UK Voltage Change? Have Your Say...

The nation’s electricians are being asked if we should change the UK’s voltage…

…a price war erupts over the yet-to-be-released edition of the Wiring Regs…
  
…and why Chinese-made solar inverters look set to be banned…

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/uk-voltage-change-have-your-say

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Ledvance 👉 https://hub.efixx.co.uk/LedvanceDirectEasy
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Doncaster Cables 👉 http://hub.efixx.co.uk/doncastercables-enw
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Time Stamps ⏱️
00:00 Electrical News Weekly 26/01/2026
00:52 UK Voltage Change? Have Your Say...
02:46 Price War Breaks Out Over Amendment 4
04:09 Govt Unveils "Biggest Homes Upgrade in UK History"
05:00 EU To Ban Chinese Inverters?
06:17 3 Convicted After Solar Scams
07:35 Meet The Duo Clip
08:06 Meet The Kordz SlimCat
08:37 Marshall Tufflex Now Stocks Linian Products
09:10 Paul Russells Lamp of the Week
10:00 Learner of the Week
11:04 Tea Break With Quickwire
11:50 eFIXX Fantasy League Roundup
14:18 Thanks To Our Premium Partners
14:50 Challenge Words & Winners
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#enw #electricians #electricalinstallation

Transcript

Coming up on this week's news, the nation's electricians are being asked if we should change the UK's voltage. A price war erupts over the yet to be released edition of the wiring regs and why Chinese-made solar inverters look set to be banned. 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. We're being lit by Flex 7 with their lightning fast pre-wired modular lighting connection system that keeps your installation times razor sharp. And this week's challenge word competition is supported by the good people at Brady. If you need a label, they've got a printer and so much more. 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 this exclusive cap branded with Friends of the Show QuickWire and Chump Tools. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to check out what our sponsors offer. The nation's electricians are being asked this week if we should change the UK's voltage. As revealed exclusively by eFIXX last October, Britain's electricity network chiefs are proposing a controversial change to the nation's voltage limits. Under the plan, the lower legal limit of mains voltage would be reduced to 207 volts, bringing the UK in line with European standards. It's a move grid bosses say will make it easier to manage the network as more renewable energy sources are added. The issue arises because solar inverters can push up local voltages when exporting power. DNO's currently operate the system with the voltage at the top end of its legal limits where there's little headroom to cope with the rise. This voltage inflation can cause electrical equipment such as EV chargers to shut down in self-protection mode once they detect voltages approaching the upper limit of 253 volts. To prevent these problems, operators have been forced to limit the amount of renewable energy that can be connected, frustrating homeowners with solar and battery systems. It's believed that many households are unable to secure the full export allowance they want. At present, UK mains voltage is nominally 230 volts with a tolerance of plus 10% and minus 6%. Though in practice, most households still experience close to 240 volts. The new proposal would extend the lower tolerance to minus 10% allowing voltages as low as 207 volts. Network operators say this would enable them to reduce average grid voltages by around 2% or 5 volts, freeing up capacity for more renewable generation. It's expected that they will reduce the voltage initially by 1% and then following an assessment will cut a further percentage point. However, lowering the limit could have side effects and unintended consequences. For instance, it could affect the tripping behaviour of MCBs. Therefore, the ENA has this week launched a consultation into the radical proposal. It wants the electrical trade to raise any concerns or potential problems it sees. You have until Sunday the 22nd of February, 2026 to respond. I've put a link to the proposal and how you can give feedback in the show notes. In other news, a price war has erupted over the forthcoming version of the wiring regulations which contains the new amendment 4. The document with its bright tangerine cover is set at £125 if you pre-order from its author, the IET. That price, more than the cost of a decent multimeter, has attracted fury from electricians who have taken to social media to call it a ripoff. Many question why they can't just buy the amendment separately. But shortly after the unveiling of the new document, the NIC said it would offer its members a discount of 10% if they bought it from its online shop. That's a saving of £12.50. As Tesco says, every little helps. And Napit have got in on the act as well. It says that if you come to one of its road shows, you'll get it included in the £99 entry fee. The first one is in Southampton in April. Then there's Leeds, Bristol, and Coventry in May. The offer will be seen as a major coup for the organisation. The new wiring regs will be officially published on the 16th of