IET Raises Alarm Over Sustained Overloads 🚨

The IET warns installers over sustained overloads in solar projects…

…the government acts over an LED downlight with a high risk of electric shock…

…and a judge fines an electrical contractor after an apprentice falls through a roof…

Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with Sungrow , making every Watt count since 1997 , whether you're listening in the van, on site, or down at the wholesale counter.

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Show Notes:

Catch all the stories, links, and product info from this episode - it’s all waiting for you in the show notes at 👉 https://www.efixx.co.uk/iet-raises-alarm-over-sustained-overloads

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Ledvance 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/LedvanceDirectEasy
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ChumpFix 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/ChumpfixENW
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Time Stamps ⏱️
00:00 Electrical News Weekly 15/12/2025
00:49 The IET Warns Trade About Solar Panel Overloads
02:18 Firm Fined After Apprentice Falls From Height
03:39 Govt Blocks Sale Of Downlight To Electricians
04:34 Have You Ever Been Cut By Steel Trunking?
05:10 Meet The ChumpFix L
06:35 Ledvances's New Lighting Control System
07:08 Quinetic System - No Wires, No Batteries
07:51 Electricians Diary 2026 Now Available
08:24 Learner Of The Week
09:14 Tea Break With Quickwire
10:00 eFIXX Fantasy League Roundup
12:21 Thanks To Our Premium Partners
13:06 Challenge Words & Winners
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#enw #electricians #electricalinstallation

