Is this too rambly?

PS. As I go into a slightly glassy eyed trance when watching Clive I didn’t notice any rambling. A beverage helps the trance like state!

The back box differences between US et al and U.K. are heavily influenced by UK masonry walls with plaster and US wood stud walls with Sheetrock (plasterboard) and lots of free space (typically 3.5”) in the wall space (or could be up to 5.5” for outside walls in newer homes).

Wasn't too rambly for me

Stephen Thompson

I've never been in a house newer than 45 years old but in every house I've been in the lighting is just a three core cable poking through a hole in the cieling, hopefully near a rafter or hard point for mounting.

Milkshiekh

It's now common to have a neutral at the switch in the UK. Very useful for things like Z-Wave dimmers.

No such thing as to rambly unless you are trying to do a serious how-to / step-by-step. :)

Jorg Jorgensen

hmm, interesting. In the us, wiring the power to each light, like it’s done in UK was very popular pre 1960s, but now mostly we bring the feed to the switch, and then to the light.. it’s actually code now that the switch box have a neutral conductor, to allow for the switches to be replaced with occupancy sensors or timer switches, that fit into the wall but require a neutral. Does the UK have timer modules or occupancy sensors that can replace a standard wall switch?

Michael Gilchrest

"shatter outs" ~ so true! lol Those brittle bastards create glass-like slivers that have cut my fingers so many times!! I love this vid, it's one that's genuinely useful to us home DIYers.

mikenco

You do get various styles of light switches here, but I've not seen a toggle version for a while.

Big Clive

I could have done with this video, 2 weeks ago at 3am, when I decided to fit my new switches all round my flat. And guess what I got a very prompt reminder of electrical power. I was thrown with no com on the socket it was L1,L2 and L3.

I'm also very interested in your TT electrical fault. Keep Rambling!

Question, I understand the voltage differences and obvious box/enclosure differences but does any company out there make the American style toggle light switch in the UK spec/enclosure?

Lostngone

Ramble away for all I care!

Adam 'RDL' Taylor

I hope in the next 'story time' video you'll tell us about that unusual fault related to the TT electrical system, it sounds intriguing!

Berkeloid

Not at all!

Happened to be awake at 4am the morning after you created this ramble. Should I get up and finish my accounts or watch Clive's latest? You won - not rambly at all: in fact the pace was almost a sprint at times. Much better use of my time, so thank you.

Keith Miller

I recommend turning the full house supply off. If the wiring is not correct then everything can test dead, but if the neutral is being used by another circuit then when it's parted it can become live via other loads. Take good clear pictures and if necessary mark the cables before removing them from the terminals.

Big Clive

I didn't check John's videos, but I was tempted to make the video in his style.

Big Clive

Two of those switches came from Poundland. I think they were the old Woolworths stock from the buildings they took over. The rest was got from either screwfix or toolstation.

Big Clive

The regulations have turned into an industry that produces red tape for a living. It would be interesting to create a new set of independent regulations designed for simplicity and functionality that could be openly viewed on the 'net.

Big Clive

You, sir, are cordially invited to ramble your ass off. You have solved TWO of my current issues with this one video. THANK YOU!!!

Chuck Kirchner

Best of both worlds here in the colonies... bare ground wire & no sleeving for it. If it's bare, it's ground... Unless the installer is one of those assholes that strips the live & neutral too far & leaves them that way.

Scott Miller

Damn. You really should be an Instructor. I taught at Power School for a few years before I retired and you've got the knack. Your explanation of two way switches was simple and to the point. Oh and listen to Michael. :D

Na. Not rambly much. Dig anything electrical to get my fix. Been away to damn long. Keep it up.

F no! Please ramble!

Michael Thompson

Great minds :) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L3HmfxGehI" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L3HmfxGehI</a>

It is actually a very good video, you cover a lot of matters in a fairly short amount of time. Even if it is a bit UK specific, many of the concepts you are talking about are easily applicable to other kinds of installations. P.S. I would like a video dedicated to that wired wiring issue you mentioned.

elias

Where are you getting all these things? Poundworld? Or are you disassembling your house?

All your rants are all technical information anyway, so no problems there. It was great to see the differences in your std wiring and termination systems compared to Australia, so very different. Very informative Clive, great vid.

Mike Wynne

Indeed here in Ireland the earth wire must be sleeved and of the same diameter as the other conductors. This regulation came in around 2013. Then again, here the regulations here seem to have gone overboard.

Seán Byrne

Although i''m not interested in this subject matter, i would not call the video rambly, you always do a good job summarizing a lot of info into a video that under 40 minutes.

Western Canadian Guy

Thanks Clive. This video was not too rambly.

Nuts 'n' Proud

Perfect timing! I am replacing a ceiling rose that is gunked up with 50 years of paint. Not an electrician so mains will definately be off (and tested!). Keep ranting Clive!

Paul Hill

I often watch while I am relaxing and have a beverage. Your voice is quite soothing.I am so glad you have done some content on UK home electrics. My Husband was telling me when he was younger that he would be sent to repair the fuse wire. He said it was two peg terminals and you would wrap the wire around the terminals .The block looked like a ladder and the fuse wire was the rungs.

Not criticising but you asked for a reason and I'll be honest in my reply! I wouldn't call it rambly, it is long and includes a lot of stuff (all good), at times you explain (i.e. 2wy and Int switching) but don't explain it clearly enough for a newbie, just not clear who the audience is for those bits. I'd edit a few bits to leave the 'show and tell' bits in and do a separate video on any bits you think could be instructional. Hope that makes sense!

The Tinkering Shed

The rambling are the best parts. Plus I'm currently researching the differences in electrical installations in Europe, so this is a very good video for learning stuff you do in the UK

Niklas Haglund

I liked this but I like the Irish idea of insulated earth. No messing about with bits of sleeve.

It seemed fine to me.

Mark Trombley

Your videos can never be too rambly!

It's a bit rambly. You never finished the house drawing and explanation. You probably want to move N-way-switching to its own video. It's a speciality topic. Same for details on different boxes/backplates. They are probably only relevant to brits. Switch segment is good, but probably also its own video.

With apologies to your hard-earned electronics skills, there's dozens of channels to watch people do electronics things with little to no personality involved. Your videos being a bit rambly is the reason I'm a Patreon!

Mike O'Keefe

I haven’t watched it yet(at work). I like to watch Big Clive while relaxing with a drink... I haven’t seen anything from you that I would consider anything close to being “too rambly”.

Lostngone

No, your videos are never too rambly.

Gadgetman