Coming up on this week's news, the authors of the wiring regulations weighs into the debate over surge protection devices and over current protection. The government issues an urgent alert over the mislabeling of EV charger terminals. And an electrician faces jail over fake time sheets. Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with Anker, the world's number one home solar battery storage and the solar bank 3 pro, the 1200 watt birectional energy storage system with four MPPTs and 2.68 kwatt hours capacity. 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 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 ChumpTools. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to check out what our sponsors offer. The author of the wiring regulations, the IET, has weighed into the debate over surge protection devices and over current protection. The trade has long been divided over whether home disc boards with built-in busbar SPDs and no MCB conform to the wiring regs. It hinges on whether an absence of a circuit breaker in such cases is a departure from the regs. Big switch gear brands also have different opinions leading to confusion in the market. The IET says the key is that SPDS must be installed in accordance with manufacturers's instructions. So if a manufacturer requires an external OCPD, this must be installed. Where one isn't required by the manufacturer, you don't have to add one. The IT says this is sometimes because the SPD already has an internal OCPD. The organization also appears to have settled the issue of the DNO fuse. It says it can be used for short circuit protection provided the conditions set out in February by the electrical networks association and the manufacturers association beamer are met. The conditions are first the SPD must be in a household or similar installation. Second, it must be installed inside a single phase consumer unit conforming to BS 61439-3. Alternatively, it could be in an enclosure with a switch disconnector supplied as a composite unit conforming to BS 60947-3. Both these options should have a rated conditional short circuit current of 16K. This conditional rating is qualified using a 100 amp BS88-3 fuse, which also covers 60 amp and 80 amp fuse ratings. BS361 type 2 and BS88-3 fuse link key performance characteristics are identical. Therefore, either is acceptable. Third, the SPD itself must conform to BS61643-11. Fourth, the SPD manufacturer's instructions must state that a downstream overcurren protection device can be emitted and specify the required upstream device characteristics. Fifth, the SPD must not require withdrawal of the DNO cutout fuse for its replacement or maintenance. This position is says the two authorities in line with the safety aspects of the DNO cutout not providing functional protection. However, it can be relied upon in extreme conditions to perform a short duration fault clearing role. The reason they've chosen a conditional rating of 16Ka is because it takes into account possible network changes and increased fault levels over the lifetime of the installation. The IT says that an electrician may choose to install a protective device such as a circuit breaker for ease of inspection, testing, and maintenance, but that is their choice in consultation with the manufacturer. However, it could be argued that the device could be inadvertently switched off. The IT also says to note that a circuit breaker in a consume unit for SPD protection typically has a 6K breaking capacity, not 16Ka. For a single-phase domestic supply, the maximum prospective short circuit current may reach up to 16Ka where the service cable is at least 2 m long. Therefore, any consumer unit with an integral SPD OCPD, for instance, a circuit breaker with a rated capacity below 16Ka must be coordinated with the upstream cutout fuse under the test conditions set out in standard 61439-3 to achieve a 16KA conditional short circuit rating. I've put a download link to the full IET advisory in the show notes. In other news, the government's product safety watchdog has issued an urgent alert to the trade over the labelling of the popular Easee 1 EV charger. Specifically, the Office for Product Safety and Standards says that a batch of the wall-mounted back plate features a terminal that should be clearly marked as PME for protective multiple earthing, but is incorrectly labeled as L3. This incorrect labelling could cause an installer to connect the PME conductor to the standard PE terminal instead of the dedicated PME terminal. This could potentially bypass the charger's built-in pen falt detection and the automatic disconnection function required for UK PME installations. Affected units were placed on sale in the UK between late September 2025 and the 3rd of February 2026. For its part, the Norwegian manufacturer Easee says it's identified affected product using serial numbers and its installer records. Where a mislabeled unit is confirmed to be incorrectly wired and without external PM protection, charging will be temporarily paused until remediation is completed. Where required, corrective actions will include inspection, replacement of the back plate, and verification by a qualified electrician. I'll put a link to Easee's installer support should you have concerns about an installation. And now it's over to Joe Hammond with a huge announcement. It's the winners of this year's eFIXX 30 under 30 awards. The future of the electrical industry is not coming. It's already here. After hundreds of nominations, hours of judging, and some genuinely ridiculous levels of talent, we can