Engineering Insights & FAQs

Practical guidance from Strive Engineering covering compliance, reliability, and the most-asked questions from facilities teams across Plymouth and Devon.

Compliance Hub Reliability Hub FAQ Library
Compliance Tracker

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Send us a question and we’ll feature it in the FAQ section below with a detailed walkthrough.

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Compliance Hub

Keep insurers, auditors, and stakeholders confident with timely reporting and documented safety controls.

EICR • PUWER • LOLER • BMS
EICR Focus
Electrical Installation Condition Reporting

Scheduling guidance, classification codes, and how we plan remedials without disrupting production.

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Templates
Compliance & Documentation Pack

Download risk assessments, method statements, and inspection prompts to brief engineers ahead of site visits.

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Why Electrical Installation Condition Reports Matter

Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) are mandated by BS 7671 to prove that fixed wiring remains safe for continued use. For commercial premises, the typical recommendation is every five years—or sooner if the environment is harsh, mission-critical, or has undergone major alterations.

  • Identifies insulation breakdown, overheating connections, and protective device failures before they become incidents.
  • Provides insurers and landlords with traceable evidence of compliance.
  • Allows phased remedial work, preventing unplanned shutdowns.
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Reliability Hub

Predict, prevent, and recover—insights from our field engineers on keeping plant running 24/7.

Condition Monitoring • Case Studies
Maintenance
Periodic Mechanical Maintenance

Extend asset life, prevent downtime, and keep safety guards compliant with a documented mechanical plan.

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Case Study
Packaging Line: 27% Downtime Reduction

How we combined vibration routes, spares staging, and PLC tweaks to stabilise a high-speed FMCG site.

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Condition Monitoring
Top 5 Quick Wins
  • Thermal imaging of main panels each quarter
  • Oil analysis on critical compressors
  • Grease gun calibration and tagging
  • Drive belt tension logs
  • Post-maintenance validation with SCADA trends
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Importance of Periodic Mechanical Maintenance

Mechanical assets degrade gradually through vibration, misalignment, contamination, and wear. A periodic maintenance regime—combining condition monitoring, OEM tasks, and statutory checks—keeps plant reliable and compliant with PUWER, LOLER, and insurance inspections.

  • Extends asset life by lubricating, tightening, and balancing rotating equipment.
  • Prevents cascading failures that halt production lines.
  • Supports accurate budgeting by revealing impending overhauls early.
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Reliability Hotline

Need an engineer to review chronic failures? Our duty manager can triage within 2 hours.

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FAQ Library

Sorted by discipline so you can get answers fast.

Household Electrics FAQ's

Flickering lights can indicate loose connections, faulty switches, or overloaded circuits. Turn off the affected circuit and contact us for a safety inspection—this could be a fire risk if left unchecked.

Signs include frequent tripping, old-style fuse boxes, no RCD protection, or adding new circuits. Modern consumer units with RCDs are required for safety and compliance. We can assess and upgrade if needed.

Yes—we install domestic EV charging points with proper load management and compliance with Part P regulations. We'll assess your supply capacity and install a dedicated circuit for safe, efficient charging.

Warm sockets indicate loose connections or overloaded circuits—this is a fire risk. Switch off the circuit immediately and call us for urgent inspection. Don't use the socket until it's been checked.

Commercial Electrics FAQ's

Most commercial premises every 5 years; high-risk or industrial sites every 3 years; temporary installations more frequently. Landlords must provide EICRs to tenants.

Yes—our emergency electricians cover Plymouth and Devon with guaranteed response tiers from 2 hours upwards. We prioritise commercial outages that affect production or safety.

Absolutely—defects are categorised (C1/C2/C3) and quoted so you can prioritise urgent items first. We schedule remedial work to minimise disruption to your operations.

We handle everything from design and compliance (BS 7671) to installation, testing, and certification. This includes distribution boards, lighting circuits, power outlets, and integration with building management systems.

Industrial Electrics FAQ's

Industrial installations must comply with BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations), DSEAR for hazardous areas, and ATEX for explosive atmospheres. We design and install systems that meet all relevant standards and provide full certification.

Industrial electrical work typically involves higher power demands, motor control centres, process control integration, and compliance with additional standards like DSEAR and ATEX for hazardous areas. Commercial work focuses on office buildings, retail spaces, and standard distribution systems. We handle both with appropriate expertise and certification.

We plan work around your production windows, use temporary supplies where possible, and coordinate with your maintenance teams. For critical work, we can schedule during planned shutdowns or work in phases to minimise downtime.

Yes—we offer comprehensive maintenance contracts covering EICRs, thermal imaging, distribution board inspections, and emergency cover. Contracts are tailored to your risk profile and production schedule, ensuring compliance and reliability.

HVAC Issues FAQ's

Common causes include faulty thermostats, pump failures, blocked filters, low pressure, or electrical issues. We diagnose and repair all heating system types—call us for a same-day assessment.

Commercial systems should be serviced annually, with filter changes every 3-6 months. Critical systems (hospitals, data centres) may need quarterly checks. Regular servicing prevents breakdowns and maintains efficiency.

Unusual noises can indicate compressor issues, loose components, blocked filters, or refrigerant problems. Turn off the unit and call us—continued operation can cause further damage and higher repair costs.

Yes—we ensure ventilation systems meet Building Regulations Part F, workplace health standards, and fire safety requirements. We provide compliance certificates and maintenance schedules for commercial properties.

Mechanical FAQ's

A mix of weekly visual checks, monthly lubrication, quarterly vibration analysis, and annual strip inspections works for most fans, pumps, and gearboxes.

Yes—we coordinate LOLER, PSSR, and insurance inspections, prepare plant, and close out advisories.

We hold critical spares for regular clients and have supplier agreements for rapid procurement of belts, bearings, and seals.

Control Systems FAQ's

We provide soft starters, VSD upgrades, motor control centre (MCC) refurbishments, and load balancing to keep drives efficient and compliant. Our team can upgrade existing systems without replacing entire production lines. Learn more.

Yes—we design and fabricate custom control panels, provide IO marshaling, and deliver turnkey integration that ties new machinery into existing plant infrastructure. All work includes full FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) documentation.

Absolutely—we provide BMS tuning, environmental control, batching systems, and automated changeovers to keep production compliant. Our team also offers safety interlock verification and compliance reporting for regulators. View our control systems offering.

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