A moment of enlightenment. I bought some new picture lights and decided that I would put them up myself – but will stick to the knitting in future…
I did put one up – it was not easy, I needed three hands and being up a step ladder that was a bit wobbly gave me a hot flush that steamed up my glasses. And I couldn’t find the right screw driver so ended up with an old fashioned tiny thing that was woefully inadequate. Dropped the screws several times. Up and down the ladder like a yo-yo, then had to change the position of the ladder because to put pressure on to screw the fitting would have pushed the ladder over. Fetched out an extending job from the greenhouse (!)and put it up against the wall. Then had the ladder so close I couldn’t get the screw driver in. Decided to call it a day with just one light successfully installed and leave the other until I’d recovered – like tomorrow perhaps .
But alas. The main trip switch wouldn’t stay up – tried isolating the offending ring main but the trip would not listen to any of it – the only way the trip would stay up was if all the fuses were switched off – ALL of them! And Id only been fiddling with one ring out of 12 or more…couldn’t get my head round it, so had to phone Liam who is an electrician (but not house type – commissions housing estates and industrial units) ‘ Hi Granny, you ok? No! I need help!
He was here within half an hour with beautiful girl friend in tow: It’s earthing – lets have a look at the fitting seeing that’s the only thing you’ve changed. He scaled the ladder in two strides with a state of the art, multi-coloured, magnetic, rubber covered, elongated screw– driver. ‘There’s the problem look – your neutral has come out and is touching the casing -(which was an elegant high-conductivity copper casing! ) And the earth is common to the whole system, hence you couldn’t isolate the problem – but don’t worry it wouldn’t have killed you even if you were in the bath! not with a trip like this’
I felt a chump.
‘Ill put the other fitting up for you now ‘ he said and everything was sorted with good humour. My daughter Angela and husband Ron arrived too and witnessed their son’s moment of glory. I poured them all some wine and made tea and thought how lucky I am. Both lights done, even the pictures were re-hung to the correct position under each light, tested with a spirit level – high tech – magnetic job that was spirited out of the snazzy toolbox! All is now looking lovely and pictures and lights perfectly level, so best not go near them again.
Think I had better stick to what I know in future…not as young as I was…or maybe I could buy myself one of those fancy screwdrivers.