for the BG Nexus range of switches and sockets.
BG Nexus Wiring Accessories – the BG Nexus Metal
The BG Nexus Metal wiring accessories is a range with sleek and slim with softly rounded corners, in a range of superior quality finishes that will compliment any interior decor. Read also: BG Nexus metal shaver socket.
BG Nexus Wiring Accessories – the BG Nexus Moulded
The BG Nexus Moulded range of wiring devices is sleek and slim, with softly rounded corners and gently curved rockers, combining quality with stunning good looks for each device. Read also: BG Nexus moulded white devices.
BG Nexus Wiring Accessories – the BG Nexus Storm
The BG Nexus Storm outdoor wiring devices is a range of IP rated accessories designed to protect the potentially dangerous electricity supply or connections in the most ardous of conditions. Read also: BG Nexus Storm wiring devices.
BG Nexus Wiring Accessories – the BG Nexus Grid
The BG Nexus Grid range of wiring accessories is unique and versatile with stunning appearance, providing a seamless blend with regular products. Ideal for both domestic, commercial, and industrial applications. Read also: BG Euro Modules wiring devices.
More about the BG Nexus range – via British General Nexus range of wiring devices.
Periodic Inspection and Testing Explained – Electrical Safety Council advice
Posted by the electrician in ask Mr Sparks, customer service, electrical products, electrical safety tips, guest expert, in-house announcements, standards and regulations, switches and sockets, technical data on January 20, 2012
The kind people at ESC (Electrical Safety Council) have many helpful advice concerning Electrics at Home – see Electrics Explained. This article is partially taken from their page entitled, Periodic Inspection Explained.
All the electrical installations will deteriorate with age and with use. They should therefore be inspected and tested at appropriate intervals of time in order to check whether they are in a satisfactory condition for continued service. Such safety checks are commonly referred to as “Periodic Inspection and Testing“.
A periodic inspection and test accomplishes the following:
- It will reveal if any of your electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded.
- This test will find any potential electric shock risks and fire hazards.
- It will identify any defective electrical work.
- This test will highlight any lack of earthing or bonding.
Such periodical tests are also carried out on the wiring and fixed electrical equipment to check that they are safe. A schedule of circuits is also provided, which is invaluable for a property.
How often is a periodic inspection required? Depending on what kind of a property / home you have, your electrics should be inspected and tested every:
- 10 years for an owner-occupied home.
- 5 years for a rented home.
- 3 years for a caravan
- 1 year for a swimming pool.
Also, a periodic inspection needs to be carried out whenever a property is being prepared for letting, or before selling a property / buying a previously-occupied property.
Who should carry out the periodic inspection and what happens?
The periodic inspection and testing should be carried out only by electrically competent persons, such as registered electricians. They will check the condition of the electrics against the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations, BS 7671 – Requirements for Electrical Installations (IEE Wiring Regulations).
The inspection takes into account all the relevant circumstances and checks on:
- The adequacy of earthing and bonding.
- The suitability of the switchgear and control gear. For example, an old fusebox with a wooden back, cast-iron switches, or a mixture of both will need replacing.
- The serviceability of switches, sockets and lighting fittings. Items that may need replacing include: older round-pin sockets, round light switches, cables with fabric coating hanging from ceiling roses to light fittings, black switches and sockets mounted in skirting boards.
- The type of wiring system and its condition. For example, cables coated in black rubber were phased out in the 1960s. Likewise cables coated in lead or fabric are even older and may well need replacing (modern cables use longer-lasting pvc insulation).
- Sockets that may be used to supply portable electrical equipment for use outdoors, making sure they are protected by a suitable residual current device (RCD).
- The presence of adequate identification and notices.
- The extent of any wear and tear, damage or other deterioration.
- Any changes in the use of the premises that have led to, or may lead to, unsafe conditions.
The competent person will then issue an Electrical Installation Condition Report detailing any observed damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and any non-compliances with the present-day safety standard that might give rise to danger.
If any dangerous or potentially dangerous condition or conditions are found, the overall condition of the electrical installation will be declared to be ‘unsatisfactory’, meaning that remedial action is required without delay to remove the risks to those in the premises.
