More EU Crap

[Ballistic Banana]

Found out today( i work in the electrical supply industry) That new EU what ever me call its have nor said standard 3 phase cables will not be Red, Yellow and Blue for the 3 phase and Black for the Neutral, Of which every single cable in the country is at the moment except for some older ones that have 1 2 and 3 on the phases.
The new Phase colours are ?? let me think Red is now Brown, Yellow is now Black(old Neutral), Blue is now Grey and the Neutral is now Blue(the old phase).

Working in the industry I find this shamesley irresponsable and cant believe this is going to happen.
There are going to be so many Explosions when people are getting the wire crossed, literally.

Although you make checks before joining cables etc especially live working I can still see this going tits up and unfortunatly people getting hurt. especially joining the old type to new Black wont go to black anymore it will go to Yellow.. MAybe :sad:

I cant believe with all the Health and Safety we have in the work place today we are agreeing to this.

Rant over. especailly if you dont haev a clue what i am on about.

BB

See www.cse-distributors.co.uk/cable/euro-harmonisation.htm for piccies

[Andy mac]

Did this not get an international standard years ago??

[TonyOut]

It's like the fire extinguishers. They used to be easily distinguishable, now they are all red with a small label. WTF, let's think for a pico second. It's a fire, your eyes are stinging with smoke and now you have to read the fcking thing.

Are they on drugs over there?

No wonder they are all unelected, they are all fcking morons. The sooner we are out, the better.

Will anyone be held accountable for the corporate manslaughter that happens?

[matt_t16]

Only way I can think to sum this up is:

Oh For Fuks Sake.

[nighthawk]

This is SHOCKING.........(sorry couldn't help it!)

If the bright SPARKS who dream this crud up, ever had to do stuff like this for a living, they'd soon revert back to the way it's been for years.

It really is about time this country stood up for it's self and it's people and told these people without an ION of sense to feck off.

we've been NEUTRAL to their meddling for far too long.

[will_t]

I used to be a member of a European Standards "technical" committee.
You have no idea how many man hours and how much cost was involved. Or how many vested interests were represented. Progress was so slow people died before issues were resolved.
If my experience is representative of what happens in Brussels

Will
PS Lunch in Italy lasted longer than the meeting.

[mekondelta]

Isn't this an argument to be INVOLVED in the EU to make sure WE have a say rather than moan about it. Granted, it's too late for this particular edict but I think a quote from one of the old Harry Enfield shows applies:-

"Europe: It's better to be on the train p1ssing out rather than running along the platform trying to p1ss in!"

[K1 CERB]

Think Positively BB, @ least you won't be 'Phased' when working on wiring abroad!
What about when they changed from Red White & Blue Phase to Red Yellow & Blue - there must have been confusion then! As an apprentice I couldn't understand it.
As a wholesaler I have racks of SWA that now have a specific Shelf life.
It will only be folks 'in the know' who will be connecting 3 phase cables and I am sure that they will come labled with reminders for years to come. Thus any H&S problems should be minimised. Bring on The EU & Euro I say!!!

K1 CERB

[Ballistic Banana]

K1 CERB said:

Think Positively BB, @ least you won't be 'Phased' when working on wiring abroad! What about when they changed from Red White & Blue Phase to Red Yellow & Blue - there must have been confusion then! As an apprentice I couldn't understand it. As a wholesaler I have racks of SWA that now have a specific Shelf life. It will only be folks 'in the know' who will be connecting 3 phase cables and I am sure that they will come labled with reminders for years to come. Thus any H&S problems should be minimised. Bring on The EU & Euro I say!!! K1 CERB

Yeah the white to yellow wasnt a big change really, only teh one phase and same colours werent getting mixed about.
Unfortunatly there are a lot of contractors working in the industry now and quite frankly some are right cowboys( not all but some)and are not although should be "IN The Know".
Were talking about potentionally life threatening situations here with this.
I try to keep Positive :-) but find it hard sometimes when Idiots who know very little about my industry in the "REAL WORLD" make desicions on mine and my colleagues Future.

BB

[will_t]

mekondelta said:

Isn't this an argument to be INVOLVED in the EU to make sure WE have a say rather than moan about it. Granted, it's too late for this particular edict but I think a quote from one of the old Harry Enfield shows applies:- "Europe: It's better to be on the train p1ssing out rather than running along the platform trying to p1ss in!"

The sad truth is we probably were involved !

Will

[wedg1e]

Huh, that's nowt etc.

I'm responsible for all the radioactive shit we have lying around at work. Once upon a time I just had to declare it every once in a while to the local council. Then it was handed over to the Environment Agency and they audited us annually.
Then some twat flew a plane into a tower block. All of a sudden it seems that the whole world wants radioactive shit and now I have to report almost monthly to MI-bloody-5.

[JMGS4]

It's absolutely daft that GB is following such idiotic rules.
I seem to remember that in 1985 (perhaps a sparky can comment?) that the EU was legally bound to introduce the British electrical sockets throughout Europe (square pins, switched sockets, fused plugs)....
Has the EU implemented this, or even ANY country tried to do it??? have they FK!!!!!!!!!

[DJFish]

Where this will be positively (no pun intended) dangerous, is when Joe public decides to do a bit of DIY and gets zapped or burns his house down.

If you're working whithin the industry, at least you (should) know about these changes as soon as they happen, It'll take years and lot's of accidents before the info filters down to bodgers like myself!

[Le TVR]

will_t said:

I used to be a member of a European Standards "technical" committee. You have no idea how many man hours and how much cost was involved.

Still am, and chairman of a few too. The fundamental problem here is that we have (present tense) a single market and all equipment on the market should therefore comply with the same rules etc etc. Doesnt matter where you buy this equipment it should be the same.
There have been far too many cases of 'national deviations' being inserted into Eu standards just to keep one or two countries happy. When these deviations start to compromise safety then we should be worried. Therefore we will have one system and (eventually) all wiring (in this case) will be the same. Result - less consumer confusion and more safety.
There will always be problems in any transitional phase but if we dont start we will never achieve anything?

And if you imagine that developing that standard was time-consuming, talk to the people who tried to standardize telephone plugs

[wiggy001]

mekondelta said:

Isn't this an argument to be INVOLVED in the EU to make sure WE have a say rather than moan about it. Granted, it's too late for this particular edict but I think a quote from one of the old Harry Enfield shows applies:- "Europe: It's better to be on the train p1ssing out rather than running along the platform trying to p1ss in!"

No... this is an argument to get out and stop their unwarranted meddling for meddling's sake once and for all.

[miniman]

DJFish said:

Where this will be positively (no pun intended) dangerous, is when Joe public decides to do a bit of DIY and gets zapped or burns his house down.

I think BB is referring to 3-phase cabling which is a vry different ball game to household wiring. Believe me, if you aren't 100% trained and confident, stay well away from 3 phase. It ing hurts!

[juk]

I think I posted this on another topic before - without much of an answer - is there any advantage in being in the EU ?

[Size Nine Elm]

mekondelta said:

"Europe: It's better to be on the train p1ssing out rather than running along the platform trying to p1ss in!"

It's even better to be in the car, going where you want, when you want, and fk the train.

[pdV6]

Size Nine Elm said:

mekondelta said: "Europe: It's better to be on the train p1ssing out rather than running along the platform trying to p1ss in!" It's even better to be in the car, going where you want, when you want, and fk the train.

[tvrgaas]

Ballistic Banana said:

Rant over. especially if you don't have a clue what I am on about. BB

I'm sure I saw in the IEE rag that this was to enable colour blind people to work as contractors.

However, I think 12V is extra high voltage these days.