Convert tungsten fairy lights to LED. (plus ramble)

This is one of those projects that is not only fun and therapeutic to do, but gives you a really versatile set of lights for life.
You can support this channel at / bigclive
I've covered this style of project before, but it's a great one, so worth covering again.
This project is really intended for the short 20 lamp tungsten strings common in the UK and some other countries. It can be upscaled slightly depending on your mains voltage with a change of resistor value and increasing 100/120Hz flicker with higher numbers of LEDs. 20 is the simplest though.
The LEDs are deliberately run at very low current (around 3mA) for use as subtle background decoration. You can mix and match LEDs to your hearts content.
Keep in mind that the LEDs are still operating at mains voltage just like the tungsten lamps they replaced, and also note that while the power supply is super simple it is also at mains voltage and should be enclosed for safety.
The whole string of lights will draw half a watt in use and can be left running 24/7 with a negligible running cost of something like 50 pence/cents a year.
It's actually worth getting two sets just for the spare lamp holders in the other set. They can then be loaded up with LEDs of your choice for swapping in and out for fun.

[@martingreen530]

Our now 26 year daughter Rosie. was doing an IT course .she came home one evening, we were chatting when she said she Prefers building side of computers.....From the top of my head I said "have you thought about an electrical apprenticeship"....3 weeks later she announced that she had got a 4 year Apprenticeship at Grief a in Burton-on Trent...She is now electrical Technician with a ton of qualifications ...And loves it

[@morrisklenov2818]

I don't have a fricking clue about electronics but I enjoy watching these videos and i'll have to say I'm beginning to understand more and more all the time. I love to learn and your videos are done perfectly, keep it up and thank you Clive

[@100SteveB]

Once again Clive is responsible for another of my late night shopping sprees on eBay!!! :-)

[@frac]

+100SteveB Heh. Me too. Coupla hundred 10mm diffused on their way...

[@lovelacetom007]

+Fracture 3000 3mm led ordered.

[@Basch3000]

Yep. Same here. It just happens too often... :)

[@Popaholic]

LOL SAME

[@backofficeshow]

Brought back a few memories from my British steel days! It's not possible to describe the heat of the slabs as they roll past you into the rollers. Many metres away you could distinctly feel the heat passing in front if your face, it was like heat in stereo!

[@lordskitch]

I must say I enjoyed the saga of Big Clive! Always fun to hear the background of interesting people. And LEDs as a bonus, can't go wrong there.

[@Dazzwidd]

It makes it interesting to watch a video of his that he doesn't just cut to later on every time. Sometimes you get to hear a story while you watch how he goes about completing the project. In this way, most questions are answered about the project and you get to be entertained by other things :)

[@TrollFaceTheMan]

Accidentally watched this video twice, still no regrets.

[@vanhetgoor]

Working for forty minutes makes these Christmas-lights cost more then buying new ones, but is was nice to hear about the old days. Many times were good.

[@BigClive]

Completely custom and modifiable lights though. Nothing that you could just buy in a shop.

[@dtitco69]

just finished a similar project for a friend using an arduino to control effects, well worth the time when you see them

[@OAleathaO]

+vanhetgoor --> Perhaps "cost more" in that it "costs" you your time and labor. However, after getting in some LEDs and the power supply from eBay I found putting something like this together very relaxing. Not to mention the string you create can be completely custom to your own liking. I like to compare it to when I knit a blanket or sweater for myself or create my own needlepoint design. Sure I can go to the store and buy those items but I always like being able to say, "I made it" when someone asks me where I bought it. :)

[@mattnielsen6793]

You're my kind of man, I like working hard too. Sadly most people I know despise work. That feeling when you get something challenging done is great.

[@Dazzwidd]

It also makes your income more secure that you are one of the people doing the crap that no one else wants to do.

[@lorenhusky2717]

In the US it's weird. We use 110v/120v for the lower load things like lighting, fans, telly, etc. But most houses have at least one 220V circuit for the washer and dryer as well as central cooling / air conditioners. So we have a hybrid 110-220v system in the US which is odd. If you're real into industrial work and do serious welding and whatnot, you can even get 440v to your house.

[@paulyoung181]

Not sure what was better, the project or story!! Good stuff indeed!

[@jmize]

Very timely. I have lights to repair. But most of all I enjoyed the tour of your career with the descriptions of your heavy industrial experience. I love heavy industry -- making things is what being a country is all about. It's dirty and dangerous but if you don't make stuff, you're a consumer and at the mercy of your suppliers.

