Coming up on this week's news, electricians are warned to stop using the current Wiring Regulations. The competition watchdog launches dawn raids on solar installers. And a tradesman gets a suspended prison sentence after his stepson is electrocuted on a ladder.

Welcome to Electrical News Weekly. 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.

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 Quickwire and Chumptools. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to check out what our sponsors offer. And stay tuned to the end of the show to catch up on our regular features, including the weather from Fox ESS and the lighter side of the news from Quickwire.

The trade is being warned this week to stop using the current edition of the Wiring Regulations. The brown book is officially out of date on Friday. For new installs, you must use the new orange book, which includes Amendment 4.

This version brings a dedicated chapter for battery storage, covering everything from isolation and protection to ventilation and fire risks.

There are also new rules for bidirectional power, meaning electricians need to check that protective devices can cope with current flowing in both directions from things like solar, batteries, and EVs.

And if you're doing EICRs, there's a significant change. An FI, further investigation, no longer automatically makes an EICR unsatisfactory.

The rules for concealed cables have also been pulled together into a new table, while underground cables can now use suitably rated N750 conduit or ducting as an alternative form of mechanical protection.

RCD selection gets more complicated, too, with electricians needing to consider the type of residual current produced by equipment such as EV chargers, solar, batteries, and heat pumps.

Then there's Power over Ethernet, which gets its own section in BS 7671, covering the electrical side of supplying power over data cables.

And there are plenty of other changes. These include consumer units, AFDDs, EV charging, PNB earthing, medical locations, and outdoor lighting.

For a full rundown on the changes, check out the blog page we've created on this very subject. You'll find a link to that in the show notes.

You can buy the orange book online. Our recommendation for the new document is to get yourself over to independent bookseller Docs-Store for your copy. There's a link to that in the show notes.

Solar installers across Ireland have been hit with dawn raids as competition investigators probe suspected bid-rigging in the industry. The country's business watchdog was joined by police officers as it carried out the unannounced searches of businesses involved in the solar panel industry.

Officers from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission were acting under search warrants issued by the District Court. The watchdog hasn't said which companies were targeted or where the searches took place.

It's investigating suspected anti-competitive behaviour, including bid-rigging, where companies agree in advance who will win a contract rather than competing for it. That could mean agreeing who gets the job, putting in deliberately high cover bids, taking turns winning contracts, or agreeing not to bid at all.

But the CCPC is keen to stress that being raided doesn't mean a company has broken the law. Its secret weapon is a special immunity programme. Installers can avoid prosecution if they reveal their involvement in illegal activity and fully co-operate with any investigation. That investigation is still ongoing.

In the courts, a magistrate has given a suspended sentence to a sole trader after his stepson, a trainee painter, was electrocuted whilst working in Chester. Twenty-four-year-old Connor Lambert died while moving an extended ladder at the gable end of a customer's property.

During this process, the ladder either came into contact with an overhead power line or came close enough for an electrical arc to form. While Connor was killed, a colleague suffered burns to his hands, feet, and stomach.

The investigation also found the work at height had not been properly planned, supervised, or carried out safely. The selected equipment and methods of work were unsuitable for the task and the risks associated with working near overhead power lines had not been adequately assessed or controlled.

Additionally, the investigation identified issues in relation to the training and competence of those carrying out the work.

Daniel Watton, of Bean Bank, Wollerton, Market Drayton, pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Warrington Magistrates’ Court sentenced him to 16 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to pay £10,645 in costs.

Now, some news from friend of the channel Greencable. If you're not familiar with this initiative, it's basically a mobile scrapyard that comes to you.

The company gives you a pistachio or mangetout two-coloured wheelie bin. There's no contract or service charge.

You simply put in your offcuts of twin and earth and other non-ferrous metal. They collect it, they give you money, and that's it really.

The news this week is that Greencable has expanded into Wales. It now covers the whole of the country.

If you've signed up, they'll be in touch to advise the next steps to receiving your bin. If you're not signed up already, this is your opportunity to do good for the planet and earn more extra cash.

If you work on large jobs, remember they'll collect from site and issue legally compliant documentation to prove responsible disposal of waste materials.

The company now has almost 5,000 customers using the innovative service.

