DIY Tips: #1 A bit about Electricity

DIY Dave

Each week, I will bring you useful, handy and important DiY tips and tricks to help you save money in simple, clear and easy to understand step-by-step guides to the more simple tasks around your home. Some tasks around the home do need professional help – so, I will NOT be taking you up onto your roof or down into your drains, getting you to plaster a room or build an extension. However, in the weeks to come, we (you and I) will mend fuses, change light fittings, fill cracks in walls, paint and fix dripping taps and cold radiators and all sorts of other tasks, around our homes.

DIY Tips: #1 A bit about Electricity

Firstly: Electricity is big and grown-up and powerful. I don't want to have to tell you this again so take note: Electricity is powerful enough to injure you, or others, burn your house down or even kill you (or all four) so don't mess around with it. If you're not sure - do contact an electrician. On the other hand though, the movement of electrons is what makes our world tick – so, it is a nice idea to get to know as much about it as you can. If you wish to feel a few of these electrons in action – get a type PP3 9volt battery (or get a teenager to do this if you have one at home, it will wake them up and make them feel useful) – oh, if you try this on anyone younger, or on your granny, it is probably a crime, SO DON'T, JUST DON'T.

Now, simply touch the terminals on the top of the battery, both at the same time, with your tongue … feel that tingle? What you just felt was comparatively few electrons moving between the terminals via your tongue - only 9 volts – household electrics are 240volts (which is 26 times greater or 2600% if you wish to be mathematically pedantic) so;

Don't even think about touching household electricity wiring with any part of yours or anyone else’s body unless you are sure the power is switched off AND isolated AND the fuse is removed AND in your pocket.

Oh and for any numpty thinking “I wonder what jolt I'd get from licking a car battery” DON'T DO IT – LICKING A CAR BATTERY TERMINALS WILL POSSIBLY BURN YOUR TONGUE OFF AND SET YOUR EAR HAIR ALIGHT and besides, it is dirty (and don't lick any other part of your car either).

Domestic fuseboxes

These days there are several different types of fuse boxes (consumer units) in domestic properties. These are some examples:

If your fusebox looks like any of the five above you should seriously consider getting an electrician to quote for a new Consumer Unit – these are all outdated, could be dangerous and could be fire hazards.

This is a more modern example of fusebox/consumer unit with RCD trips and up-to-date circuit protection.

Next week we shall replace a fuse in a plug and repair a blown fuse in a fusebox.