[@ricknelson947]

Clive, I rather enjoy your ramblings. Have been in the industry at least as long as you. Though I have been made lazy since the industry changed from component level to board swapping, that and moving into management. I really appreciate your instruction, which has fired off a couple of old lazy brain cells and has me working on some projects around the house. For your younger subscribers who are interested in electronics. Watch and absorb. You will be a better technician for it........

[@jonathancook4022]

Your right, it is thereputic, the video that is! Your Scottish accent is very calming. I'll try and upload a video response soon with a review of another chepo china imported LED moving head. It has a 90watt LED engine (verified to be actually 82watts), 2 gobo wheels, 1 colour wheel, remote focus (with really big range, so it works well as a wash light too), 3facet prism and fine pan/fine tilt. Really impressed. Also got some LED 'beam' lights, but these are less impressive with a beam angle that is not exactly tight.

[@buddyclem7328]

This looks like an improved design from my proof of concept 1997 prototype using a universal DC power supply from Radio Shack, and old Christmas light string, a 1watt resistor, and a package of assorted color and style LED's. It was glorious in it's assorted colors, shapes, and brightness. I proclaimed that LED was the lighting of the future, but no one seemed to believe me at the time. Now there are LED streetlamps turning up everywhere, so victory is mine! Thank you for this video and all of the others. They are quite informative and entertaining.

[@nationalhomecare]

Really enjoyed that ramble Clive, many a true word spoken there!

[@davenorth1265]

I hold exactly the same opinion of the NICEIC, I decided 6 years ago to register with ELECSA because they were friendlier, however now they both are under the umbrella organisation CERTSURE so they are pissing in the same pot! Love the projects btw, noting the ideas down for my children when they are old enough.

[@serenatyvfr]

Really enjoyed this video mate and now I can make little power supply's for all my wife's white flowerey things and not have to change the batteries every five minutes I am learning a lot from your vids it's great for the novice electronic person keep them coming

[@mc_cpu]

Nice project and an entertaining ramble. Thanks

[@SardiPax]

I really enjoyed this one (and I enjoy all your videos). Keep up the rambling Clive :)

[@albertperry8577]

This is a GREAT video! Came to find out how I can get rid of my last surviving tungsten fairy lights and go LED all the way, and I leave with that info plus a very interesting story of how you developed in your trade! Great stuff! I come from a country where apprenticeship never really existed, I'm afraid; I would've so much liked to be able to learn so many different things apart from what I was learning in school and uni! Now, thanks to KZbin and good content channels like yours, I'm sort of being able to fulfill that desire. So cheers for that!

[@adamberrisford7955]

I can mend Christmas lights that don't work does anyone need their Christmas lights fixing

[@stellarpioneer]

Thanks! I just spent a happy couple of hours converting a string of 50 lights using 4x10K resistors as specified in your previous video. Now I just need to find a use for the tungsten bulbs. :-)

[@KevinOsborne1987]

Love the ramble. Could listen all day.

[@sparkyprojects]

That's the reason i loved my last job before retiring, worked on a large estate with labs, offices etc, electrical work on its own was varied enough, but also working with other trades made it much better , my discipline was mostly control systems (hvac control etc), cctv, access control, phones) plus a lot of other things. A good way is to get into a company that supports day release, that's how i did my electrical qualification, plus the site supported other certifications, mostly onsite training. In an earlier job (installing telephone exchanges), a new 'supervisor' came in, he had a university degree in telecoms, but couldn't actually do the job when a fault stumped him, i had to help, though there's a long story attached to that one that resulted in an apology from him in front of the bosses, and he was actually on bended knee :D

[@TonyLing]

I enjoyed your ramble Clive, you're not just an innovative engineer, but an interesting philosophical commentator to.

[@steve64464]

Your ramble was most interesting :-)

[@commodork]

If I saw that MAR, my mind would asplode due to the sheer epicness.

[@deltalambda3864]

awesome. i did this two years ago with some 12v xmas garden stake lights, i converted the incandescent lamps to blue LEDS.

[@iangowers9514]

Thanks Clive, for a brilliant instruction video.. Been looking, in hope, for something like this and you have filled the bill.

