PBW Electrics Ltd

PBW Electrics Ltd Domestic, Commercial and Industrial electrical contractors. NAPIT Approved Contractors based in Plympton, Plymouth. Company Registration Number 11574436
(1)

We are a family run business with Over 50 yrs experience. Industrial, Commercial & Domestic electrical installations
Inspection & Testing - issue of EICR
Consumer Unit Upgrades
Re-wires
Appliance Testing
LED Lighting
Outdoor electrics
LED Lighting, LED Tapes, WiFi switches
24 Hr Emergency Callout
NAPIT Approved Contractor

🔥Another kitchen renovation🔥⚡️Bathroom renovation complete⚡️⭐️LED mirror ⭐️Downlights⭐️Silent Fan⚡️Under cabinet LED tap...
05/09/2026

🔥Another kitchen renovation🔥

⚡️Bathroom renovation complete⚡️

⭐️LED mirror
⭐️Downlights
⭐️Silent Fan

⚡️Under cabinet LED tape bespoke

⚡️Another Outbuilding Complete ⚡️⭐️Downlights interchangeable bezels and colours temperatures⭐️RCD Board ⭐️Plenty of soc...
02/09/2026

⚡️Another Outbuilding Complete ⚡️

⭐️Downlights interchangeable bezels and colours temperatures
⭐️RCD Board
⭐️Plenty of sockets inside and out
⭐️PIR external lighting

For all of your electrical needs drop us a message 📞

⚡️Can anyone of our customers guess how old this consumer unit is? ⚡️RCD tests actually passed 😱
01/09/2026

⚡️Can anyone of our customers guess how old this consumer unit is? ⚡️

RCD tests actually passed 😱

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is important because it checks whether an electrical installation is ...
29/08/2026

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is important because it checks whether an electrical installation is safe to use and identifies defects, damage, deterioration, or potential electrical hazards.

Why is an EICR important?

* ⚡ Protects against electrical hazards such as electric shock and fire.
* 🔍 Identifies faults and deterioration that may not be visible.
* 🏠 Helps keep properties and occupants safe.
* 📋 Provides a record of the condition of the electrical installation.
* 🛠️ Highlights necessary repairs or improvements before problems become more serious.
* ⚖️ Helps meet legal and safety obligations, particularly for landlords and rented properties.

Regular electrical inspections help ensure your installation remains safe, reliable and compliant.

27/08/2026

NEW PLUG-IN SOLAR PANELS ARE LEGAL FROM TODAY – BUT THERE’S A PRETTY BIG CATCH

From today, households across Cardiff and the rest of Great Britain can legally buy new plug-in solar panels that connect to a normal household socket.

It sounds brilliant. No expensive rooftop installation, no electrician required for installation, and systems are expected to eventually cost around £400–£600.

But there is something people really need to understand before rushing out to buy one.

THE NEW PLUG-IN SCHEME DOES NOT INCLUDE BATTERY STORAGE

These systems generate electricity while the sun is shining and can feed up to 800W into your home.

If your house is using 800W at that moment, brilliant – you’re effectively using your own solar electricity instead of buying it from the grid.

But what happens if you’re in work all day and your house is only using 200W?

Your panels could be producing 800W.

Your house uses 200W.

The remaining 600W can go straight back onto the electricity grid.

You cannot simply store that surplus in a battery and use it when you get home under the new simplified plug-in scheme, because battery-storage systems are not included in these new rules.

And here’s the part we think will annoy a lot of people…

YOU WILL NOT NORMALLY BE PAID FOR THAT EXPORTED ELECTRICITY!

Traditional certified solar installations can qualify for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), which allows households to be paid for electricity they export.

These new plug-in systems will not normally qualify for SEG.

So potentially:

☀️ YOU buy the solar panels

⚡ YOU generate the electricity

🏠 YOU use what you can while it’s being generated

🔌 The surplus goes onto the grid

💷 You may receive absolutely nothing for it

🌙 Then when you come home that evening and need electricity, you buy electricity back from the grid at the normal price.

That seems like a pretty poor deal for households whose homes are empty for much of the day.

We’re all for making solar cheaper and accessible to more people, and if you’re home during the day these systems could genuinely reduce your bills.

But surely the next step has to be allowing safe, affordable plug-in battery storage, so households can keep the electricity they generate and use it when they actually need it.

The government estimates these systems could save households around £70–£110 a year.

Would you buy one knowing that any electricity you don’t use could be exported to the grid without you being paid for it?

👇 Let us know what you think.

🚨We’ve had many surveys regarding having bonding notices on pipework.If you are unsure on whether you are compliant and ...
27/08/2026

🚨We’ve had many surveys regarding having bonding notices on pipework.

If you are unsure on whether you are compliant and safe.
📞Drop us a message

⚡️Protective equipotential bonding helps keep metalwork at the same potential, reducing the risk of electric shock and keeping installations compliant with BS 7671.⚡️

⚡️EICR⚡️The importance of an EICR to be carried out.🔥Once again customers oblivious to the issues in front of them.📞If y...
26/08/2026

⚡️EICR⚡️

The importance of an EICR to be carried out.

