Fitted a replacement dimmer switch for a lady yesterday, restored the power,
switched on the dimmer, no lights came on. Checked the connections, re read
the instructions, tried again, no lights. Puzzled handyman.

Just then the lady brought me a cup of tea. "Having problems" she asked. I
explained that the lights wouldn't come on, although the switch was
correctly wired.

"When the dimmer switch failed it left the lights on, so I took the bulbs
out" she said.

Doh! Moral of the story, dimmers only work when bulbs are present.

Installed a washing machine & dishwasher today, both wired into FCU's in a
brand new house. Checked plumbing for leaks, all OK, didn't switch either
on as they were both full of bits, samples of powder etc & it was late.

Got a call from the lady while on the way home, neither machine would work.

Got her to check the CU & make sure power was on. Assumed that the FCU's
didn't have any fuses in. Felt stupid for not having looked, but they
always come with fuses surely?

Just about to turn around & go back when I hear her husband in the
background saying "do you think these switches on the wall marked 'washing
machine & dishwasher' should be on"?

Moral of the story, check before you leave :-)


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

On 2008-02-14 22:17:54 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Fitted a replacement dimmer switch for a lady yesterday, restored the power,
switched on the dimmer, no lights came on. Checked the connections, re read
the instructions, tried again, no lights. Puzzled handyman.

Just then the lady brought me a cup of tea. "Having problems" she asked. I
explained that the lights wouldn't come on, although the switch was
correctly wired.

"When the dimmer switch failed it left the lights on, so I took the bulbs
out" she said.

Doh! Moral of the story, dimmers only work when bulbs are present.

Installed a washing machine & dishwasher today, both wired into FCU's in a
brand new house. Checked plumbing for leaks, all OK, didn't switch either
on as they were both full of bits, samples of powder etc & it was late.

Got a call from the lady while on the way home, neither machine would work.

Got her to check the CU & make sure power was on. Assumed that the FCU's
didn't have any fuses in. Felt stupid for not having looked, but they
always come with fuses surely?

Just about to turn around & go back when I hear her husband in the
background saying "do you think these switches on the wall marked 'washing
machine & dishwasher' should be on"?

Moral of the story, check before you leave :-)

Have you never heard the principle of the six Ps?

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-02-14 22:17:54 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Fitted a replacement dimmer switch for a lady yesterday, restored
the power, switched on the dimmer, no lights came on. Checked the
connections, re read the instructions, tried again, no lights. Puzzled
handyman. Just then the lady brought me a cup of tea. "Having problems"
she
asked. I explained that the lights wouldn't come on, although the
switch was correctly wired.

"When the dimmer switch failed it left the lights on, so I took the
bulbs out" she said.

Doh! Moral of the story, dimmers only work when bulbs are present.

Installed a washing machine & dishwasher today, both wired into
FCU's in a brand new house. Checked plumbing for leaks, all OK,
didn't switch either on as they were both full of bits, samples of
powder etc & it was late. Got a call from the lady while on the way home,
neither machine
would work. Got her to check the CU & make sure power was on. Assumed
that the
FCU's didn't have any fuses in. Felt stupid for not having looked,
but they always come with fuses surely?

Just about to turn around & go back when I hear her husband in the
background saying "do you think these switches on the wall marked
'washing machine & dishwasher' should be on"?

Moral of the story, check before you leave :-)

Have you never heard the principle of the six Ps?

Of course I have.

Pasties, Pork Pies, Pint of Bitter, Portion of Chips, Porno Pictures & Power
Tools.

Obvious innit?

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

On 2008-02-14 22:50:41 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-02-14 22:17:54 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Moral of the story, check before you leave :-)

Have you never heard the principle of the six Ps?

Of course I have.

Pasties, Pork Pies, Pint of Bitter, Portion of Chips, Porno Pictures & Power
Tools.

Obvious innit?


Proper preparation prevents **** poor performance.

Although I like your version.

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-02-14 22:50:41 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-02-14 22:17:54 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Moral of the story, check before you leave :-)

Have you never heard the principle of the six Ps?

Of course I have.

Pasties, Pork Pies, Pint of Bitter, Portion of Chips, Porno Pictures
& Power Tools.

Obvious innit?


Proper preparation prevents **** poor performance.

I knew that :-) The version I grew up with was Proper Planning.......

Although I like your version.

Mmmm. Pasties.......


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

I was always taught "If you're gonna make a cock-up make it a good one"

1501 says...
I was always taught "If you're gonna make a cock-up make it a good one"


My favourite one is "measure once cut twice" :-)

and on a slightly different topic

"It's better to have a bird behind the bush than one in
hand"
--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted.

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
. ..
Fitted a replacement dimmer switch for a lady yesterday, restored the
power, switched on the dimmer, no lights came on. Checked the
connections, re read the instructions, tried again, no lights. Puzzled
handyman.

Just then the lady brought me a cup of tea. "Having problems" she asked.
I explained that the lights wouldn't come on, although the switch was
correctly wired.

"When the dimmer switch failed it left the lights on, so I took the bulbs
out" she said.

Doh! Moral of the story, dimmers only work when bulbs are present.

Surely you must have seen that the 'bulbs' (*) were missing!!

Installed a washing machine & dishwasher today, both wired into FCU's in a
brand new house. Checked plumbing for leaks, all OK, didn't switch either
on as they were both full of bits, samples of powder etc & it was late.


I would have at least checked power was getting to the appliances!!


Got a call from the lady while on the way home, neither machine would
work.

Got her to check the CU & make sure power was on. Assumed that the FCU's
didn't have any fuses in. Felt stupid for not having looked, but they
always come with fuses surely?

As above statemement


Just about to turn around & go back when I hear her husband in the
background saying "do you think these switches on the wall marked 'washing
machine & dishwasher' should be on"?

Moral of the story, check before you leave :-)

As above statement

HTH

John

* bulbs are planted in the garden, lamps are what is put into a light
fitting

John wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message . ..
Fitted a replacement dimmer switch for a lady yesterday, restored the
power, switched on the dimmer, no lights came on. Checked the
connections, re read the instructions, tried again, no lights. Puzzled
handyman.

Just then the lady brought me a cup of tea. "Having problems" she
asked. I explained that the lights wouldn't come on, although the
switch was correctly wired.

"When the dimmer switch failed it left the lights on, so I took the
bulbs out" she said.

Doh! Moral of the story, dimmers only work when bulbs are present.

Surely you must have seen that the 'bulbs' (*) were missing!!

Alas no. The shades completely obscured the lack of bulbs.

SNIP

* bulbs are planted in the garden, lamps are what is put into a light
fitting.

Only if you are an electrician. Normal people call them bulbs.



--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

The Medway Handyman wrote:

John wrote:


* bulbs are planted in the garden, lamps are what is put into a light
fitting.


Only if you are an electrician. Normal people call them bulbs.

Aircraft electricians call the filaments :-)

Dave