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Free Electrical Tools, Guides and Links

A practical reference page for working electricians, fitters, homeowners and businesses, written by Alltec Installation Services in Aylesbury. It is free to use and needs no login. The guidance is a general summary only. Always check the current edition of BS 7671, the manufacturer's instructions and the relevant Building Regulations for your job, and ask the relevant authority if you are unsure.

1. Free apps and reference tools.

  • Electrical Tools and Reference, by Pro Certs Software. A set of frequently used charts and built-in calculators for day-to-day electrical work, for iPhone, iPad and Android. Please check the app store listing for the current price and features. Website: https://www.procertssoftware.com/electrical-tools-and-reference/
  • NICEIC Pocket Guides app. Over 35 technical reference guides and calculators, free to staff of NICEIC-certified businesses. Search for NICEIC Pocket Guides in your app store, or see https://niceic.com/pocketguides
  • IET Electrical. Free technical articles and guidance from the Institution of Engineering and Technology: https://electrical.theiet.org
  • Electrical Safety First. Free safety information and guidance: https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk

2. Fire stopping and cable penetrations.

Walls, floors and ceilings that form fire compartments are designed to hold back fire and smoke. Every hole made for a cable, conduit or trunking can weaken them.

  • Regulation 527 of BS 7671 requires openings left where wiring systems pass through building elements to be sealed to the same degree of fire resistance the element had before it was penetrated.
  • Sealing is also good practice where it is not strictly required, as it limits smoke, heat and sound travelling through the building.
  • Use tested fire-stopping products suitable for the job, such as intumescent pillows, bags, collars, boards or fire-rated boxes, and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Foam and ordinary sealant are generally unsuitable around cables.
  • Metal conduit under about 710 square millimetres (roughly 30 mm diameter) does not need to be fire stopped, but PVC conduit is not considered suitable for limiting the spread of fire. Check the details in BS 7671 Regulation 527.2.3.
  • Agree early who is responsible for fire stopping around trunking and containment. Do not assume another trade will do it.
  • If you break through an existing seal, restore it. If you cannot restore it straight away, put a temporary measure in place after a risk assessment by a competent person.
  • Keep a record of what you did, with photographs, and tell the client or the main contractor.
  • In England and Wales, check the fire resistance needed for the building element in Approved Document B (Fire safety), or ask Local Authority Building Control.

Downlights and recessed fittings.

  • Ceilings that separate flats, or that form part of a fire compartment, need their fire resistance restored where a fitting is recessed. Use fire-rated downlights, or a fire hood or enclosure tested for the ceiling type.
  • Follow the downlight manufacturer's instructions for the cut-out size, the clearance around the fitting and the distance from insulation. Do not cover a fitting with insulation unless the instructions allow it.
  • Limit the number of recessed fittings in one area and space them out wherever possible.

Further reading: IET fire stopping webinar questions and answers https://electrical.theiet.org/bs-7671/faqs/webinar-questions-and-answers/fire-stopping-webinar

3. Supporting light fittings and other fixtures.

  • Weigh the fitting first. The fitting's instructions state the maximum weight a ceiling rose or fixing point can carry. Never rely on plasterboard alone for a heavy fitting.
  • For heavier pendants and chandeliers, fix a support bracket or hook to the structure, for example a joist, a timber noggin fitted between joists, or a purpose-made ceiling support bracket. Provide the proper electrical connection separately.
  • For lighter items on plasterboard, use cavity fixings that are rated for the load, and allow a safety margin on the maker's stated safe working load.
  • Before drilling, check for cables, pipes and joists using a detector and by looking above the ceiling. Keep to the usual safe zones for cables in walls.
  • For wall lights, mirrors with lights, TV brackets and similar items, fix into studs, masonry or purpose-made backing boards, not into plasterboard alone.
  • Check the IP rating needed for the room or zone, and the maker's instructions on heat, insulation and ventilation.
  • Make sure the fitting and its fixing will not damage fire-resisting or sound-resisting construction. If it does, restore it (see section 2).
  • Record in your paperwork any support work, such as noggins or brackets, that you added.

4. Asbestos awareness.

Asbestos was used in buildings until it was banned in 1999. Fitters are at particular risk because we drill, cut, lift boards and open up old equipment.

Where electricians may meet it.

  • Asbestos insulating board (AIB): boiler room and warm air unit linings, fire protection around meters, and some ceiling tiles and panels.
  • Textured coatings such as Artex, particularly from before 1990. Take care when drilling.
  • Pipe and boiler lagging, and sprayed fire coatings.
  • Asbestos cement sheets, flues and pipes.
  • Older electrical equipment: flash guards in rewireable fuse carriers, arc chutes in older circuit breakers, and some older storage heaters.

