Electrical News Weekly
Electrical News Weekly
Govt’s Cable Plan Sparks Safety Fears ⚠️
The Government says electricians should be able to cut the pavement to install EV charging cables..
…but the announcement is putting it on a collision course with councils…
….electrical contractors and the union agree an inflation-busting pay deal…
… and the NICEIC says that landlords and their installers need to urgently check the status of their EICRs…
Welcome to Electrical News Weekly, whether you're listening in the van, on site, or down at the wholesale counter.
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Show Notes
Wieland Podis Video 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ4zt_QRlIc
A Beginners Guide To DALI Lighting Controls 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGPkVOycyP8
Flex 7 Modular System 👉 https://www.flex7.co.uk/flex7-modular-lighting-connection-and-control-video/
Roxtec Airtight Cable Transit 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/RoxtecCableTransit
Iriss Safe-Connect 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/IrissSafeConnect
Kordz SlimCat 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/Kordz
CK Tools Redline VDE Range 👉 https://www.ck-tools.com/redline-vde-relaunch
Quickwire - The Fastest Way To Extend Circuits 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bMMg66JNLM
New Knipex Tools 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/KnipexPVTools
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Thanks to our premium partners:
Sunsynk 👉 http://hub.efixx.co.uk/sunsynk-enw
Lewden Palazzoli 👉http://hub.efixx.co.uk/lewden-enw
Niglon 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/NiglonENW
Rolec 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/RolecENW
CPN Cudis 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/CPNCUDISENW
Doncaster Cables 👉 http://hub.efixx.co.uk/doncastercables-enw
CED Electrical Group 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/CEDElecENW
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Time Stamps ⏱️
00:00 Electrical News Weekly 21/07/02025
00:35 Electricians Allowed To Cut The Pavement To Install EV Cables
02:25 NICEIC Urges Landlords To Check EICR Status
03:55 Sparks Agree 4% Wage Increase
04:30 Product Focus - Cables & Connections
05:22 Flex 7 Modular System
06:44 Roxtec Airtight Cable Transit
07:19 Amokabel Unveils New Cable Version
08:02 Iriss Safe-Connect
09:21 Kordz SlimCat - 1/2 Size Ethernet Cable
09:53 CK Tools Relaunches RedLine VDE Range
10:26 Quickwire Unveils 4 Pole Plug and Socket
11:12 Have You Used PV Ultra?
11:36 New Knipex Ergostrip PV
12:12 Question Of The Week
12:51 Learner Of The Week
13:40 Thanks To Our Premium Partners
14:43 Challenge Words & Winners
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#enw #electricians #electricalinstallation
Coming up on this week's news, the government says electricians should be able to cut the pavement to install EV charging cables, but the announcement is putting it on a collision course with councils. Electrical contractors in the union agree an inflation busting pay deal, and the NICEIC says that landlords and their installers need to urgently check the status of their EICRs. Welcome to Electrical News Weekly. Whether you're listening in the van on site or down at the wholesale counter, I'm Joe Robinson, and I've been through the best of the electrical industry news to save you the trouble. And if you think you've spotted the two words that I've been challenged to slip into this week's show, comment with them below for the chance to win a prize. Dig, baby, dig. That's the message from the government to the trade this week. It wants electricians to be able to install gullies for EV charging cables in public pavements, and the Department of Transport is backing up its plan with 25 million pounds in cash. It says drivers in urban areas without driveways should be able to power up their vehicles. Officials say that there are over 9 million households without an off- street parking space, making them reliant on public chargers. But the idea looks set to put the government on a collision course with local authorities. That's because some councils are worried about the electrocution risk from on street EV charging. Last year, leading electrical experts and council engineers revealed to us their fears about the increased dangers for pedestrians. The alarm stems from the possibility of simultaneous contact between the body of electric vehicles and another vehicle or a piece of street furniture such as a metal lamp post or telecomm's cabinet. Unless the two items are connected to the same distribution systems, there's a prospect of a fault of a high potential difference between them. Consultant, engineer, and chairman of the IET wiring regulations policy committee, Graham Kenyon, pointed out to us at the time that under the IET's code of practice for electric vehicle charging equipment installation, electricians should carry out a simultaneous contact assessment before starting an install. Guidance on EV charging from the electrical contractors association also emphasises the need for such an appraisal. If you can touch any other electrical equipment at the same time as the electric vehicle, you