Transcript

Coming up on this week's news, the IET warns installers over sustained overloads in solar projects. The government acts over an LED downlight with a high risk of electric shock. And a judge finds an electrical contractor after an apprentice falls through a roof. Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with Sungrow, making every watt count, literally since 1997. 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. This week we're being powered by Schneider with their top quality SPDs in both the KQ and Acti9 ranges with in-built protection so they connect directly to the bus bar, saving you space, time, and money. 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. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to check out what our sponsors offer. The authors of the wiring regulations are warning the trade this week against allowing sustained overloads in solar panel installations. The Institution of Engineering and Technology says electricians need to be aware that compliance with regulation 433.1.1 of the regs which requires overcurrent protective devices on the circuit may not give protection in all cases. If the sustained overcurrent is less than the tripping current I2, then the device won't operate within the conventional time. The IET is reminding installers that regulation 433 requires them to design every circuit so that a small overload of long duration is unlikely. It also says that they should make sure that the rated current of the device is more than the design current of the circuit. It should also be less than the lowest of the current carrying capacities of the cables. If your solar installation doesn't comply with BS7671, you'll need to declare an intended departure and show your workings. Additionally, with bespoke photovoltaic assemblies, you'll need to give your loading calcs to the manufacturer for verification. Take the example of a solar assembly whose current rating doesn't meet the regs, but due to the configuration, it can't be overloaded. In this case, you can append a manufacturer's declaration stating this to the installation certificate. Finally, you should add a schematic of the circuit and a warning notice describing the over protection method. The notice should be put in a visible position on the assembly identifying the maximum permitted connected load without diversity. And remember, if things go wrong, you may be required to justify your decision in a court of law. I'll put a link to the full IET advisory in the show notes. In other news, an electrical contractor has been fined after one of its apprentices fell through a roof in Weymouth. Tristan G Murless Limited was fined £16,000 at Bristol Magistrates Court following the incident in which the youngster plunged 11 ft onto a concrete floor. The then 20-year-old learner was at a job on an industrial estate in the summer of 2022. His task was to install cables and conduit around the warehouse perimeter in preparation for CCTV. The apprentice had been using a makeshift crawling board when he crashed through the fragile roof. He lost consciousness before the ambulance arrived. After the incident, the apprentice was temporarily unable to walk. He also sustained injuries to his back, including muscular tissue damage, which required physiotherapy. A probe by the health and safety executive found that Tristan G. Murless Limited failed to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of its employees. It did this by failing to plan properly and provide suitable equipment to prevent the fall. A second company, Ellison Partners Bournemouth Limited, was also fined after it failed to comply with the HSSE demand to produce documents to assist its criminal investigation into the incident. Both firms pleaded guilty to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act. HSSE Inspector Rebecca Gittoes said that in this case, a young man at the start of his career was failed by his employer. Had the company done a risk assessment, provided suitable work equipment, and a safe system of work, the incident wouldn't have happened. Both firms were ordered to pay costs. The government's product standards watchdog has stepped in this week to block the sale of a downlight to electricians. Investigators from the Office for Product Safety and Standards swooped on batches of the JM-1027B luminaire from Chinese brand Joy In LED. They say that live parts could be accessed without tools and therefore carry the real risk of electric shock. The team also revealed that instead of a suitable fuse, the light has a PCB track instead. Without a fuse, the plug could overheat or explode. The down light doesn't meet the requirements of the electrical equipment safety regulations of 2016 or the plugs and socket safety regulations of 1994. Already batches of the lights have been rejected at the border and destroyed. The office says electricians shouldn't install the product. Instead, they should contact the distributor to request a refund. Amazon has also removed the light from its online marketplace. Anyone coming across it is urged to contact their local trading standards office and don't be tempted into a bit of crafty upcycling by using them as hockey pucks. Still on safety, the Electrical Contractors Association wants to know if you've ever been cut by steel trunking. The organisation says that installers are experiencing cuts to their hands and arms, often caused by sharp edges and points in ceiling spaces. It says it's looking at ways to reduce the problem, and it says your feedback can help. So, if you've ever been cut by trunking, ceiling grids, or duck work, or you have any suggestions of how to fix the issue, it wants you to fill in its survey. It hopes the research will lead to better designs of trunking. And I'll put a link to the survey in the show notes. So, drop a tea bag into a cup, take a minute to complete the survey, and we will, of course, let you know the results when we get them. In product news this week, a large version of the much-loved ChumpFix device has hit the wholesalers. ChumpFix is a perforated piece of plastic about the size of a ruler. It's designed for speeding up the installation of lighting pendants, pull cords, and smoke alarms. It was designed by an electrician to help attach anything to plaster board. You push it up through a 25 mil hole, usually the same one for the cable, and then flatten it by pulling the handle. You then screw through the plaster to reach one of its many holes. It means you don't have to use wall plugs and it helps to spread the weight of the light across the ceiling. It also minimises the risk of plaster board failure caused by drilling near the edges. The large version known as ChumpFixL is 25 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, twice the length of the classic ChumpFix. The firm says a typical use could be for larger enclosures such as consumer units mounted on a stud wall. Typically, you can get one side on a stud, but the other must be secured to the plaster board. In this case, the Chump Fix L can support one side of the unit, or both if the studs are not available. So, you no longer need to set the fixings in the exact location for the perfectly level enclosure. Just level up once and secure once. Other uses include securing larger light fittings to the ceiling if the joists aren't in a suitable position. The weight of the light will be spread across a large area of the plaster board. Both sizes of Chump Fix are available in CEF and other good wholesalers, and you might consider using a Chump Fix support to install a top-of-the-line smoke detector. They'll keep watch over you and your loved ones even when you can't. It's this week's fire protection sponsor, FireAngel. Ledvance is currently marketing its direct easy lighting control system. This allows electricians to commission dimmable lighting in minutes. It's aimed at smaller projects like offices and shops. The system is zone based control and you can dim up to 40 luminaires. You need no gateway, no infrastructure, no registration, and no training. You simply use the app to set up the lights using Bluetooth. You create a zone, give it a name, use the app to discover the lights and devices. You allocate them to the zone, and well, you're ready to dim. You can also easily add devices such as switches, present sensors, and couplers. Another super simple wireless switching system comes from Quinetic. There's no wires, no batteries, and no limits, says the firm. So, no more chasing in or pulling twin and earth through ceilings. When your customer presses the kinetic switch, they generate enough power to transmit a radio signal to the kinetic wireless controller. This can in turn switch lamps and other loads on and off. And because there's no electricity, it's even safer to put in a bathroom. And of course, you don't need to cut into the wall or install a backbox. As well as switches, there are shed loads of devices in the range. These include Ps, smart Wi-Fi pendants, key fobs, door switches, socket adapters, and outdoor flood lights. There's also grid switches that fit into MK Logic, Legrand, BG, Hager, and Click grids. I'll put a link to the full system in the show notes. An electrician who doesn't fully trust putting test results into a tablet or iPad has developed an electrician's diary. Dale Kerry of DSK Electrical created it for himself, but has now produced it for other installers like him who prefer paper to electronic devices. He's put all the useful information in it, so you don't need to take all your notebooks into the property while on the job. It includes things like current carrying capacity charts and voltage drop for flat twin and earth cable. Each page has columns to input test results, so there's no need to jot results on the back of an old socket box. To get your hands on yours, click the link in the show notes. Maybe it would make a good self- gift for 2026. Now, it's that great moment where we get to celebrate the sterling work being done by the next generation. Our learner of the week slot is brought to you by Eltako, German manufacturer of premium actuators, sensors, and energy meters for smart homes. And our learner this week is Mark Peacham. He's studying full-time on a level two course at Hull College under the wonderful lecturer Paul Adams. Mark is slightly older than our usual learners, but he's proved to be a very capable man. In fact, he's completed no fewer than 28 eFIXX CPDs. That is an awful lot of watching me on screen there, Paul. Well done for that. His tutors say he's an outstanding learner, and to prove it, he was awarded the QR toolbox. Mark has also completed three stints on site as an electrician's mate as part of his quest to become a fully qualified electrician. A very deserving candidate indeed. Congratulations, sir, on being our Reix learner of the week in association with Eltako. And now to the lighter side of the electrical news. Yes, it's time for a tea break with Quickwire and its range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. A talented striker with non-league Rustall Football Club was asked to fix his stadium's broken foot lights within minutes of scoring a goal. Electrician Charlie Clover was asked by bosses to look at the lights when they stopped working at Halime on Saturday. The 27-year-old from Graves and Kent wasted no time in getting up a ladder to see what he could do. Despite his best efforts, the number nine couldn't get them back on without his tools, so the game at Jockey Farm Stadium was called off. The lesson, always bring your tools. That's the lighter side of the news in our tea break with Quickwire and their range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. Click the link in the description to check them out for yourself. And now over to the John Mutton of the electrical industry. Now, 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. We couldn't make the news without you. First up, if you like your lighting control smart, then check out the Direct Easy lighting control system from Ledvance. When your lights are this clever, you'll swear they've got a degree in illumination. 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 is Doncaster Cables. And finally, one of our favourite new innovations here at eFIXX, as we said earlier, for rock solid fixings in flimsier materials. Don't just fix it when you can chump fix it. 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 winners of last week's challenge word competition. Last week's words were zoological and telescope. And the first person to be plucked out of our electronic hat was Rich Wells won. So, 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 in association with Sungrow, making every watt count, literally since 1997. 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.