Coming up on this week's news, Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to axe grants for renewable technology to help fund defence.
A cowboy tradesman is fined after leaving a homeowner in danger of electrocution in his shower.
And the government warns the trade about a cable recall over fire concerns.
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 link to our dedicated show notes webpage 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.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is said to be planning to axe grants for renewable technology to help fund defence.
Specifically, insiders tell the Guardian newspaper that a portion of the necessary savings will come from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The programme gives householders in England and Wales up to £9,000 to switch from fossil fuel-based kit to electric heat pumps. Environmentalists now fear that hundreds of millions of pounds will be cut from its budget.
It's said that Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has been asked for £2 billion in savings to pay for the new defence plan. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is seen as an easy win, as civil servants believe it's a subsidy to the middle class.
But Octopus Energy boss Greg Jackson slammed the move, saying it would be "brutally damaging" to the growing sector.
In other news, a worker who was left paralysed when plunging 30 feet from an electricity pylon has won more than £10 million in compensation.
Power lines maintenance man Gavin Pugh, from Bangor in North Wales, was working to dismantle a pylon in East Staffordshire in 2022 when the accident happened.
He unknowingly clipped his safety line onto a section of the structure that had already been worked on by another team, leaving it only secure at one end. When he put his weight on it, the section bent down vertically, letting him slip off and sending him more than 10 metres to the ground.
There, he suffered catastrophic and life-changing injuries. Pugh was left paraplegic and reliant on a wheelchair for life, having also suffered injuries to his brain, neck, shoulder, ribs and internal organs.
Following the fall, his Cheshire-based employer, Wood Transmission and Distribution Limited, was criticised by the Health and Safety Executive, which said "adequate safety arrangements" had not been in place.
The firm was fined £240,000, while separately a care and compensation package was agreed worth £10 million. The money is to compensate Mr Pugh for his injuries and lost future earnings, as well as to fund 24-hour live-in carers and the £1 million-plus rehabilitation costs associated with his disability.
Meanwhile, in Ireland, a cowboy tradesman has been fined after leaving a homeowner in danger of electrocution.
Safety inspectors found that Damien Nicholson's work with an electric shower posed a major risk. The homeowner revealed that she had personally witnessed Nicholson performing gas and electrical work, despite having no official registration for either trade.
They also heard how Nicholson had replaced original radiators with electric units, leaving them powered with ordinary domestic extension leads. He was fined £6,000 and legal costs.
In a separate case, also in the Irish courts, a man who claimed he was an electrician and carried out work on a cottage in Sligo was fined £12,000.
In Ireland, electricians must be on the national register to undertake work legally. An inspector said there was no fire safety cover over the distribution board and sockets were hanging off the walls in the children's bedrooms.
He explained that if someone was moving around in the dark looking for the switch, they could easily get an electric shock.
Greum na hEaradh claimed that all parties involved knew that he was not a registered electrician. But the householder, Ann McCarty, said that she only found out that na hEaradh was not a registered electrical contractor when it took a lot of asking for him to get a certificate in November 2024 and he did not sign it.
When McCarty raised the problems with the work with na hEaradh, he threatened her, her family and her job. He also told Ms McCarty that he had "a friend in the French Foreign Legion".
The judge fined na hEaradh £2,500 on each of the five offences. He also directed the defendant to pay costs of £7,500 and witness costs of £362.
In news that's as welcome as liverwort on a garden path, there's been a recall of a comms cable over safety concerns.
The Office for Product Safety says that the LANmark-OF Micro-Bundle Universal Cable from Aginode carries a risk of fire. It says testing has indicated that the Belgian-made product failed to achieve its declared reaction-to-fire performance.
Aginode Belgium has now recalled the product from the supply chain in the UK and has written to customers advising those responsible for buildings to consider whether this shortfall in performance affects the fire safety of the environment in which the product is used.
I've put the product identification code, the marking and the drum batch number in the show notes.