April. You'll have to stop using the current brown book for new installs by the 16th of October 2026. However, if you're not a member of the NIC or NAPIT or you can't make it to one of those road shows on those dates or afford the time off work, we'd strongly recommend pre-ordering your Fourth Amendment books through Docs Store. They're an independent business and if you buy one of their amendment four bundles, not only will you get the same 10% discount as the NIC is offering, you'll also get a free set of chapter flags for helping you navigate the murky BS 7671 waters. You'll find a link to that page in the show notes. The government has unveiled what it calls the biggest homes upgrade in UK history. The warm homes plan will bring a 15 billion pound boost to the trade over the next 5 years. The cash will help fund solar panels, heat pumps, and batteries for households via low interest loans and grants. And the cash will be available to everyone, not just low-income households. As part of the package, the boiler upgrade scheme will be extended to 2030, offering grants of £7,500 for air source heat pumps. However, the proposals didn't include a reversal of the government's ban on so-called plug-in solar panels. It was understood that ministers were considering this option following their success in Germany, where they're present in 1 million homes. A link to the full proposal is in the show notes. And if the thought of all this new kit going into properties makes you worry about complying with fire regulations, then check out the fantastic range from this week's fire sponsor, Fire angel. They'll keep watch over you and your loved ones even when you can't. Another bold option, this time being considered by EU government officials, is to ban Chinese inverters. The issue was discussed in the European Parliament during a debate about a new cyber security act. It follows the publication in December of a European Commission security report which described solar inverters as a high-risk dependency. Meanwhile, a recent report in the Financial Times on moves to ban Chinese inverters over cyber fears specifically name checked those manufactured by Huawei. In May last year, it was reported in America that so-called undocumented communication devices had been found inside Chinese-made power inverters. The discoveries include secret cellular radios. News organisation Reuters said it had been told by US security officials that the rogue components could allow the units to be turned off remotely. The kit, which was also discovered in battery packs, is said to bypass standard firewalls to avoid detection. Experts fear the hidden kill switches could be activated remotely to cripple power grids in the event of a conflict between China and the West. No advisories have yet been issued to the trade in the UK over the choice of inverters in renewable installs. We'll keep you posted about guidance on this issue as we get it. And if you want to stay in control of your electrical equipment, then have a look at Legrand's green I range of smart lighting controls. They'll cut carbon, reduce costs, and help you specify efficient future ready buildings. It's not just green I, it'll help to make a green you. In the courts this week, three installers have been convicted following a major probe into solar panel fraud in Kent. Two firms, Clear Renewables Limited and Efficient Homes SE Limited, deliberately targeted elderly and vulnerable people using high pressure tactics. Internal notes seized from the businesses revealed a culture of contempt for victims with derogatory remarks about customers. People were told that their solar panel systems needed urgent checks or upgrades. Sales reps would visit homes under the guise of offering free assessments. They would then pressure consumers into buying unnecessary and overpriced equipment. Expert evidence heard at Maidstone Court confirmed the consumer's original solar systems had been working efficiently. Inverters and batteries were replaced unnecessarily with some work found to be hazardous. One victim was charged £4,200 for a solar edge inverter and optimisers that cost the company less than 800 quid. Matthew Kyte, 38, of Tonbridge, pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by false representation and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. Ian Hitchings, 60, of Fennel Close, Maidstone, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 23 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. Jesse Hitchings, 29, of Warmlake Orchard, Sutton Valence, was found guilty following a trial for two offences relating to fraudulent trading and a further two offences for money laundering. He was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and disqualified as a director for 7 years. Now, from Denmark comes a very clever idea. The Duo Clip is designed to hold cables, conduits, and pipes firmly in a chase or any other groove. Its one size fits recesses from 22 mm right up to 50 mil. You simply clamp it in place with a squeeze of your long nose pliers, saving time and ensuring a clean, consistent result every time. The clips are made of recycled plastic and can be recycled again, delivering both performance and sustainability. And now they're over here in the UK via the link in the show notes. What's not to like? 