Continue reading this explanation with more materials to download at, The Electrical Safety Council – the Periodic Inspection Explained – or read more about Electrical Safety and Energy Saving.
welcome to the Sparks and Lights Showroom in Archway (picture gallery 1)
Posted by admin in all-time best-seller, ask Mr Sparks, bathroom lights, energy saving lights, in-house announcements, lighting systems, new light fittings, products pictures on January 12, 2012
How can you most rightly describe a lighting showroom like the Sparks and Lights lighting showroom in Archway? No matter what you say about it, you do the showroom injustice. Things get moved around, new lights and devices get installed and put up, others get sold out, new stands are there, new configurations, etc. Our colleagues at the counter love changing things around from time to time!
We thought we should welcome you into our showroom and take some pictures – please accept our apologies for the not-too-good-quality of the pictures, they were taken with a phone camera – of some of the fittings and devices we have in our showroom! For more pictures, take a look at the latest Lights at Sparks and Lights picture album on facebook, and become a fan of Sparks Direct Electrical on Facebook.
Sparks and Lights Showroom – outdoor lights
A wide collection of display outdoor light fittings, available both online and in our showroom in Archway.
Shelf lights and concealed lighting for kitchen
Concealed lights for discreet lighting under shelf, energy saving fittings at Sparks and Lights.
Table lights and ceiling lights in our showroom
A glimpse of the Pendants, Chandeliers, and Table lights at Sparks Electrical Wholesalers – take a look!
Heritage Brass switches and sockets at Sparks
One of the many arrangements of switches, sockets, dimmers, and other wiring devices from Heritage Brass.
The Forbes and Lomax Combination range(telecom, data, audio, and visual devices)
Posted by sparksdirect in ask Mr Sparks, guest expert, new technologies, switches and sockets, technical data, website update on September 13, 2011
Forbes and Lomax offers some of the most classy and stylish switches and sockets, including the Invisible Switch / the invisible plate. One of the most recent additions to their range is – at the request of the public and as a further development of their amazing range – the Combination Range.
The way it works is simple: the Forbes and Lomax Combination Range allows you to create multi-gang combinations of telecom and data modules alongside audio and visual outlets. Most switches and sockets manufacturers do NOT produce atypical combinations of data, telecom, audio, and visual sockets – but Forbes and Lomax offers you a way around it with the Combination Range of Data / Visual / Telecom sockets.
The Combination Range from Forbes and Lomax
Simply put, you can take most of the single and two gang telecom / data / audio / visual socket modules and combine them on the plate you desire. 3G and 4G combinations are available in a modular format. The range is available in all the Forbes and Lomax finishes with an option of White insert(W) or Black insert(B). What modules can you put on a 1G or 2G combination range plate from Forbes and Lomax? Single or double RJ45 CAT5 / CAT6 sockets, Single or double telecom master sockets, single or twin telecom slave sockets, single or double TV sockets, single satellite F connector, and any combinations of these can be made into the desired / needed Combination Plate from Forbes and Lomax!
How does the Combination Range work?
Select a combination plate in your specific finish and then choose which modules you require – indicating whether you want white(W) or black(B) inserts.
For example, let’s say you want a 3 gang combination plate in the painted range containing 1 x TV, 1 x SAT, and 1 x CAT5 with white inserts. For this, you need to order the following:
- 1 X 3GCOMBO [the 3 gang painted plate]
- 1 X COAX/W [the single coax / TV module]
- 1 X SAT/W [the single satellite module]
- 1 X C5/W [the single CAT5 module]
We are now in the process of putting these devices online – at the Forbes and Lomax section – and working out a way to make it simple to combine them together so that you may obtain the device you need. As we mentioned above, the available modules are: telecom master sockets, telecom slave sockets, cat 5 sockets, cat 6 sockets, RJ12 sockets, blank modules, TV(non isolated), satellite F connector, Hi-Spec(inc Ethernet), speaker outlets, and Phono. As for the plates, there are the 3 Gang plates and the 4 Gang plates(larger combinations up to 12 gang are available on request).
If you are interested in this range, do not hesitate to contact us – send us an email with your request at sales @ sparksdirect.co.uk or leave us a comment here.