finally reveal the eFIXX 30 under 30 winners for 2026. A huge thank you to our sponsors. Without their support, this celebration of talent simply would not happen. Right, no more teasing. Here are your EIX 30 under 30 winners for 2026. Shan McLolin, Ellis Stevenson, Luke Freeman, Demi Whitehead, Nathan Hollis, Sheldon Fieldhouse, Hib Malik, Josh Finch, Curtis Whittle, Ollie Ford, Peter Macan, Adam Davies, Matthew Smallman, Johnny Goff, India Ward, Tyler Williams, Marley Brown, Ekin Reigns, Mia Goodall, Jordan Hudson, Luke Kourtney, Gerard Cullen, Jamie McDonald, Alex Rendle, Zachary Quinn, Alfie Nixon, Charlie Fansson, Benham Zari, Karum Singh, and Katie Furth. Massive congratulations to every single winner. And finally, a huge thank you to everyone who entered, everyone who nominated someone, and everyone backing talent in our electrical industry. Huge congratulations to all of our winners. We're so proud to be involved in this process. Now, back to our regular programming. In the courts this week, a Dundee electrician is facing a jail sentence after admitting to faking time sheets. 43-year-old Mark Robertson appeared at Dundy Sheriff Court where he admitted carrying out a deliberate scheme over several weeks in which he submitted false time sheets claiming payment for work he had not completed. Court papers showed Robertson had been working as an electrician on contract when he began submitting inflated and fabricated hours. Even after the project had ended, he continued to send in time sheets, effectively keeping himself on the payroll. Robertson admits to fraudulently obtaining £165,000 from the engineering agency Vital Resources. The court heard that Robertson's offending took place during a difficult period in his life. His defence lawyer said contributing factors included a cocaine addiction and mounting personal financial problems. However, the sheriff was told the offending was not a one-off lapse in judgment, but a repeated and calculated deception over an extended period. The court heard that the workplace system relied heavily on trust in submitted time sheets. Robertson pleaded guilty to the fraud charge and was told he will face sentencing in December. In education news, we at eFIXX have introduced new group accounts for our CPD learning material. This will help contracting and other businesses manage their team's continuing professional development. You can track progress and keep training certificates organised in one place. The features been developed in response to requests from larger employers who wanted a more efficient way to coordinate CPD activity for multiple employees. Group accounts are available free of charge to employees with three or more team members. Using the account, a company moderator can invite employees, recommend modules, and track individual progress. They can also identify team members who may need a nudge to complete their training. CPD modules are recognised as an essential part of maintaining professional competence in the electrical industry. It's also increasingly expected by bodies such as the NICEIC, and NAPIT. Over the last 5 years, eFIXX has pioneered the use of video-based CPD programs. Every year we award over 45,000 CPD certificates across more than 50 CPD modules. Module topics include RCD types, PAT testing, and our most recent one on amendment 4. Employers can apply for a free group account by visiting EIX training central and completing the request form. The link is as ever in the show notes. Still on training, Doc Store has teamed up with Tesla to introduce a course specifically on amendment 4 to the wiring rags. It kicked off last week across four wholesaler branches with over a 100 delegates participating. The course carries the eFIXX CPD accreditation, providing delegates with six hours of recognised continuing professional development. Early feedback is highly positive with 97% of learners rating it as good or excellent. The program is set to roll out nationwide, so keep an eye out for dates in your region. In product news, Chumpfix is promoting its innovative device as a solution for tricky pull cord installations. If you're not familiar with it, Chump Fix is basically a clever piece of perforated plastic. 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. This secures it nicely to the plaster board. It means you don't have to use wall plugs, and it helps to spread the weight of the accessory across the ceiling. It also minimizes the risk of plaster board failure caused by drilling near the edges. It comes in two sizes, 12 and 25 cm. The company says it really comes into its own for ceiling mounted pull cords. This can be a tricky task as the cords take a lot of punishment. However, the Chumpfix spreads the load across the plaster board to make for a much more robust installation. I've put a link in the show notes to some videos that Gary's made about all the things that you can do with Chumpfix. Megaman is about to unveil a super innovative addition to its exchange range. The acclaimed Exchange range is a series of LED light sources which you use to replace traditional lamps such as the 2D fluorescent lamp. Instead of replacing an entire fitting at end of life or when requirements change, you simply replace the exchange light source module. The complete LED module can be replaced in around 10 seconds without tools, rewiring, or specialist skills. It's like the old days when you could, you know, change a light bulb. You can also select color temperature and lumen output and choose modules with different efficacy levels, optical distributions, and color