"Tony Bryer" wrote in message
...
In article , BigWallop
wrote:
But the DIYer is not changing with the times as fast as the trades are,
so problems are now starting to arise from this gap in knowledge.

When it comes to central heating this does not seem to tally with the
experience of people here. While members of this group are discussing the
merits of various condensing boilers, control options, UFH etc, more than
a few in the queue at the merchants want only to fit what they were
fitting 10 or 15 years ago.


That being the case, is the internal workings of these controllers still the same as it
was 10 or 15 years ago. Would the DIYer fitting them notice that changes to the thickness
of the contacts inside the relays has had to be changed because the thinner ones don't
take the new load ratings from the newer boilers which sits further down the line from
them.

No they wouldn't. They'd only know that the controller looks the same and does the same
job as it always did. But, on the other hand, anyone with the knowledge to know that
after a certain date these controllers are not suitable for the newer boilers, because
they cause problems with the new contacts burning out, and they would / should
automatically change it because they know to look at the date of manufacture on the
controllers. That's a properly informed tradesperson.

Being competent, as has been mentioned before, is not the same as being certified to do
the work safely and securely. When I buy timber to make something, and I'm not joiner or
carpenter, I wouldn't know the first thing about the grain, the species, or the workings
of all the woods. I'd rely on someone telling me that, that particular wood is what I
should be using for that particular job. Who would be telling me this ? Someone with a
lot more experience in the job than I have. A fully qualified person in other words.

I don't think there are many DIYers who could walk in to a trade merchant and ask for a
special device or fitting that needs to be fitted into a particular job, without having
done some research into the job they're doing. The research being the proper procedures
and equipment needed to install the job properly and to full specifications of safety and
security. Who cares if the knowledge they gleaned from their research is never used by
them again. At least they took time to make sure that they knew all the implications of
the work they're going to carry out.

If the job then needs to be inspected by someone who is trained in the quality factor of
that type of work, then the DIYer would have no hesitation in allowing this to happen,
because they would know that they have learned as much as they can before, during and
after doing the work. So they should then be confident enough to allow the inspector to
have a look. It's the work that is not inspected that is causing dangerous circumstances.
New legislations are not created from thin air. They're created due to the continually
changing environments in the way equipment is being installed. And it is the final
installation of this equipment which creates dangerous environments.


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