[@chrisrix7645]

Clive. Fascinating project simply explained, I was lucky enough to have had an engineering apprenticeship and I often despair at the training that today's apprentices get. Only yesterday I went past my old factory site and it's gone to be replaced by houses, I guess that is even worse in Scotland On the niceic issue I joined in 1982 running my business from home without a problem I wonder if it was a Scottish requirement

[@dtvking]

Very interesting story, Many thanks Clive The LED's not bad neither, lol

[@nickijames9]

That teaser was brilliant! I do love me a good moving head… this is very exiting, I can't wait

[@morbitron90]

Besides your nice little project I'm thanking you for sharing a slice of your life; that was very interesting and entertaining!

[@PIXscotland]

Loved the video. Bad month to be talking about the steel industry in the UK. Enjoyed the "History of Clive." Need more of this sort of thing as it brings a more personal nature to the feed. Good stuff. NICEIC and others destroyed small companies back then. I was building up a small alarm installation company and got effectively shut down overnight by the same regulatory requirements you were. High end corporate business looking after itself back in the 90's just the same as they do now. If you weren't big enough to meet their needs you had to close down.

[@TALLCRAWLSC]

Great video Clive and I enjoyed hearing the background to employment history, keep the projects and the great narration coming please 10/10........Thank you.

[@charliedobbie8916]

I feel some of the questions for your upcoming Q&A might be well answered by just linking this video! Very interesting, thank you.

[@martinolsson8616]

Came for the LED miniproject, stayed for the story :)

[@arthurschroeder3003]

Thanks for the super videos, Can't miss one. Educational, and informative also. Thanks again.

[@joruss]

Bit late to the party, but I thought I'd chip in. I've had such lights for years... Two years to be precise. First year they were OK, second one they've started to crumble (plastic sockets for lights) but with some tape here and there they lived for another season but the year after they just fell apart when I took them out of the box. They either used the cheapest and nastiest plastic that did not age well or the heat did them in.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

My first response: It's christmas already, a 40 minute clive video!

[@TheTruthIsHere12345]

Thanks for the vid Clive

[@OAleathaO]

Saw this video just after the one he did on slow color-changing LEDs and got the idea to order pastel-colored color-changing LEDs to make a lighted Easter bunny display for my front window. $25 later I have 400 diffused pastel color-changing LEDs on the way. Way more than I need right now but one never knows when Clive is going to give me another LED project idea. LOL

[@BigClive]

You can never have too many colour changing LEDs. I'd actually recommend buying them in packs of 1000 as they then come sealed in the proper anti-static manufacturers bag.

[@johnschroeder6288]

He said bottom. ha-ha :-)

[@any1alive]

+John Schroeder he also said bright pink dildo was recogmended to him

[@any1alive]

heheh he said bottom,,, i jsut got to that part now XD

[@johnschroeder6288]

I'm old. I remember Monty Python skits

[@marcusf.6722]

Interesting backtrack of your working life.

[@NeilVanceNeilVance]

Clive this is your best video yet! Thank you soooo much!

[@AEON.]

Subscribed - 8-17-2016 - because of this video - super detailed breakdowns and buildups! Keep up the great work on these!

[@rich3500]

Seeing those big LEDs reminds me of the old 'olive' sets with 12 large cone-shaped 20 volt MES bulbs. These are now changing hands for silly money on ebay. Two problems which almost all modern tungsten sets have are that horrible thick wire and the lamps are too close together which of course is done to save money on the wire. The lovely old Pifco and Woolworths sets of the 1960s-80s were so much better with the lamps further apart and nice thin wire which meant they were much easier to place on the tree. If I was making a LED set like yours (and I may well do that) I would also rewire the set with thinner wire and increase the distance between the lamps. Those lamp holders usually push apart easily and I guess you can just solder new wires onto the contacts. Anyway keep up the great videos Clive :-)

[@robehickmann]

Thanks for the story, I agree with the need for practical experience.

[@48snapper]

A great video Clive. Just think of the power savings if lots of people do this conversion. Hearing about your working life was fascinating - and how I agree with your views on apprenticeships. It would be great to also hear how you finished up in your current work in the lighting industry. Being a retired photographer and video camera operator, lighting has always been of great interest. My most challenging assignment was to light most of the ceiling tiles in the Earls Court Arena! We used 8 beefy Elinchrom electronic flash units, with a few colour gels here and there.

