S. Griffith Electrical Services

16/10/2026

Friday funny 🎃

A grower from Hampshire has broken the world record for the heaviest pumpkin. Again.

Ian Paton's pumpkin weighed in at 1,295.8kg (just over 2,856lb) at a weigh-off in Berkshire on 3 October. That's about 20kg heavier than last year's record holder, which he grew with his twin brother.

The best bits:
• it's called Bagheera, after the panther in The Jungle Book (his son's idea)
• the plant was drinking up to 590 litres of water a day, about three bathtubs' worth
• he spent up to six hours a day in the pumpkin patch for two months
• his next target is 3,000lb

See it here: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2026/10/all-hail-pumpking-paton-british-grower-beats-his-own-record-with-giant-gourd

Have a good weekend, everyone!

A year on from growing a record pumpkin with his twin brother, Ian Paton has returned to establish a new horticultural benchmark

14/10/2026

🛏️ Electric blanket season tip

Check your electric blanket before it goes back on the bed.

With the first chilly nights here, they're coming out of the cupboard. Lay it out flat and look for scorch marks, fraying fabric, damp patches, exposed wires, or a worn flex or loose connections. If you see any of that, don't use it. Replace it.

A few more:
• if it's over 10 years old, replace it anyway
• unplug it before you get into bed, unless it has a thermostatic control designed for all-night use
• when it goes away in spring, roll it or store it flat. Folding it damages the heating elements

And if the blanket, phone charger and lamp are all running off one adaptor by the bed because there aren't enough sockets, we can fit extra ones. Call 07553 083727.

12/10/2026

🔋 Got a Tesla Powerwall 2 home battery? Worth a quick check.

On 28 September the UK's Office for Product Safety and Standards issued a safety report on the Tesla Powerwall 2. Some battery cells in affected units can develop internal defects over time, which brings a risk of overheating and fire.

Tesla is replacing affected units free of charge, and has already remotely discharged most of them.

If you've got one:
• keep it connected to the internet
• check the Tesla app for a notification saying whether yours is affected
• if it is, contact the installer who fitted it (or Tesla support) to arrange the replacement

Know someone with solar panels and a home battery? Pass this on.

Read more: https://www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls/product-safety-report-tesla-powerwall-2-2609-0219

Product Safety Report for Tesla Powerwall 2 presenting a risk of fire.

09/10/2026

Friday funny 😂

The shortlist for this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is out, and it's a cracker. Our favourites:

• a moose caught mid-sneeze, runny nose and all, looking very pleased with itself afterwards
• a squirrel in California dive-bombing a great horned owl, and knocking it off its feet more than once
• a sunbird wearing a flower petal like a massive hat
• a baby elephant getting a dust bath straight in the face from its elder

Have a look and pick your winner. The results are out on 8 December.
See them here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-hilarious-animal-shenanigans-captured-in-photos-and-videos-shortlisted-for-the-2026-nikon-comedy-wildlife-awards-180989600/

Have a good weekend, everyone!

From a sneezing moose to a real-life angry bird, this year's competition received a whopping more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries

07/10/2026

🔌 Heating season tip

The plug-in heaters are coming out of the cupboard, so here's a quick one: plug heaters straight into a wall socket, not an extension lead or adaptor.

Heaters pull a heavy load for hours at a time. Extension leads, especially cable reels and cheap multi-way blocks, aren't built for that, and that's when they overheat.

And keep heaters clear of curtains, bedding and furniture.

Warning signs: a plug or socket that's warm to the touch, brown marks around the socket, or a burning smell. Switch off and get it checked.

Happy to take a look. Call 07553 083727.

05/10/2026

⚡ Two big changes in the electrical world this month

1 October: anyone carrying out an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) now has to personally hold the Level 3 inspection and testing qualification. No more unqualified operatives working under one supervisor's name.

15 October: the latest update to the Wiring Regulations (BS 7671 Amendment 4) becomes mandatory. It brings a new EICR form, updated rules for EV chargers and home battery storage, and more arc fault protection in HMOs and high-rise flats.

Landlords: if your last EICR was done 4–5 years ago, it's due soon, and demand is going up. Worth getting booked in early.

Read more: https://niceic.com/amendment-four

We're NICEIC registered and qualified in inspection and testing. Message us or call 07553 083727.
sgriffithelectrical.co.uk

Amendment 4 of the Wiring Regulations came into effect on 15 April 2026. Read about the changes and ensure you’re compliant.

05/06/2025

Well this week has been a busy one! Working away in Blackburn on a huge industrial solar installation job! The roofers are busy installing 200 panels onto a warehouse while Scott is busy installing the inverter and all the necessary electrical bits!

12/05/2025

❤️

12/04/2025

Could I ask my lovely customers if they're happy, to leave me a review.

04/03/2025

The Hwb sensory room is now open. A lovely project to be involved with. We are so lucky to have the likes of Tom in our lovely little town.