Coming up on this week's news, energy secretary Ed Miliband picks a fight with industry bodies over plug-in solar. Another smart meter roll out is on the cards despite mounting criticism. And how did you celebrate International Electricians Day? 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 kW 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 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 Quick Wire and Chump Tools. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to check out what our sponsors offer. On the show notes web page, you'll also find our bonus story section covering a wide range of subjects. It's definitely worth a read and stay tuned to the end of the show to catch up on our regular features, including the weather from Joe 3PO, learner of the week, and the light side of the news. Ed Miliband says go. Electrical chief say no. The energy secretary and industry bodies are locking horns for what looks set to be the scrap of the summer. He wants plug-in solar panels in UK supermarkets. They say they could be an increased risk of fire and a danger to life. He wants millions of units in people's homes like in Germany. They say the British public could be exposed to unsafe imports. He says they'll give them to lowincome households for free. They say it could lead to overheating cables and insulation damage and worse. Ed Miliband is inspired by Germany where an estimated 4 million households are saving money on their energy bills. But offering a more cautious approach is the IET, the NICEIC, the ECA, electrical safety first and select. They want to hit the pause button on the tech. This week they published a joint statement listing what they termed six serious issues that need addressing. First of these is that RCDs could be compromised if a generating source is connected to the load side. The trade bodies site the death of an Australian as being due to this lethal failure. Second, localised overheating of cables could lead to a fire. Third, the standards for plug-in solar are inconsistent. They say some are already being promoted with flattened cables for going under doors. Fourth, plug-in solar could mean DNOS's are no longer aware what kit is on the network. Fifth, the question of insurance. If the set causes a fire, who's responsible? Sixth, homeowners could use extension leads leading to trip and fall hazards. Additionally, if they daisy chain more than one plug-in solar inverter together, how quickly will they shut off in the event of a power cut? The trade bodies say that plug-in solar PV units should not be rolled out unless and until the supporting framework is in place. That includes product standards, enforcement, competent installation, consumer guidance and a mechanism to protect both householders and the electricity distribution network. But sources close to Ed Miliband say he's defiant. He's just commissioned an independent report into the technology, which we're told will address the safety concerns. Its publication is said to be imminent. More on this when we get it. And if you haven't seen it, check out Gordon Routledge's excellent video on plug-in solar where he puts some of those scare stories to the test. Now, while we don't know what the future holds for plug-in solar, we do know you can put your trust in the range of high-quality smoke alarms from Kidde. From battery powered to hardwired, there's an easy to install solution that suits your customers with the latest sensing technologies to detect potential fire hazards and comply with strict European standards. Our very own Joe Hammonds made a great video on the new range with one very surprising feature. You know where to find the link. Meanwhile, another big roll out is set to go ahead in the UK. This time, it's smart meters. Householders in Northern Ireland will start getting them from 2028 in a half billion pound project. They'll replace traditional meters and give occupants real-time information on their electricity usage and costs. The units were originally trled there back in 2009 but abandoned because the technology wasn't ready. Now, Northern Ireland's economy minister Queever Archerold says the time is right. She says they've learned the lessons from previous rollouts that have gone wrong elsewhere. The project is set to take 3 years. What won't take you three years is to check out the new MI 3136 from Metrel. It's faster, more functional, and has a better screen than its predecessor, the MI 3125, which was already great with features you'd only expect to find on a more expensive tester. This is an exponential upgrade. Check out Rick's full review video in the show notes. Now, how did you celebrate the International Day of the Electrician on the 10th of June last week? Did you get a day off from your employer? A special party with chicken wings and truckloads of beer on ice? A greeting card from the NICEIC, or MCS thanking you for your membership and loyalty? Or maybe you took advantage of a special discount on the price of the latest amendment to the regulations? Well, no. You didn't do any of those things, did you? That's because in news that's got us lower than a submarine's hull, the International Day of the Electrician was marked by not very much really. In fairness, the Electrical Contractors Association stirred itself into putting a statement on its website. The brief announcement said that the organization encouraged its members to celebrate on their business social media channels. Not exactly carnival, is it? This date of June the 10th was chosen in 1986 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of Andre Marie Ampere. He's one of the early investigators of electromagnetism. His name was also given to the unit of current, the ampair or amp to its friends. Maybe next year we can stretch to some cocktail sausages or something. Anyway, put your suggestion on how to celebrate next year's International Day of the Electrician in the comments below for the chance to win a prize. And if you do choose to celebrate, you'd want to light things up with some seriously flexible and smoothly illuminated neon LED lighting from Ultralled. Perfect for extremely tight spaces with a dot-free seamless glow in a huge range of colors and effects perfect for both outdoor and indoor applications. All this and it's incredibly quick to install with their quick connect system. You know where to find the link. In promotion news, Spit's special World Cup giveaway kicks off today. There's three prizes, three winners, and one gold to bring football home, of course. And the prizes aren't too shabby. The top three winners will each receive a Spit 27e starter kit, which includes its acclaimed electrical nail gun, a battery, a charger, and a hard case. The top winner will also get two tickets to see an England international football match in the UK. The second out of the hat will also receive an England football shirt with his or her choice of player name and number. Not too shabby, huh? The closing date is World Cup final day, Sunday the 19th of July. Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries and announced on the 27th of July 2026. I've put a link to the promo in the show notes. All the best. In product news, CRC Industries is marketing two of its action can products as invaluable additions to electricians toolboxes. The first of these is ZG90, a fastrying galvanizing and anti- rust paint and primer which is perfect for steel conduit. That's because it's a close color match and is touch dry in a few minutes fully hard in 20. It gives robust protection against corrosion and is nonconductive. As well as the silver bright finish, you can get six rail colors. But should you use it in a newly created thread on a piece of conduit? Let us know what you think in the comments. And in the meantime, we'll get the old deer stalker on and investigate. The second action can to get on your radar is CT90, a special cutting and tapping fluid. It works on all metals and is also a great lubricant for drilling and reaming as it reduces friction and cutting time. It also improves the final surface finish and extends the life of your tools. It can be supplied as a spray, a foam, a liquid, or a compound. Regular viewers will know that we're big fans of ChumpFix here on the show. If you're not familiar with it, ChumpFix is basically a clever piece of perforated plastic. You push it up through a 25m 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 ceiling. It means you don't have to use wall plugs, and it helps to spread the weight of the light or pull cord across the ceiling. It comes in two sizes, 12 and 25 cm. Some customers have now discovered an extra killer use for chump fix. You can use it to align light fittings after initial installation. We all know the frustrating issue of marking a ceiling for the installation of three lights in a perfectly straight line. This can be avoided by using chumpfix. Simply install the lights faster along an approximate line, then adjust the alignment with a fitting for perfect results every time. The folks behind chumpfix also report that it's super useful for lam plaster ceilings. For example, have you ever seen such a ceiling with a hairline cracked by a light just after you've installed the fitting? This could be from the timber splitting as a screw was inserted. When fitting a chump fix to a lath plaster ceiling, you should aim to screw through the plaster. This will make the fitting more robust. The screw will be held in the chump fix and the wood supporting the chump fix won't be split with a screw. Best of all, there won't be the split in the ceiling. You can get Chumpfix at your local wholesaler or online at www.chumptools.com. Whisker says every feature of its Combi 310 junction box has been carefully considered to meet the needs of an installer. It measures just 117 by 85x 51 mil, but it provides 10% more internal space than similar enclosures. It has IP667 dust and water protection and 10 M20 threaded membrane entries. There's also four rear entries for flexible cable access. The Comi 310 is made from H hallogen-free flame retardant polyropylene with a TPE seal. This ensures long-term durability and corrosion resistance. Quick quarter turn lid screws make installation simple. You can also take your combi junction box to the next level with Wiska's MP1 gel. This is perfect for improved insulation and filling, especially for junction boxes that will be located outdoors. Cleverly, the two components of the gel come in the one bottle. You simply twist the lid, shake the bottle, and pour. No measuring, no stirring, no mess. The silicon gel has a low viscosity, so it won't splash about. There's also no expiry date to worry about. Easy to use and super effective. Live Electrical has unveiled a clever fire extinguishing device for consumer units. The distinctive red unit is about the size of an MCB and like an MCB is designed to be mounted on the drail. It sits quietly alongside the rest of the switch gear, but if it detects heat in excess of 170° C, it will release a cloud of firekilling aerosol in under 6 seconds. It protects volumes of up to 0.4 cubic meters, more than enough for a consumer unit or modest electrical enclosure. It fully complies with the standard BSEN 15276-1 and2. Now, how about this for a bright idea? It's the Paul Russell's lamp of the week. This week, we've got a stylish LED candle lamp with an amber glass and a super warm color temperature of 2,200 Kelvin for a cozy vibe. It's fully dimmable, too. It has an Edison screw base and gives out 423 lumens, the equivalent of an old school 40 W candle lamp. It has a lamp life of 15,000 hours. 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 NVQ and AM2 online prep. And our learner this week is Billy Adams. He's been nominated by Mark Smith as he's consistently performed to a very high standard throughout his level two course. Billy is highly motivated, always keen to do his best, and this is reflected in both his practical and theory work. Most recently, he passed his practical assessment with flying colors. He's already started building his own toolkit, investing in hand tools and power tools. A worthy winner, I think you'll agree. So, well done to you, Billy, on being this week's learner of the week in association with excess training. 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. 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. An electrician who entered a competition in a bid to fund his wedding has won £25,000. Tommy Bendal from Slough said the win has come at the perfect time as he and his fiance prepare for the big day. He described the win as incredible and the perfect wedding present. We wish you and your lovely lady a wonderful day. Tommy, 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. Now, a final 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 product 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've 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, Ledvance, your vision, their lights, celebrating 10 years and 100 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 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. Last week's words were Quagmire and Odyssey. And the first person to come out of electronic hat was Might 5130. So well done to you. 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 ESS. Last week was another mixed bag across the UK. One minute sunshine, the next we had thunderstorms, heavy downpours, and enough cloud cover to make solar owners keep refreshing their apps, hoping things would improve. And this week's Fox's ESS premium partner is Fresh Solar UK, covering the nation in solar panels and battery storage, one install at a time. And for this week's solar barometer, we're heading to Church Road in Ashstead Surrey. Looking along the street, there's around 40 properties with some excellent roof space, but only a handful have solar installed. For installers working in the Surrey area, there looks to be plenty of opportunity still sitting in plain sight. Okay, so Tuesday looks fairly promising across much of England and Wales with sunny spells developing through the day and temperatures nudging upwards. Southern and eastern areas should see the best of the sunshine, which means some decent solar generation potential and a welcome boost for battery charging. Wednesday is shaping up to be the standout day of the week. High pressure starts to take control, bringing longer sunny periods across much of the country. If you've got solar panels, this could be your best generation day of the week, particularly across the Midlands, the South, the Southeast, and East Anglia. Thursday and Friday continue the generally settled theme. There will be some clouds drifting through at times, especially further north and west, but most areas should remain dry with reasonable amounts of sunshine. Not quite a full solar jackpot everywhere, but certainly much better than the weather served up last week. Uh looking ahead to the weekend, high pressure remained close by, bringing more dry weather and sunny spells for many. The south and central parts of the UK are likely to see the strongest generation potential, although most regions should get a fair bit of sunshine. 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.