Boiler/central heating isolation

[Mike P]

Morning chaps.

Went to a job today. Gas board told customer that the boiler which is in the kitchen (along with timer) had to have a means of isolating the supply otherwise they would not work on their system wich is under contract.

Nothing in the kitchen but I went upstairs to the airin cupboard and there it was a switched spur with neon. I turned it off and sure enough killed the whole system. My questions are One are they not capable of finding a switch spur and Two do they have the right to insist on separate isolation. I know it's good practice and before I left I put signs on both boiler and spur to point them in the right direction.

 

[Barx]

I know councils insist on local isolate via means of an engraved triple pole isolator which kills JUST the boiler. I'm sure clerk of work has mentioned that it is now in manufacturers instructions and they wont repair faulty boilers without.

 

[Mike P]

That's a new one on me. Thank you

 

[sparkyrj]

I have i friend who runs a heating company, who installed a boiler in a house, that had a spur next to it to isolate the boiler, but this only switched the permanent live and not the switched live. The gas man came to service it a year later and got a shock from it because he had not isolated the spur in the attic that controlled the whole circuit. He was lucky not to be prosecuted by the HSE . The boiler must have local isolation that kills all supplies.

 

[Theorysparky]

I have a plumber mate who is corgi registered

he insists that the boiler has means of isolation either fcu or plug if it is not within 1 metre of the boiler it needs to be labelled up

otherwise he will not sign it off

ching ching

 

[Mr Sworld]

Local isolation does mean that it is 'local'. Having to hunt through the house to find where to turn it off is not 'good practice' in my book.

 

[TTbangbang]

Local isolation does mean that it is 'local'. Having to hunt through the house to find where to turn it off is not 'good practice' in my book.

Is this one of the reasons why some say it's good practice to put the boiler on its own radial? ?:|

 

[Mr Sworld]

Is this one of the reasons why some say it's good practice to put the boiler on its own radial? ?:|

I think it's very good practice! Also stops the heating and hot water system being effected if a table lamp trips the ring!

I also put freezers or fridge/freezers on their own radial as well but that's less due to local isolation than making sure expensive meat in the freezer doesn't ruin if you are away from the house when a ring trips.

 

[kme]

It`s also worth being aware that you can use a plug & socket for local isolation (i.e. boiler supply on 3 pin plug), but the socket MUST be unswitched!

 

[Apache]

It`s also worth being aware that you can use a plug & socket for local isolation (i.e. boiler supply on 3 pin plug), but the socket MUST be unswitched!

why?

 

[kme]

So that isn`t switched off, as a means of isolation. Spurs are 2 pole switched; and if you use a plug/socket, unswitched means you must withdraw the plug, giving all pole isolation

 

[Apache]

So that isn`t switched off, as a means of isolation. Spurs are 2 pole switched; and if you use a plug/socket, unswitched means you must withdraw the plug, giving all pole isolation

thanks

so simple when you point it out

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

I have been away from contracting for quite a few years, but even back when I was the gas board would condemn any heating system which could not be fully isolated within the same room as the boiler.

 

[seajayess]

I always fit an isolator beside the boiler two or three pole if it is remote to the heating system isolation, and all line conductors need to be isolated, some systems have frost protection which will fire the boiler up in the event of a frost regardless if the time clocks timed live are live, think you may find it in the regs as supplying local isolation CJS

 

[ian932]

I was doing a PIR on Friday and could not find any Isolation, looked behind the fridge which was below the boiler and there was a twin and earth heading in the direction of the timer and coming from behind a 3/4 high tall-boy, opened the cupboard and after moving enough bottles of booze to stock the QE II's bars for a fortnights cruise the cupboard had its back still intact and no sign of an isolator, so I told customer I needed to make a hole in the back of the cupboard to explore guess what fused spur was there. Now tomorrow I have to try and swap it for a switch fused spur and the cupboard can't come out as its grouted in up one side and along the topX( X(

Ohh and best of all they have had a British Gas service contract for the boiler for over 5 years and this cupboard has been there all that time !!!

 

[Andy™]

Ohh and best of all they have had a British Gas service contract for the boiler for over 5 years and this cupboard has been there all that time !!!

but dont BG test the system from the comfort of their vans?!

 

[batty]

I think the problem with putting local isolation for the boiler the engineer will not check the whole system anyway some won't. Had this on a job. Emergency callout trip tripping out. Turned out to be a leaking valve. Lady said system had only just been serviced. Well this valve had been leaking for ages. So it could not have been checked.

Batty