Electrical contractors are being warned not to assume that fitting a Type B RCD automatically satisfies the requirements of a modern heat pump.
Some manufacturers now specify additional high-frequency performance, while others permit different RCD types depending on the equipment and installation. That means the correct choice can depend on far more than the label on the front of the device.
Retrofit jobs can make things even more complicated. This is especially the case where the existing consumer unit is full, the required device isn't available for that board, or the property has a TT supply with existing upstream RCD protection.
Lewden has responded by unveiling a range of dedicated heat-pump protection products. These include Type B-HP RCBOs designed for higher-frequency leakage currents, along with dedicated heat-pump consumer units for internal and external installations.
But the key message for contractors is simple. Start with the installation, then check the heat-pump manufacturer's instructions before choosing the protective device.
We've taken a deeper look at the issue, including Type B-HP, TT systems, retrofit installations and what to do when the manufacturer's manual isn't particularly helpful, on the eFIXX website.
In product news, it's been a big week for Cucumber Lighting Controls.
First off, the company unveiled a host of additions to its Cu-Connect lighting control module. The Cu-Connect covers every lighting control application, from basic marshalling boxes to fully addressable, connected ecosystems.
It has a Bluetooth backbone for great connectivity and simple setup with the Cucumber app. The company has gone to great lengths to make sure that installation is straightforward.
The patent-pending plug-and-socket system provides clear visual confirmation of correct engagement, reducing installation errors, fault-finding and the risk of electrical arcing.
Metal fixing brackets are mounted first, and then the LCM securely clips into place. It's suitable for drop rod, cable tray, slab or BESA box installations.
It was initially launched in four-, eight- and 12-way configurations, but strong market demand has led to the introduction of additional two-, six- and 10-way versions.
The second bit of news is that the company was part of the team behind a winning project in the Build Back Better Awards. It supplied its innovative sensors to Chapter Spitalfields, a student accommodation block in London.
There was a problem in the building in that the combination of sensors from different manufacturers, inconsistent operation and the absence of a clear control strategy meant lighting frequently operated when it wasn't needed, increasing energy consumption while leaving the facilities team unable to make meaningful adjustments.
A review by lighting expert Dave Tilley found the root cause: interference between the building's Wi-Fi network and the installed microwave occupancy detectors.
Cucumber's 24 GHz microwave detectors, which operate outside the Wi-Fi frequency, fixed the problem once and for all.
Still on LCMs, Metway has introduced a lighting control module that's completely toolless. It's also been nominated for a Build Back Better Award.
The traditional screw terminals in two of its LCM ranges have been replaced with integrated lever-operated terminals. Metway says it will make every connection faster, safer and more reliable.
Each conductor is simply inserted and secured using an integrated lever mechanism, providing a rapid, repeatable and secure electrical connection without the need for a screwdriver.
CHUMPFix is offering a special key fob for every purchase of the device made on its website. It's the perfect way to locate your keys if you mislay them.
If you're not familiar with it, CHUMPFix is basically a clever piece of perforated plastic. You push it up through a 25 mm 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 plasterboard ceiling. It means you don't have to use wall plugs, and it helps to spread the weight of a light or pull cord across the ceiling.
It comes in two sizes, 12 and 25 cm. To get your key fob, place an order for any pack of CHUMPFix or CHUMPFix L, and you can add a free key fob to your basket. More details at chumptools.com.
Tool giant Knipex is giving away £1,000 worth of tools to a school or college, plus a £250 tool bundle for one privileged apprentice.
The tool specialist has launched a Back-to-School giveaway aimed at supporting the next generation of tradespeople. The prize includes a Knipex classroom visit and up to £1,000 worth of tools for the winning school or college.
Best of all, the kit will be tailored to suit the needs of the winners. So, if it's won by a plumbing apprentice or an electrical apprentice, the tools will be sent accordingly.