[@curiosity_saved_the_cat]

Therapeutic to see as well. Hope you're willing and able to do more of these rather 'long' builds in the future.

[@tapojyotiacharya]

What adjustment did you make to lit up the leds properly at the end?

[@OuTannu]

Just converted a set of to warmwhite leds looks damn good

[@bensonwr]

Good and interesting video . Thanks. Its surprising to find a set of tungsten lights that have all of the bulbs still working. I expected that the reason you were replacing the with LEDs was that one or more had gone. It is good to hear your life story. Please don’t hesitate to tell us more. OhK

[@gogear131]

I don't know what your saying but I love your videos....

[@nightlore000]

In 1974 I was an apprentice at Rumbelows TV Engineer down to component Level with my Avo 8 multimeter... theres no proper TV engineers these days....there just fitters changing boards etc!!

[@camohoj]

Really interesting about your work life history and the leds look excellent and inspiring to make,thanks

[@FrontSideBus]

An old transparent 35mm film canister would be awesome for potting one of those little "power supplies" into...

[@CXensation]

Another good video from you Clive ! As usual with a bit basic theory to understand whats going on. Love your story from your previous carreer, very entertaining :-) Keep the stories coming as background in your upcoming videos, when there is not much to tell on the projects.

[@SteveMayne1]

Oh please tell us about the Disco thingy ... my children, and children of *all* ages will love it :)

[@awackocrank]

Some led bulbs use steel leads. These can rust, but that can be prevented by putting a blob of silicone grease on each bulb base.

[@adamberrisford7955]

We have done this with some of our old pifco christmas lights

[@WaltonPete]

l had been wondering if it was physically possible to change the tungsten bulbs in mains fairy lights for LEDs and now I know! Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I have an old set of lights and a load of LEDs that I'll be pairing up to make this Christmas a little more sparkly than it otherwise would have been!

[@jameslamb4573]

You're slipping Clive, you mentioned "Poundland resin, fairy lights, and plant stake" but you neglected my favourite ... the Poundland shot glass!

[@trone32]

Hi clive I Really enjoyed this video, I would also do exactly the same in my career enjoyed heavy electrical engineering so much, sadly the more you progress the less hands on you do.

[@esuohdica]

Loved this video, and your work ethic!

[@marknotyou5382]

great story thank you for sharing

[@zx8401ztv]

Sounds like you had some great experence and fun in your early life :-D Ive allways enjoyed repairing electronics and i ended up being the electronics repair section of a factory, supprising as i had no qualifications, it was a job, but the stress got to me and well i became quite ill, all experence though :-D Im supprised those leds light so well with only about 3 ma through them, there is about 1.4v drop for the bridge diodes and about the same for the led, so they a quite forgiving really :-)

[@BigClive]

+zx8401ztv If you mean factory maintenance then it's not actually much fun at all. Just pressure to get things going again when they go wrong. And if the bit that's failed is specific to the machine and hard or impossible to locate then you have the extra stress of an important machine sitting dead until you can somehow find or make the replacement part.

[@zx8401ztv]

+bigclivedotcom If you were talking about my factory experence then i mainly repaired electronic modules and anything that came in, but the stress came from it being a "Cheap shit company" and that made things harder than need be. I was given other tasks outside my normal stuff, like making small delay units for the overhead motor/sled control boxes we made, they were used to move boxes of stuff around a factory floor on chains, controlled by hanging pendant buttons, all very crude stuff, but fun :-D If you were talking about your experence, im sure you had some fun, but having to repair things on the spot must have been stressfull and not bloody nice at all :-(

[@colinturner7363]

Hi big clive what resistor values would be needed on 50 and 100 sets in white led at around 3.2v

[@b1aflatoxin]

WOH! :D 18:47 -ASMR alert! ...I could watch you stir epoxy all day I think. lol :) Good vid & channel Clive!

[@ramrod126]

Watching your videos makes me realize I need a better soldering iron. My little walmart iron takes forever to heat even a 14 gauge wire enough to melt solder.

[@_Piers_]

A few young people I know have tried what is currently passed off as an apprenticeship and its disgraceful they way they are treated. They get paid basically nothing and then when the government funding ends they're told to feck off. Which wouldn't be so bad if they'd learned anything useful, but they're just used for grunt work.

