HiFi Friendly Electricians in London

Lounge
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Hi everyone,
I should be moving into a new house in London in the following months and even though my system is still in Italy, I’m thinking of equipping the house and system with a dedicated mains supply.
I’ve read about the many difficulties in being taken seriously, or sane, when asking an electrician what we want, so I thought I’d leverage the experience of the forum members in the London area that have used a qualified electrician for this purpose.
The below diagram, from another forum member, is the kind of dedicated supply I’d like to achieve:

mains%202019
mains 2019.jpg855×662 94.5 KB

Is there anyone you can recommend for this job ?

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@Peder will certainly like to respond

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:small_blue_diamond:NO,.I’m a Swedish guy :wink:.

UK has a slightly different “electrical system” towards Sweden.
Among other things,.they have a fuse in the mains plug.
There are several knowledgeable on this here on the forum,which is from the UK.

• @Mike-B,.and @anon4489532 usually comment when it comes to dedicated mains within the UK.
Had it been in Sweden,.I had more than gladly helped.

/Peder🙂

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We know a very good electrician who understands dedicated mains and who sorted out ours. But good electricians are not cheap and it would not make sense to recommend him as fitting the setup would need two visits - one to see what needs to be done and one to do the installation.

I’d suggest getting settled in to the new place and then visiting a London Naim dealer and asking for a local recommendation.

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Thanks Peder.
Interesting cable.

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Thanks HH.
The problem is we would want this work either to be done or at least predisposed (conduits put in under the floor or elsewhere) before we settle, so we don’t have to create a further mess in the house just for this.

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You can’t really get an electrician round before you are there, or do you have a plan for that? Someone has to be in the house who can explain what you want and where you want the hifi to go. You could always contact a London dealer and ask for a recommendation in advance.

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Indeed.
For now it’s just to get a name of an electrician, verify that he is interested in the job and then set up an appointment as soon as I can show him the house.

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Mike-B does not ‘usually’ help with dedicated mains Peder.
I am more than happy to advise people to stop doing crazy things outside the various standards & regulations.
However I am very happy to note that sbilotta (the OP) is asking about finding an electrician who is hifi friendly - that alone is all that he needs to do.

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Whereabouts in London is the house?

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As HH, advises above, I would get in touch with your local Naim dealer and ask them if they can recommend anyone. I’m sure they have had customers wanting a dedicated mains installation before - maybe they’ve had similar installed in their shop. Failing that get in touch with three local sparkies and choose the one you feel who best understands what you want and in whom you feel most confident.

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Westgate Maitenance electrician Ron (north London) did my dedicated mains supply as part of some other work going on. not cheap but very good.

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Ealing borough

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Thanks !

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Thanks Richard for the advice.
I will be looking around for a good local Naim dealer once my system arrives.

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I’d suggest getting in touch with Infidelity in Hampton Wick or Grahams in north London. Both are good dealers and hopefully can help you out.

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Thanks for that HH

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:small_blue_diamond:@sbilotta,…Some simple advice on the road.

Which you can also ask your electrician…or trader,to see if he/she is knowledgeable within this with dedicated mains to a music-system.

• You have 3 phases,.ask your electrician to use the phase that has the least electrical load.

• Also ask your electrician to use a phase for your dedicated mains to the music-system…
Where Refrigerator and similar equipment are NOT CONNECTED.

• That your electrician connects your dedicated mains cable to the music-system,.so close to the incoming main cable in the “fuse-cabinet” (it’s called something else in the UK) as possible.

• Ask around which cable sounds best,.it is sound quality differences even on cables for dedicated mains.
This lacks many,many traders,.as well as most electricians experience about.
But ask around,.so that you know what to install for cable.

-Richard.Dane does not want that we give advice on good cables here for fixed installation,.this is because of,.that different countries have different regulations.
But someone here on the forum from the UK,.may have tested and can give you a suggestion for a good cable…for the best soundquality for your dedicated mains.
This based on listening tests,.not technical specifications :wink:.

Here in Sweden we have tested different cables for dedicated mains,.and there are big differences.
But I have to respect Richard.Dane and be silent about this test-results on the forum.

• Socket without switch,.and of good quality.
Again,.ask around,there can be big differences in soundquality.
I cannot give you any suggestion,.this is because you in the UK have a different kind of contacts.

And it is a pity,.because we have just completed a major test on this with sockets and contacts.

• Ask your electrician to avoid sharp angles,.as he bends your dedicated mains cable.

• Ask your electrician not to tighten the wires so hard,.so that he gets “blood-taste” in his mouth (finds no other way to describe it)…it sounds worse.

• Ask your electrician to keep your dedicated mains cable as isolated as possible from other mains cables,.it sounds better.

• Ask your electrician to connect the cable as it is,.do not use “crimp-sleeves”, “forks” or solder in the cable-end…It sounds worse.
Hope this was right,.can be understood in English.

This above,.is a few simple advice for you how to get the most optimum installation possible.

:red_circle: But remember that it is your electrician who shall perform all of this.

You may be prepared for some to dismiss this advice,.or to laugh at it.
But it’s just out of ignorance,.they haven’t tested,so don’t bother with it.

There are some more little things to keep in mind,.but we’ll stay here at the moment.

Good luck…
/Peder🙂

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Peder, your list is madness, give that to any electrician & thats exactly what they would think & probably refuse the job.
Qualified electricians in UK are professionals & they will do their job around the regulations that apply.

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A timely reminder to members - Please, where electrical installation advice is given, would members only give detailed advice where you are fully conversant with the electrical code applicable to the region being discussed. Even then, I will moderate posts as advice given, although done with the best of intentions, can have unintended consequences, particularly where codes from different regions give apparently contradictory recommendations. Just remember that what works well and may be allowed under the electrical code of one region, my not work so well, may be forbidden, or even dangerous to life or property in another region where a different electrical code is followed.

Naim Audio cannot be held in any way responsible for any advice given erroneously on here by members of this forum.