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 3.8 mil SlimCat is specially designed for 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 while supporting 100 watt PoE++ and delivering 1GBPS connectivity for up to 50 m. There's also a Cat 6A version that shares all the features and benefits of the Cat 6 product. The patch cords are available in eight colours. Marshall Tufflex has teamed up with Linian to make life easier for electricians. Now stocking line cable tray clips alongside their metal cable tray range. That means you can order your tray and compliant fire rated clips at the same time from one trusted manufacturer. No extra sourcing, no delays on site. These galvanised steel clips lock into place by hand in seconds, helping speed up installs while preventing premature collapse of wiring systems in the event of a fire. It's a great partnership that supports safer, faster cable management across the industry. Click the link for further information and see how this collaboration can streamline your next project. Now to our newly introduced section celebrating the quality light sources illuminating our lives. It's the Paul Russell's lamp of the week. And this week we're recognising a classic, the good old bayonet cap A-shape. This gives out the same output as a traditional 100 W incandescent lamp at 1521 lumens. But as it's LED, it's super efficient and consumes just 14 watts. And best of all, unlike many LED lamps, it's dimmable. I've put a link to the full Paul Russell's lamp range in the show notes. Now, last week we reported on how students from ECK Dover College got the opportunity to work on the historic Maison in Dover. We've been asked to point out that the youngsters were not involved in the fire alarm and intruder alarm upgrades. The work was undertaken by Ashford based EcoMP contractors and rest assured the eFIXX team member responsible for the slip-up has had their biscuit privileges temporarily revoked and won't be getting the Gorgonzola pizza the next time we go to the harvester as a team. 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 Viperclip for rapid, secure, and fireproof installations of cabling. And our learner this week is Kyran Wiggins of SMY Electrical in Oxford. He's been nominated by Kinetic Electrical Services. Kyran is a highly motivated second year learner at JTL in Oxford. There he actively contributes to discussions, shares his ideas, and demonstrates a good understanding of the subjects he studied. He's passed all exams at the first attempt, including achieving a distinction in the science and principles online exam. A lad after my own heart, that one. Kyran has also completed a number of eFIXX CPD sessions which he thoroughly enjoyed. Congratulations, Karen. You're a great role model for all our learners out there. And well done on being the eFIXX learner of the week in association with ViperClip. Now, if you're looking to break into the industry, we can help. eFIXX has set up a dedicated LinkedIn group for people training in electrical installation. It's aimed at apprentices, full-time learners, and adults training in the evening. Just log on to LinkedIn and search for UK electrician apprenticeships and career support. I'll also put a link in the show notes. 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. Electricians have done well out of putting solar panels on roofs over the years, but a new development could change the game entirely. That's because scientists have developed solar windows. Researchers at Nanjing University in China say that the transparent windows they've invented can generate a lot of electricity. They currently have an optical efficiency of 18% which is comparable to regular PV panels. Their plan is to get them put on skyscrapers. That's a serious window of opportunity. Sorry. 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. 
Thanks for that update, Joe. 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, empowering their customers to harness power through light with their intelligent energy solutions, solar technology, and advanced lighting systems. It's Ledvance, one of our favourite new innovations here at eFIXX for rock solid fixings in flimsier materials. Don't just fix it when you can chump fix it. 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 EIX 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 as sponsored by Brady. Remember, if you need a label, they've got a printer and so much more. Click the link in the description to view their incredible range. Last week's words were tangerine and finicity, and that seemed to throw a lot of you off. Using the word curveball seemed like quite a, you know, curveball. However, some did get it right, and the name to be drawn out of her electronic hat was Dennis M1G, who had a few stabs at it, but did get the right combination in the end. So, well done to you, Dennis. Click the link in the show notes to claim your prize. This week, we've been lit by Flex 7 with their lightning fast pre-wired modular lighting connection system that keeps your installation times razor sharp. Don't forget to click the links in the show notes to find out more. 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.