[@ib9rt]

I think I might have bent the AC pins of the rectifier over and up so the mains cable could approach from the top of the package, and then slid the whole thing into a clear plastic tube inline with the cable, mains in at one end, DC out the other. I am also thinking the power supply module could be sealed into the tube using hot glue at each end, as an alternative to epoxy when cheap clear epoxy is not available. It seems to me that inline packaging would look a bit neater?

[@FireSwordl]

Splendid !

[@TheModernVictorian]

Hey Big Clive, do you have any ideas for making this stuff less viscous? Can we add acetone to make it a little more 'pourable' do you know? I have used this stuff quite a few times it is awesome, but often times, wanted it to to be more like water.

[@BenjaminEsposti]

We had a string of 50 go out a few days ago, I think I'm going to LED mod it as well! :D Damn, I wish I could have done that stuff that you did at that age :( Now it's so difficult with all the laws and requirements. And companies want you to go to college, etc...! It sucks! :(

[@BigClive]

+Benjamin “Ozias” Esposti I did attend college, but on day release where one day a week I was at college instead of work. Technical college though, where everyone in the class had an apprenticeship and the lecturers were all time served electricians. It was great. Don't get put off by officialdom. If you keep approaching companies and asking if they are looking for an apprentice or trainee then you will eventually find work in your chosen trade.

[@BenjaminEsposti]

bigclivedotcom Thank you, I do look out for opportunities now and then. I just recently finished grade school, and now everybody asks me where I am going to college ... ugh, so annoying! XD I do have a few apprenticeship like jobs at the moment, but the work is very sporadic. (About once a week...!)

[@BigClive]

+Benjamin “Ozias” Esposti That's more like causal labour. Do try and get a full time apprenticeship if possible.

[@dbatch2826]

+Benjamin “Ozias” Esposti I went the route of a Navy electronics technician. It's not for everyone but I have a great job now because of the discipline and experience I got starting at age 18 with no college. I did eventually get a bachelor's in science doing online classes that the Navy paid for, so there's that.

[@jasinere35]

+Benjamin “Ozias” Esposti i did the college thing & still didn't get into electrical installation I however do have a lot of years experience but no qualifications & you cant have one without the other, companies ask for you to have both before they initially employ you, even then its all 6 month contract work

[@codycarse]

You forgot to mention Poundland shot glass for mixing cup ;) They should be paying you lol.

[@atomicskull6405]

I haven't seen bases with two pins like that on chrismas tree lights in decades. I thought they stopped making them like that in the 70's.

[@rimmersbryggeri]

could you use a pot as a dimmer on this? Or do you need smoothing for that to work?

[@KuroAyase]

If I heard Poland before (I am from Poland), than at 1:07 this is definitely not a Polish outlet plug. It must have been changed for you somehow but I wonder what they did with 240V (Polish) to 120V (I wonder if it is possible to make them work with just a plug change). Nice video and keep making those.

[@iangrice329]

I have a set of 100 lights to do, can this be done without any resisters??

[@LPFthings]

Given the bulkyness of the mains plug, could the circuit have possibly fit in there instead?

[@_Piers_]

There's surprisingly little space inside those plugs, it's divided up by plastic walls to keep loose wires from doing anything bad...and there's a fuse also.

[@nmc8688]

Hi wee question I have 18 maybe 20 sets of old style screw in 20 1watt bulbs made in the 1980s.. Would it be possible to use this system to convert them

[@BigClive]

The screw in versions are not really suited to this. Depending on the brand they may also be collectable.

[@marko_z_bogdanca]

Thanks a lot for this diy :) The problem I have with it though is that it flickers a lot. I see 100Hz flickering without problems. Especially if this kind of light is something that I do not look at directly but it is in my field of view. I would have to use some capacitor to smooth the curve out. This should not be so hard since these leds do not take too much power. Thoughts?

[@CaptmagiKono]

"Laying on top of just heated ingots," Man you won't see that sort of thing anymore in a lot of companies, at least in the US, far too many lawyers and strict safety regulations.

[@franknieto2760]

Great video. I’d like to try it in the US. If I use 40 3 volt leds - that comes to 120 volts. Wouldn’t that be more efficient than 20? My assumption is that the closer the voltage need is to the source voltage, the more efficient. Am I thinking correctly? Would I still need resistors?

[@virmontisfbg]

Hi Clive, what kind of molex connectors do you use? Could you please provide a link where to get them?

[@BigClive]

+Frank Bergmann The small Molex style connector are a generic 0.1" pitch clone connector that I buy from a UK company called Rapid Electronics.