🔥Once again customers oblivious to the issues in front of them.

📞If you are unsure when your property is due or want to get yours tested to ensure home is safe.
Drop us a message 📲

🚨Safety is paramount in our industry.

From Aug 27 2026 plug and play Solar are allowed to be fitted in the Uk, but you should always consult an electrician to...
25/08/2026

From Aug 27 2026 plug and play Solar are allowed to be fitted in the Uk, but you should always consult an electrician to ensure the that the existing cable/ breaker is suitable as a bi-directional RCD / RCBO is required for any Solar PV system.
Drop us a message if needed.

How They Work

Panels capture sunlight: They use one or two solar panels placed on a balcony, garden, patio, or shed roof.

Micro-inverter converts power: A built-in micro-inverter turns the direct current (DC) solar energy into alternating current (AC) matching your home's electrical supply.

Instant savings: Power flows right through your wall socket to offset the electricity you would normally buy from the grid.

Key Rules and Limits in the UK

Legal status: Plug-in solar systems are legally permissible in Great Britain starting August 27, 2026, under updated wiring specifications.

Power cap: Approved plug-in devices have a maximum usable output limit of 800W per electrical circuit.

DNO Notification: You still need to notify your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) using the standard G98 commissioning process.

Costs and Where to Buy

Pricing: Basic kits generally start around £400, while larger setups like the UKSOL Pro Duo Plug In 890W Solar Kit from retailers like City Plumbing or Trading Depot can cost upwards of £600 to £1,000+ depending on capacity.

Accessibility: Major high-street and online merchants—including Currys, B&Q, and Argos—stock or support compliant DIY plug-in packages.

We have an offer for October, get your EV serviced which includes visual inspection, RCD testing ( 1/2 times test, x 1 t...
25/08/2026

We have an offer for October, get your EV serviced which includes visual inspection, RCD testing ( 1/2 times test, x 1 test, x 5 test and 6mA Testing), internal connections checked and torqued to correct settings if not. A minor works issued with readings of the tests carried out. The EV is recommended to be tested every 12 months as it’s a high current usage piece of equipment used for hours per day.

If any faults found these will be advised and any recommendations given.
Total for EV test is £45 exc VAT

https://www.pbwelectricsltd.co.uk/offers/

See various posts over the last week regarding green goo on cables, the only way to check on the condition/ seriousness ...
23/08/2026

See various posts over the last week regarding green goo on cables, the only way to check on the condition/ seriousness of this is to have the electrics tested ( carry out an EICR - Electrical Installation Condition Report) by an electrician who holds correct qualifications to do this test as the requirements for this are due to change in Oct 2026.

The green goo doesn’t necessarily mean a rewire of the property or the affected circuits, the IR tests will indicate this with the inspection of accessories- light switches and/ or hanging pendants usually first affected.

Now and then on a job you may come across twin and earth cable that is oozing a strange green goo-like substance, almost like washing up liquid.

The wet green liquid that you are seeing is the product of a reaction between decomposing plasticiser (a plasticiser is an oily liquid used in the manufacture of PVC compounds) and the copper conductors of PVC cables. It’s better known as cable ‘greening’.

The decomposition of the plasticiser is caused by overheating the PVC compound. It is usually a slow process, but can be accelerated when high temperatures are involved. High temperatures can be caused by external reasons, but overloading and loose connections are two common examples.

Although all cable grades of PVC may look the same, the cheaper grades can be more prone to producing the green goo. The main instances of ‘greening’ cable arose during the 1960’s and 1970’s, although some instances are still seen today. Inferior grades of plasticiser were prone to greening even if the cables were not overheated.

The plasticiser of better grades of cable, such as those produced by Prysmian contain an antioxidant which inhibits the decomposition rate of the plasticiser when heated. Even these plasticisers can be broken down eventually under adverse conditions of heat, but are much better protected than those which do not contain an antioxidant.

Although fumes may be given off when PVC is decomposing (this statement is applied to house wiring) it would not be considered to be a health hazard, but there is a danger that the breakdown of a cable could cause an electrical fire.

The plasticiser itself is a clear oily liquid that is non-conductive. The green substance is a combination of copper oxide and plasticiser which is conductive. Therefore, whenever this green substance is found at socket outlets etc. it should be removed and the terminations cleaned (gloves should be worn) otherwise it is possible that tracking/overheating may occur. It is normally considered that if greening is found that rewiring should strongly be considered.

If, however, it is considered that rewiring is not required and the effect on decoration and equipment is acceptable then the following actions are advised:

Periodic inspection and testing is carried out
Visual inspection of cable ends, equipment and cleaning/replacement is carried out as required
That the resistance of conductors is monitored to ascertain that conductors are not being over oxidised (in parts of the cable that cannot be seen) and their resistance thereby increasing
The question of how frequent inspection and testing should be carried out is a good one, but no established guidance exists. Therefore, only by experience of the particular installation concerned can the frequency of periodic inspection and testing be determined.

Address

49 Hemerdon Heights
Plymouth
PL72EY

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