need to ensure that it's connected to the same earthing system. But the problem is it's often impossible to tell. Additionally, with on street parking, it's difficult to guarantee that another vehicle connected to a different electrical system won't be parked next to the first one. And under the guidance, if you don't know, in theory, you can't proceed with the installation. That's the reason that some local authorities have been saying no to cross pavement charging systems. The apparent contradiction between the IET guidance and the government's plea for more on street charging has yet to be resolved. Still on safety, the NICEIC is urging landlords and their contractors in England to urgently review the status of their electrical installation condition reports. That's because it's now 5 years since the introduction of mandatory tests for private rented properties. The law requires landlords to have installations inspected and tested at least every 5 years by a qualified and competent person. With the fifth anniversary now here, many will be due for renewal. A valid cert must be provided to new tenants when they move in and to existing tenants within 28 days of an inspection. Last month, the government announced that electrical testing would become compulsory in social homes from November. Local authorities and housing associations in England must now conduct tests with qualified and competent persons at least once every 5 years. This brings the sector into line with private rented accommodation. Social landlords will be obliged to issue a copy of the search to tenants within 28 days of an inspection or to any new tenant before they occupy the property. They must also complete any recommended remedial works identified as C1 and C2 or any recommended further investigations within 28 days. Along with the EICRS, the government introduced mandatory pat testing on all electrical appliances that are provided by social landlords as part of a tenancy. Earlier this summer, researchers working for Direct Line Insurance discovered that one in five private landlords is unaware that bigger fines have come in for those without a valid test cert. They also found out that 8% of landlords don't have a valid electrical test certificate or aren't sure if their report is valid. So, if you're a landlord, don't be a wally. Get your EICR in order. In other news, the trade has agreed an inflation busting pay deal with the union. Electrical contractors have hammered out a 4% wage rise with the Unite Union under the JIB collective agreement. The 3-year deal includes a 3.95% rate rise from 2026, followed by 4.6% in 2027 and 4.85% in 2028. It means a technician based in the capital will get an hourly payment of £26.70 from next year. Weekly sick pay for sparks will go up by 10 quid to £200 a week. Surely even the most hardened Curmudeons among you must be pleased to hear that. Now, welcome to our electrical news weekly feature where we focus on a specific product area. This week we're talking cables and connections. For instance, Weiland has developed a series of flat cable systems especially for industrial applications. These flat cables essentially work as bus bars which you tap into with special modules where you need to without dismantling, cutting or stripping. The power bus podis is a five conductor tray cable that comes with tap off connector modules. These safely pierce into the conductors where required. You feed in power with a special module which connects to a cable of 16 square mm. The max rating is 40 amps and 690 volts AC. You'll find a link to a full video that Gordon made on this system in the show notes. The Gesis NRG is a separate system aimed at dimmable lighting installations. Again, it's a busbar system with its own feed in and tap off modules and a whole range of accessories and tools. Flex 7 is well known for its modular pre-fabricated control boxes. They're basically plug-and-play and can be wired up in a fraction of the time of a traditionally wired system. In terms of controls kit, Flex 7 offers lots of switches and devices operating at protected extra low voltage. That means the install is safer as controls and associated cabling are reduced to just 5 volts or 12 volts. It also allows for multiple circuits or even multiple phases to be switched at these low voltages too. There's no need for extra contactors or the potential of 415 volts at devices the general public might be required to operate. Wall switches for example. kit includes daylight linking, dimming, integrated emergency test, corridor hold, a last man out switch, networking across circuits, phases, and plug-in switches. What we really like though is the super small PIR sensor head. It fits through a hole with a diameter of just 32 mm. They measure 40 mil in diameter at their widest, making them super discreet and unobtrusive. All versions of the brand's PIR sensor heads are available in both white and black. They have adjustable timeout and sensitivity settings and the detection range can be increased by up to sixfold by adding extra heads. Sensor heads are available for occupancy and absence detection as well as with daylight linking. Flex 7 also offers surface mount tamper resistant and IP67 versions. Again, for more