rendering. The new addition, the EasyFix D260, is expandable by simply pulling out four flexible LED segments. Genius. So, you can use this unit in all brands of bulkheads, including ones with 2D, PL fluorescent, and LED sources. Best of all, the easy fix D260 comes with the new dim link technology included as standard. Dim link enables simple dimming control without the need for expensive separate controllers. Still on sustainability, we need to give a name check here to Marshall Tufflex, the conduit and trunking specialist that's been a pioneer in this area for years. It makes much of its cable management kit from recycled material, much of which comes from PVCU windows. Leading the way is Maxi Trunking, manufactured using 100% recycled content, while monot trunking contains 70%. Across the Sterling range, the curved dado trunking is produced with 55% recycled content, the Sterling curved skirting trunking with 52% and the compact trunking with 54%. The company has now set itself an ambitious target. It says that by 2028, all its PVCU cable management kit will be manufactured using recycled material. They're calling on contractors to join this vision by installing PVCU trunking solutions with a minimum of 50% recycled plastic. Also a heads up that the latest Marshall Tufflex catalog is at the printers and will be available from the end of the month. The catalog strengthens its cable management offering with Basor metal systems alongside PVC U trunking conduit GRP ladder and tray underfloor solutions and power poles. It also provides product details, recycled content data, sustainability guidance, plus an expanded range of metal tray, ladder and trunking solutions. Technology company Prolojik is redefining the relationship between lighting control and occupied space with Proxima Plus. The smart sensor system enables targeted outcomes without the need for additional controls, networks, or wiring. Winner of the Red Dot Design Award 2024, Proxima Plus delivers data collection and building performance monitoring through a modular scalable platform suited to a wide range of applications. The system monitors environmental conditions, tracks assets, and analyses space utilisation, providing valuable real-time insights in one integrated solution. Combining three sensors in a single device, Proxima Plus supports healthier indoor environments while helping improve productivity, occupant comfort, and operational efficiency. Its sleek, discrete design also ensures seamless integration into modern spaces. Key benefits include minimal installation time, real-time feedback, enhanced environmental data, integration capabilities, and royalty-free license-free operation. Suitable for offices, education, healthcare, and life sciences environments. Proxima Plus helps create smarter, more sustainable buildings focused on performance, well-being, and efficiency. They've also unveiled what it terms its hermit crab approach to sustainability. This is based on the crab's famous reuse of empty shells on a beach. It starts with the company taking back its lighting control modules at the end of their useful life. When they get to the Prolojik factory, engineers expertly disassemble them and inspect the housings to make sure they're in tip-top condition. They then install the latest generation electronics on new printed circuit boards. This approach not only ensures common connection locations but also enables the retention and reuse of existing cabling infrastructure. After reassembly, products are relabelled and undergo rigorous electrical and functional testing. The LCMs are then packaged into reusable cartons for return to clients. It leads to big cost savings and a big win for the environment. Now, how about this for a bright idea? It's the Paul Russell's lamp of the week. And this week, we have a retro classic, the reflector lamp. Contrary to popular belief, it didn't go off to die in the 70s along with mug trees, lava lamps, and men called Brian, whose idea of romance was owning a water bed. It's back from outer space, and I found one here. Why? I've got this look upon my face. Took me a minute to figure out that was a reference to Gloria again's disco classic, I will survive. Think script writer Ray's been under a lot of pressure this week. Anyway, unlike the 70s and its proflegate ways, this baby is LED. Oh, yeah. It delivers the equivalent of an old school incandescent from just 8.5 watts. This one's warm white. The better to chill on a crushed velvet beanbag drinking baby sham. And it has a lifetime of 15,000 hours. About the length of a James last greatest hits triple album, including the applause between the tracks. All that makes me really glad that I was born in the 80s. 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 excess training with their online electrical courses for beginners and experienced sparks covering inspection and testing, solar, battery storage, EV charging, and their specialism NVQs and AM2 online prep. And our learner this week is Jack Hopson. Jack's a level two at Dudley College of Technology. Nominator Josh Dler says he's a very ambitious lad who's passed all his level two online exams and is due to take his practicals soon. He's active on LinkedIn and is using eFIXX videos and resources to support his knowledge development. It doesn't get much better than a recommendation from the people who see someone day in day out. So, thank you Josh for taking the time to nominate. If you're looking to break into the industry, we can help. Eix 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. If you're an employer