If you're in Scotland and wondering when they're going to get to you, we are told by the guys that they've plans to be in Edinburgh and Glasgow before the end of the year. Stay tuned and we'll let you know when that happens. The link, as ever, is in the show notes.

Stelrad Radiators is shining a spotlight on one of its standout models this week, the Column Electric. As you can see, it's a modern take on a design classic. It features rounded vertical steel tubes that blend effortlessly into both traditional and contemporary interiors.

It comes in white or anthracite grey and in three lengths from 740 mm to 1,160 mm.

The radiators are filled with a specially formulated maintenance-free heating fluid. This fluid is heated by an internal element which distributes warmth quickly and evenly across the radiator.

A colour-coordinated magnetic thermostat and a 900 mm colour-coordinated cable for spur wiring is supplied with every model.

Heat outputs range from 1,000 W to 1,800 W, delivering 3,414 to 6,145 BTU/hr depending on size.

Now, how about this for a bright idea? It's the Paul Russells’ Lamp of the Week.

This week, we've got something from the brand’s Prestige range. Lah-di-lah!

If you've had a posh upbringing, we're looking at you, Gary, you'll know this is a vase lamp.

This one has a gold finish.

Naturally, I would tell you about its energy consumption and that, but people who own vase lamps don't worry about that type of thing.

It's dimmable and a warm colour temperature, so I think it would look great in any home dojo.

And before you ask, it's where rich people do downward-facing dogs. Please keep up.

You can see the full range of posh and not-so-posh lamps at paulrussells.com.

I think that last segment suggests scriptwriter Ray has had a tired and emotional week. Bless him.

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 in Pakistan has used his skills to build a solar-powered rickshaw using discarded parts.

Noor Muhammad says his three-wheeler runs from a battery partially charged from his rooftop PV panel.

He bought the frame from a scrap dealer and used other parts from a Honda CT70 motorbike. He currently uses the distinctive vehicle to take his three children to school.

Have you created an unusual hybrid vehicle from discarded parts in your spare time? Let us know in the comments and why not send us a picture.

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, just before we get to your favourite bit of the show where I reveal last week's challenge words and winner, we want to thank our premium partner. We couldn't make the news without you.

Now, 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 this great brand.

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 midnight on the Wednesday after release will not be entered into the draw.

Now, let's reveal the winner of last week's challenge word competition. Last week's words were touchy-feely and mossy. The former being hyphenated this week before anyone jumps on me.

And the first person to come out of our electronic hat was nobody, which is great as it saves us a trip to the post office.

I've been extra generous this week and hidden both challenge words in not just the same segment, but actually in the same sentence. So, I suspect we'll have a better result next week.

Anyway, now it's time for this week's weather from Joe3PO and Fox ESS.

Autumn is playing a solar hide-and-seek this week. Wind and rain, a burst of sunshine, and then a much calmer finish. So, when will your panels be earning their keep?

But before we get to that, let's take a quick look at this week's Fox ESS featured installer, Glow Green.

A nationwide solar and battery specialist trusted by more than 50,000 customers. They're helping homes across the UK generate, store, and use energy smarter.

And for our solar barometer, we're heading to Grantham Close in Cardiff, a quiet residential pocket with promising south-facing roof space, but very little obvious solar PV. One property here has even been highlighted as suitable for a future solar installation.

Okay, so Tuesday starts wet and windy as heavy rain moves eastwards across the UK. Brighter and cooler conditions follow from the west, giving us some useful late afternoon generation.

Wednesday looks like this week's solar highlight after a few misty or foggy patches. Most of the country should enjoy a largely dry and bright day with some decent autumn sunshine.

By Thursday, cloud, rain and stronger winds return from the west. The south and east may hold on to brighter conditions for longer, but output becomes increasingly variable as the day goes on.

Some rain may linger across the far southeast early on Friday before high pressure begins to take control and conditions steadily improve.

The weekend looks cooler, calmer, and more settled. Saturday and Sunday should offer both brighter spells and variable clouds. Although some places could begin the day with fog or even a touch of frost.

So, Wednesday is the day to make those panels work hardest with the weekend offering a useful second chance for some steadier autumn generation.

Thanks for that update, Joe. Thanks for watching this episode of Electrical News Weekly. Until next time, have a great week. Stay safe out there and remember there's no such thing as a torque-calibrated arm.