videos on this system and how it works with DaLI, check out the link in the show notes. You'll also find a link to their own web page there. Roxtec makes transits for allowing cables to pass safely through a barrier such as a wall or bulkhead. An example is the Lab Seal, a hygienically designed and airtight transit that's made in accordance with good manufacturing practices guidelines. It has an easy to clean powdercoated aluminium frame and a smooth surface with drainable edges, integrated compression units, and hidden mounting screws. It's aimed at applications in labs and clean rooms. But Roxtec warns that while the units are trusted worldwide and easy to install, it's critical that they're properly installed. The company has a whole suite of tools and training to ensure every installation delivers full protection. I've put a link to those resources in the show notes. UK manufacturer Amkabel has unveiled a copper clad aluminium version of its popular flexi shield cable. Flexi Shield is its original BS8436 cable. Its main feature is the safety mechanism that activates on penetration by sharp metal objects. This causes the cable to safely break at 200 amps under such conditions and allows for the activation of an MCB up to a 40 amp type B or up to 20 amp type C, exceeding BS8436 requirements. The cable uses a bonded aluminium tape for excellent mechanical resistance and effective reduction of electrical interference. It meets the wiring regs for concealed cables at depth of less than 50 mil, so could be used for circuits where you want to avoid installing RCD protection for some reason, but still need to bury a cable in a wall. A product we're genuinely impressed with here at eFIXX is the Safe Connect Thermo Clip range from Iriss. An innovative set of cable clips that serve as an early warning system for overheating conductors. These thermochromic clips permanently change colour from purple to pink when the surface temperature of a cable exceeds 70° C. That's not just a gimmick, it's a gamechanger for diagnosing thermal issues before they escalate into dangerous faults. Iriss specialises in engineered solutions for safer and more reliable electrical maintenance, and the Thermoclip is just one part of their broader Safe Connect family of products. The full range includes indicators designed for bus bars, lugs, compression joints, and hard to access cables, giving you a complete passive thermal monitoring system that doesn't require power, maintenance, or training to use. Whether you're dealing with overloaded circuits, loose terminals, or raging connections, these clips give you a clear visual cue that something's wrong without the need for specialist thermal imaging gear. Ideal for use in panel boards, switch gear, and junction boxes, the thermoclips and other safe connect indicators can help prevent downtime, fires, and costly repairs by flagging hot spots early. And the best bit, they're readily available in the UK, making it easier than ever to integrate realtime thermal detection into your next installation or maintenance job. Whether you're working on new builds, refurbishments, or routine inspections in high reliability environments like hospitals, data centres, or industrial plants, click the link in the show notes to get your hands on some. The SlimCat from Kordz is a one-of-a-kind network cable for power over Ethernet setups. It delivers all the power of a regular Cat 6 cable, but in half the size. The 4 millimetre SlimCat is specially designed for matching RJ45 crimp connectors and RJ45 keystone sockets and is designed for a robust connection. It fills a gap in the industry for a retrofit cable for tight spaces or for new installations where space is at a premium while supporting 100 watt PoE++ and delivering 1 GB per second connectivity for up to 50 m. CK Tools has relaunched its bestselling Redline VDE pliers and cutters range. Now featuring a redesigned ergonomic two component handle and integrated tool tether point for added safety when working at height. The German engineered tools comply with VDE standards and are aimed at electricians and engineers, especially in the renewables sector. The tether feature responds to growing safety concerns about drop tools with HSE reporting 50 UK fatalities and nearly 5,000 injuries in 2023 24 related to working at height. The range includes side cutters, cable cutters, and the popular combi cutter. It's available now, so click the link to get yours. Quickwire has unveiled a four- pole plug-in socket aimed at the commercial sector. Rated at 16 amps, the unit is compliant with both BS5733 and BSEN 61535. It accepts flat solid three core and earth cable from 1.5 mil to 2.5 mil squared. The plug itself accommodates flexible cable up to 1.5 mm squared. As the name suggests, QuickWire is a super speedy way to connect. You just strip the cable and push it into the socket screwless push fit terminals for an instant connection. The four-pole version complements the existing three-pole version. It will even fit through a tiny 35 mil hole, making it one of the smallest on the market. Quickwire says it was designed in response to growing demand from contractors for emergency lighting and other applications. We've done loads of videos on