Graeme Young is our ‘Sparky of The Month’.
Graeme Young, of Equinox Electrical Ltd, speaks to Zano Controls in this quick-fire round of questions, including how his route into the electrical industry began, his experience rewiring a haunted castle and which singer’s house he would love to rewire (hint: cool hats).
Name: Graeme Young
Company: Equinox Electrical Ltd
Location: Edinburgh/Central Scotland
Why did you become an electrician?
As a child, I was never overly keen on school. Particularly, as I lived in Pitlochry, it meant having to get a bus to Aberfeldy to continue onto 5th year. I was offered work experience with a local contractor for a week, and I enjoyed it so much that my mind was made up – and it certainly wasn’t the £30 a week I got for doing it that drew me in! However, it was 1990 and that felt like a fair amount back then. Following this, they provided me with an opening to an apprenticeship and the rest, as they say, is history.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the variety of work the job provides. There is something different to do on most days. I’ve had experience sitting in an office day after day, and it just doesn’t do it for me. However, if I was asked to pick one particular part of the job that I love, I would have to say fault finding. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but the satisfaction you get after tracking down a problem and resolving it, is great.
What’s the most interesting job you’ve completed to date?
This one’s easy. When I was an apprentice, we carried out rewiring works at Blair Castle in Blair Atholl. The building dates back to the 13th Century, so we never knew what we might find! I recall lifting floorboards where the joists were actually tree trunks, with the bark still attached. The place is supposedly haunted too… My journeyman and the rest of the guys occasionally tried to scare me (it didn’t work), but I will admit it did feel a little strange being in parts of the castle after dark with nobody else around. Your mind can play tricks on you!
What are the biggest challenges you face day-to-day?
Organising my diary – that’s always a challenge! There is usually so much going on that planning everything can be tricky, such as remembering to call people back, etc. Thankfully, my wife does a great job for me as our company administrator, but it still falls to me to plan the jobs in.
What services have been most in demand this year?
Hmm… there isn’t anything specific for me, really. That being said, I was getting a little tired of installing smoke detectors when the laws changed in Scotland. Thankfully, that has settled down now that a bit of time has passed.
Fun fact about you?
I am a serious petrolhead! I have a few motors, including a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird.
How did you find out about Zano Controls?
Zano was first offered to me years ago by the local supplier as a workaround for an LED dimming issue I was facing (and we’re very thankful for it!).
What’s the biggest LED dimming problem you have faced?
The age-old flickering/buzzing problem springs to mind. It is definitely less prevalent these days, but dimming LEDs can sometimes still be a bit of a black art. It can be tricky to find the right combinations of lamp and dimmer module, but Zano certainly helps that out. I’m not sure it is an issue I’ve ever encountered with a Zano product, which speaks volumes.
What’s your go-to Zano product?
I make use of Zano’s ZGRIDLED range quite often. The multiple manufacturer’s grid adaptor options are very useful, as you always have something that fits.
If you could rewire anyone’s house, who would it be?
Oh, it would have to be Jay Kay’s place. I’ve been a big Jamiroquai fan since they formed in the early 90s. I might end up spending a lot of time admiring his cars though.
Think you have what it takes to be our next Sparky of The Month? Be sure to share your installations and projects with us, and it may just be your face appearing in our next Sparky’s Corner! For any project or product enquiries, please call the team on 0345 519 5858 and we will be happy to help.
#TeamZano