What to do.

  • Before starting, ask for the asbestos survey or register where there is one, and check it covers the area you will work in. Homes do not have a legal duty to hold a survey, but you must still identify asbestos before you start.
  • If you suspect asbestos, stop work. Keep other people out of the area, do not sweep or vacuum dust, and tell the person in charge of the building and the office.
  • Never break, drill or sand a material you suspect contains asbestos. Ordinary dust masks are not suitable.
  • Only licensed contractors may carry out the higher-risk asbestos work. Only trained and competent people may do any non-licensed work. Take an asbestos awareness course and keep the certificate.

Photographs and diagrams: see the HSE pages showing where asbestos can occur in buildings: https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/diagrams.htm and the HSE asbestos home page: https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm

Further reading: IET Wiring Matters, Asbestos guidance for electricians: https://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-matters/years/2020/81-july-2020/asbestos-guidance-for-electricians/ ; HSE guidance on drilling through textured coatings, A26: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a26.pdf ; What to do if you discover asbestos, EM1: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/em1.pdf

5. Self-employed basics for electricians.

This is general information only and not tax advice. Please speak to an accountant or HMRC about your own position.

  • Register with HMRC as self-employed and for Self Assessment. You must register by 5 October after the end of the tax year in which you started working for yourself. See https://www.gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment
  • Keep records of all income, expenses, mileage, tools and receipts. Keep your invoices in numbered order.
  • Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. If your self-employment and property turnover is above 50,000 pounds you must use it from 6 April 2026. The limits fall to 30,000 pounds from April 2027 and 20,000 pounds from April 2028. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-software-to-send-income-tax-updates
  • Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). If you do construction work for a contractor, you may need to register as a subcontractor. Whether electrical work such as fire alarms counts depends on the job, so please check with HMRC or your accountant. See https://www.gov.uk/what-is-the-construction-industry-scheme
  • Insurance. Carry public liability insurance, and consider tools cover and personal accident or income protection cover.
  • Competence. Keep your qualifications, test equipment calibration certificates and training certificates up to date, and carry your ECS card or equivalent.
  • Set aside money for tax and National Insurance every time you are paid.

6. Latest industry news.

  • BS 7671:2018 Amendment 4:2026. The IET announced that Amendment 4 was due to be available from 15 April 2026, with changes covering areas such as solar photovoltaic and battery storage systems. Check the IET website for the current position and the date it takes effect. https://electrical.theiet.org
  • Professional Electrician: https://professional-electrician.com
  • Electrical Times: https://www.electricaltimes.co.uk
  • Electrical Contracting News: https://electricalcontractingnews.com
  • Voltimum UK news: https://www.voltimum.co.uk/news
  • NICEIC news and technical library: https://www.niceic.com/contractor/services/technical-library

7. Technical help on the go.

  • NICEIC technical library (for NICEIC-certified businesses): https://www.niceic.com/contractor/services/technical-library
  • IET Electrical, including Wiring Matters and the BS 7671 frequently asked questions: https://electrical.theiet.org
  • HSE, health and safety for construction and asbestos: https://www.hse.gov.uk
  • Electrical Safety First: https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
  • Your wholesaler's counter and your cable, consumer unit and fitting manufacturers' technical helplines. Always keep the model number handy.
  • Alltec Installation Services, The Office: 01296 929300, office@alltecservices.co.uk. If you work with us and are stuck on site, ring us.

8. Useful links for homeowners, businesses and installers.

Homeowners.

  • Electrical Safety First, free advice on keeping electrics safe at home: https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
  • NICEIC, find an electrical contractor and read advice for customers: https://www.niceic.com
  • NAPIT, electrical certification body: https://www.napit.org.uk
  • Building regulations approval, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval
  • Planning Portal, Part P electrical safety: https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200135/approved_documents/82/part_p_-_electrical_safety/3
  • TrustMark, government-endorsed quality scheme: https://www.trustmark.org.uk

Businesses.

  • Health and Safety Executive, workplace electrical safety: https://www.hse.gov.uk
  • ECA, the Electrical Contractors' Association: https://www.eca.co.uk
  • Building regulations approval, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval

Installers.

  • IET Electrical, including Wiring Matters and BS 7671 guidance: https://electrical.theiet.org
  • NICEIC: https://www.niceic.com
  • NAPIT: https://www.napit.org.uk
  • ECA: https://www.eca.co.uk

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General information only. Alltec Installation Services is not responsible for the content of external websites. Standards, regulations and software change, so always check the current version. Product and organisation names belong to their owners and are used only to help readers find them. Alltec is not affiliated with Pro Certs Software, NICEIC, the IET or HSE.

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