QuickWire connectors, so check those out in the show notes. Doncaster Cables has unveiled a dedicated multi-core DC cable. The PV Ultra comes in two and four core in four, six, and 10 mil, as well as an SWA version in 6 mill. The result, a neater, faster, and safer job. Complimenting the cable and produced in response to installer demand are dedicated heat shrink boots, which make it super easy to terminate. You simply slip them over the PV Ultra and shrink them down for a secure seal. For stripping PV cables, there's a dedicated tool from Knipex. The brand new ErgoStrip PV is ideal for 4mm squared and 6 mm squared PV cables like the H1Z2Z 2K. Its adjustable length stop allows you to strip to the exact length needed for MC4 and MC4 EVO2 connectors. The Ergostrip PV features an ergonomic pistol grip design for easy cutting, stripping, and longitudinal cut of the sheath. It has a conicle slim down tool end for better access in confined areas. There's also a dedicated stripping notch for PVC single cores from 0.2 mil to 4 mil squared. Our question of the week this week was taken from our free training package from CPN Cudis. We asked you, why is a neutral connection required for a typeB RCD in a three-phase system? And I'm afraid this one really stumped you a lot. The correct answer is that it's a voltage dependent device which needs a reference point. But eight out of 10 LinkedIners and six out of 10 YouTubers thought it was to detect phase imbalances. So controversially, I'm not declaring a winner this week. Until next week's question, I'm prescribing a period of quiet self-reflection on the naughty step and a big dose of that free training package from CPN Cudis. That's our electrical news weekly roundup of products or people we think deserve some attention. Next time we're taking a spin in all things EV. Now it's time for everyone's favourite feature. It's this week's learner of the week. This time it's Dennis Frolenkovs from Derby College. He's described as a standout, a student who's doing all the right things as he approaches the end of his course. Dennis is getting stuck into our CPD content, even the topics not included in his full-time program. His practical work is super impressive, especially his sharp conduit work. Contact the team in the show notes to learn more about Dennis, an outstanding young man. Dennis, congratulations on being this week's eFIXX learner of the week. And our usual reminder that we're in the market for your stories, your projects, and your recommendations as we'd like to share them with the wider eFIXX community. So, send us pictures of your installs or let us know if you've come across any new kit or companies that are making your job easier or any products that you think deserve a shout out. And just before we get to your favourite bit of the show where I reveal last week's challenge words and winners, we want to thank our premium partners. couldn't make the news without you. First up, they're the people who've created the Swiss Army knife of solar inverters along with all weather batteries. Very much the boy scouts of the solar industry, it's Sunsynk. Next, with deep commitments to the economy, the environment, and the electrical community, there's so much more than an electrical distributor, the self-styled experts in shifting boxes, it's Niglon. Up next, for all your circuit protection needs, they're like having an Italian Star Striker in your premiership team. It's Lewden Palazzoli. And in an age of energy uncertainty, if you're looking for your next EV charge point to install, then helping you charge into the future with confidence, powering the future together, it's Rolex. With their new award-winning Lumo consumer unit and offering complete product support from their highly trained team, it's CPN Cudis. And with over 5,000 product lines from heating, lighting, ventilation to wiring accessories, if you need it, they've got it. It's electrical distributor CED Group. And the best thing to come out of Yorkshire since stainless steel, the home of EV Ultra and other groundbreaking and quality products, it's Doncaster Cables. Click the links in the show notes to find out more about these great brands. If you think you know the words that I've smuggled into this week's show, pop your guess into the comments. We'll take all the correct guesses and select one at random to be the winner of an eFIXX goodie bag prize. Answers submitted after about lunchtime on the Thursday after release will not be entered into the draw. Now, let's reveal the winner of last week's challenge word competition. Last week's words were piffle and simulacum. And the winner to be plucked from our electronic hat was serial winner Jason FKM5MQ. Again, I'm guessing that's not your birth name. And to be fair, you're going to catch up with Mark. Just Mark at this rate, Jason. Goodness knows what we'll find to send you this time, but well done to you. Make sure you click the get involved link in the show notes to claim your prize. Thanks for listening to this episode of Electrical News Weekly. Make sure you subscribe to receive the next update. Thanks for listening and until next time, have a great week. Stay safe out there and remember there's no such thing as a torque calibrated arm.