looking to offer work experience or an electrical apprenticeship, we can help too. Just reach out to the team at eFIXX and we'll do our best to connect you with motivated learners in your area. We've actually had a great opportunity come in for any aspiring spark looking for a bit of sunshine with their apprenticeship and established electrical company based in Limol Cyprus run by a team originally from the UK has reached out to eFIXX looking for a young person from the UK to join them as an apprentice electrician. The role includes full training, one day a week at college and a pathway to gaining an electrician's license qualification in Cypress. And before you ask, yes, Cypress uses the British electrical system and works to BS 7671 regulations. So the skills and standards will feel very familiar. So if you fancy starting your electrical career while living in the Mediterranean, this could be a fantastic opportunity. If you're interested, get in touch with us at eFIXX and we'll pass you details on. And now to the lighter side of the electrical news. Yes, it's time for a tea break with quick wire in its range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. An electrician from Burgess Hill has built his own working Formula 1 car. Kevin Thomas' car is track compliant, meaning he could actually take part in a race. He didn't build it 100% from scratch, though. He discovered the mangled carbon fibre wreck at an auction following the collapse of the Katum F1 team. It had been in a high-speed crash in 2004. Thomas dedicated 10 years to rebuilding it. The best bit was adding an exhaust system that gives the screaming sound of original Formula 1 cars. For that, says Kevin. All the hard work was worth it. Congratulations. It looks like a more complicated build than a disboard to be fair. That's the lighter side of the news in RTER with Quick Wire and their range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. Click the link in the description to check them out for yourself. Speaking of football, a reminder that Schneider has unveiled the 2026 version of its hugely popular score to- win promotion. In this exciting new game, installers must beat the keeper from the penalty spot as many times as they can to win points. And what do points mean? Prizes, of course. This year, there are Premier League hospitality tickets up for grabs, as well as signed football shirts. Simply spend a minimum of 250 quid on Schneider Electric products in one transaction at any participating wholesaler. You'll then be given the opportunity to play a virtual game of skill involving kicking a football into a goal. There'll even be a public leaderboard so you can see how your mates are doing. I'll put a link to the terms and conditions in the show notes. Now, just before we get to your favorite 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, Levance, your vision, their light. Celebrating 10 years and 100red years of experience. One of our favorite new innovations here at EIX, especially now it's in sexy new packaging for rocksolid 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 is 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 midnight on the Wednesday 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 archetypal and Cedarwood. And the first person to be plucked from our electronic hat is only gone and done it again. It's Jason FKM5MQ. Very few people getting it right last week. Hopefully, they're a little more obvious this week. Hint, they're in the same segment for once. Anyway, well done, Jason. Make sure you click the get involved link in the show notes to claim your prize. And now it's time for this week's weather from Joe 3PO and Fox CSS. Last week brought the kind of weather only the UK could produce. One minute blazing sunshine and brilliant solar generation, the next minute someone's wheelie bin is taking off down the road. Well, before we get into this week's forecast, a big thanks to Effective Eco Limited with this install that was in Solhul, Birmingham. And did you know that Birmingham has a more extensive canal network than Venice? Don't know why you'd want to know that, but now you do. Okay, so now this week is definitely a tale of two halves. A bit unsettled across northern and western areas with cloud, outbreaks of rain, and cooler conditions hanging around. Not great if you enjoy opening your solar app and boring your friends, which you probably don't have. Uh further south and east though things should begin improving through the afternoon with brighter skies developing and generation gradually picking up. By Wednesday and Thursday though, high pressure starts building in properly and this is where things get much better for solar owners across England and Wales. Longer sunny spells, lighter winds, and warmer temperatures should help boost generation nicely, especially across the southeast, East Anglia, and parts of the Midlands where sunshine totals are looking strongest. Further north and west, there will still be some decent brighter spells, but also more cloud around at times with the odd shower still drifting through. Heading into Friday and the weekend, settled conditions look likely to continue for many areas with more sunshine and temperatures climbing again. So overall, after a slightly scrappy start, the second half of the week is looking far more promising for solar generation. Thanks for that update, Joe. 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 Anker Solix, the world's number one plug-and-play solar battery storage brand. 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.