[@iangrice329]

I want to do this with a set of 100, so do I need resistor's

[@TheMatsushitaMan]

How do you get rid of the flicker entirely so that the LED is on all the time and not turning on and off 100 times a second? I'm too tired of Chinese LED lights flickering 50 times a second.

[@Dazzwidd]

You could place a 470uf 100v capacitor just before the LEDs if you really wanted to. That should smooth out the flicker considerably.

[@TheMatsushitaMan]

+Dazzwidd Ommm.. OK, but why is the flicker there in the first place?

[@thesunexpress]

@33:55 "Get a trade."

[@xbipins]

i love ur videos, very informative and brilliant, but could u make some videos on how to diagnose circuit boards to find faults and replace faulty components. Since i was a kid i was very curious on how technicians use to probe circuit boards with a multi meter and find faulty components and replace them. Currently i have a LG refrigerator control board with either a faulty relay or a darlington ic which causes the compressor to run non stop and not stop when its cold enough.

[@andrewpilk]

Do you think a Joule Thief would be able to output the 50V required to drive a string of LEDs like this?

[@BigClive]

Not efficiently, but it can be used with the parallel strings.

[@tmd63]

I would have used sleeving on the mains wires just to be sure it does not short to the LED wires.

[@dogcatmause]

U used 1/4w resistors. I used some online resistor calculators with 3mA, 170v voltage (20x3v led) and landed recommendation to use 1w resistors. What is most secure resistor wattage here

[@BigClive]

I use multiple resistors to spread the power dissipation.

[@GeneraleRus]

+bigclivedotcom there is a way to make a circuit added to this to make them just flash on and off?

[@slawor4]

using a MOSFET or maybe a transistor and an IC like attiny .

[@bain5872]

Clive, being from the US, I've not had a lot of experience with European style power plugs. While being used as in this case, for a low current device, do these plugs have built in fusing ?

[@BigClive]

+bain5872 Yes they do. You can put in a fuse that matches the flex connected to the plug with a maximum size of 13A. (About 3kw on 240V). The sockets are usually fed from a 32A ring main which is a loop of cable that comes from the breaker, goes round all the sockets and then goes back to the breaker. This allows a thinner cable to be used than if it was a radial circuit.

[@bain5872]

bigclivedotcom Neat. I thought that I had saw some of these 240V plugs with fuses before. Our electrical systems are different, indeed. The slower 50hz there, seems to beat quite well with the frame rate of your camera. Thanks for the explanation.

[@abcdefgh1279]

Really great looking lights! I also, liked your "ramble". When you stopped your story because of an orange led put in wrong direction, I wanted to tell you "continue the story". But obviously, that didn't work.

[@codycarse]

It's odd that when you adjusted the camera exposure all of the flickering went away?

[@UndergroundBunker0459]

Not really. Just upped the exposure time so the pulsing essentially merges together and you see a constant light. Our eyes do the same thing. If the camera moved quickly, you'd possibly see a pulsed trail of lights. You sometimes see the same thing on led traffic lights when your eyes flick about.

[@hornylink]

the solder I use makes vapors when heated, but no where near as white or volumous as the solder you use, what's up with that?

[@BigClive]

Probably the lighting angle in relation to the camera.

[@GreenAppelPie]

+bigclivedotcom I would guess rosin core solder (appears steamy) vs. acid core solder (a lot less smoke)

[@lookoutleo]

hi your talking about a mercury rectifier, i'm sure i once watched a program about the manx railway and i was fascinated that they use them to, is that right and do they still use them? have you carried out any repairs for them?

[@paulc7973]

lookoutleo huh!!!! Mercury rectifier???!!!!

[@MichaelPulliamTidestManager1]

What do you do with the leftover leads? You do make quite a few of them...

[@BigClive]

+Michael Pulliam I generally stand on them while wearing socks.... (It hurts) In reality they just end up getting dropped in the bin or vacuumed up. There aren't really enough to do anything useful with. When I worked as standby electrician in an electronics factory many moons ago, they gathered all the cuttings in big and very heavy boxes and sold them to metal recyclers.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

I've seen electricians come out of installation classes with NO theoretical knowledge whatsoever, they do measurements with no idea what they're actually measuring. NICEIC are a bunch of .... very very bad word. They're a private company acting with the authority of the government, I find that MASSIVELY offensive