The competition is open to UK-based trade apprentices aged 18 and over. To enter, apprentices need to share their feedback with Knipex and sign up to the company's newsletter.
The giveaway runs until the 31st of October, so there's still time to get involved. To enter, follow the link in the show notes. Terms and conditions apply.
Seriously, why don't we all get our apprentices to sign up and keep the prize in the electrical industry and out of the hands of the lavatory wranglers?
Now, how about this for a bright idea? It's the Paul Russells' Lamp of the Week, or should I say lamps of the week?
That's because this week we've got a trio of smoked globes from the brand's Prestige range. They feature the distinctive double-helix LED filaments, which give out 140 lumens each from input power of just 4.5 watts.
The lamps boast an extra-warm colour temperature and are fully dimmable. You can see the full range of lamps at paulrussells.com.
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 from Somerset is hoping to hit the jackpot by taking on darts sensation Luke Littler.
Bailey, from Bridgwater, was among thousands of hopefuls who tried out for Netflix's Beat Luke Littler, successfully completing a leg of 501 in just 21 darts.
The live event takes place on Friday the 30th of October, with 20 amateur players getting the chance to face the world number one in a single leg of darts.
And the prize for beating Luke the Nuke? A staggering £501,000.
Bailey reckons he's capable of finishing a leg in just 12 or 15 darts. So, here's hoping he's made the final cut, and we'll get to see him take on Luke the Nuke. All the best, Bailey.
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 winners, we want to thank our premium partners. We couldn't make the news without you.
First up, one of our favourite new innovations here at eFIXX, especially now it's in sexy new packaging, for rock-solid fixings in flimsier materials: don't just fix it when you can CHUMPFix 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 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 winners of last week's Challenge Word competition. Last week's words were mangetout and pistachio. And the first person to come out of our electronic hat was JamGram782. So well done to you, Jam. Make sure you click the Get Involved link in the show notes to claim your prize.
And while we're here, just a massive shout-out to TikTok viewers. Last week we had about four people who got that right. Unfortunately, your name didn't come out of the hat, but keep trying, because all of the entries count.
And now it's time for this week's weather from Joe3PO and Fox ESS.
If you're wondering why I've stuffed tissue up my nose, it's because my sinuses have issued a red weather warning. My personal battery is sitting at about 4%, but apparently the forecast must go on.
This week brings rain, wind and flashes of autumn sun. So, much like me, your solar panels may need a little bit of off-peak support.
But first, a quick shout-out to this week's Fox ESS featured installer, Sunsave, a Which? Trusted Trader providing fully managed solar and battery installations, smart monitoring and long-term support across much of Great Britain.
For our solar barometer, we're heading to Chaddlewood Avenue in Plymouth. How many rooftops are putting that south coast daylight to work? Not enough, in my opinion. So, perhaps worth a look to the local Janners.
So, the weather this week: Tuesday is cloudy and wet for many, but put a pin in Plymouth. Sunny intervals are forecast from around eight until early evening. Our standout solar spot and a chance to fill the battery before the evening peak.
Wednesday stays unsettled, with plenty of cloud, rain and only brief brighter breaks. Output looks stop-start rather than spectacular.
Thursday offers the best wider solar window, with brighter spells across parts of Scotland and the South West. A battery can capture those bursts and bridge the duller gaps.
Friday turns wetter and windier again. Homes on an off-peak tariff may want the battery topped up overnight rather than waiting for the sky.
And going into the weekend, expect showers, cloud and occasional brightness. Saturday currently gives eastern areas the better solar breaks, while the west looks wetter. Sunday is less certain, with more Atlantic rain possible.
So, the solar winner is Plymouth on Tuesday. But for everybody else, grab the brighter windows and let the battery earn its keep. And I'm off to recharge mine with a Lemsip and a lie-down.
Thanks for that update, Joe. And thank you for listening to this episode of Electrical News Weekly. Until next time, have a great week. Stay safe out there.
