Consumer Unit Without Rcd

[kme]

Ok.

Lets look at this from a slightly different angle.

If you`re doing work on a property which doesn`t have RCD protection; and the earthing / bonding isn`t up to scratch.

It might be a good idea to advise the customer that an EICR is a good idea?

Or, at least some provision of RCDs/RCBos, to improve the perceived level of safety.

What you CANNOT do, is use the regs book to INSIST that a board change in required - in many cases, it isn`t. Advisable? Yes. Not set in stone though.

Personally, I would try to convince my customer to do any works I think would improve the condition of their install, at any given time. But I have no recourse if they refuse.

HTH

KME

 

[Loobyloobyloo]

I think i would like to go down the rcd or rcbo route tbh...

Even just extend the ring with an rcbo...

 

[Blue Duck]

Golden Rule No1:-

Ignore here say rumors and misinterpretations about anything...

Verify stuff yourself by reading BS7671 then you wont be working like loads of other cowboys who think they know stuff but actually know jack all!!!!!

Golden Rule No2:-

Regulation 132.16 requires you to verify earthing & bonding and the ensure that the existing installation is of sufficient capacity to carry any additional loading you are putting on it.

BUT....

There is NO regulation saying you must upgrade a CU every time you do any alterations..

There is NO regulation saying you must bring EVERY circuit up to current standards every time you do an alteration...

Golden Rule No3:-

You must ensure all of the NEW work you do is to current regualtions...

Example:-

Widowed pensioner wants 2 extra sockets higher up the wall so he can reach to plug his TV etc into.

Existing installation is BS3036 wire fuses NO RCD protection anywhere...

There are some Cowboy electricians who would say wire fuses are illegal and scare the pensioner into having a new fuse box fitted....

reality:-

Table 41.2 Sates BS3036 are still acceptable...

Pensioner hasn't got much spare money but wants his extra sockets done safely:-

fuse box looks like this...

IMG-20130320-01074.jpg

Extra sockets look like this...

Dudley-20130424-01160.jpg

All new wiring is surface.. (not actually needing RCD protection)

Both new sockets have RCD FCU protecting them...

Zs 0.50

RCD @ x1 31ms

RCD @ x5 18ms

Ins Res L+N - E >200Megohm

all compliant..

customer happy...

He pays less than £100 as compared to greater than £100 if CU's become involved.

Unless you can point to the reg that States ALL wiring & CU Must be upgraded every alteration..

wots the problem????

Just use some common sense...

Bit of knowledge of BS7671..

And do the best solution for the particular customer...

Some time it IS more practical to upgrade the CU...

But other times its NOT!!!!

Guinness

Just so you know what you describe is what I do on a daily basis.

I took one of the carpenters on a job with me & now he laughs we he sees trunking on my van ROTFWL

People too poor for rcds

Those Safetysure things are real carp but get the job done ;

 

[Nicky Tesla]

or if adding one extra socket in a house full of existing sockets then i dont bother making it rcd protected sometimes.  I just put "no rcd protection"  on my minor works cert.

If walking into the house for the first time after all the work was done and complete,  why would one random socket need to be any different from all the others from a safety aspect?

 

[steptoe]

or if adding one extra socket in a house full of existing sockets then i dont bother making it rcd protected sometimes.  I just put "no rcd protection"  on my minor works cert.

If walking into the house for the first time after all the work was done and complete,  why would one random socket need to be any different from all the others from a safety aspect?

something to do with the regs now requiring socket outlets under 32A to be 30mA RCD protected.....

 

[Nicky Tesla]

you can declare on your cert if something does not comply to the latest standards.........risk assesment

i have done a few like this.........it seems silly, insisting that one socket in a sea of other sockets has to be rcd protected due to safety standards even though all the others dont.

my QS has reviewed my certs and is happy with them

 

[Andy™]

by your logic, maybe you should be sticking to lead sheathed cables? well it was acceptable in the past so it must be now...

 

[Nicky Tesla]

risk assessment...............toxic................not  ok now

all other sockets no rcd protection...........not toxic or unsafe...................ok now

risk assessment complete 

why do you think lead sheathed cable is a fail?

 

[soulman]

Nicky Tesla,  I totally disagree with you, All work should be carried out to the current regulations.  I also find that putting a small ccu next to the existing ccu with an rcd device,  doesn't really take long & protects the whole circuit.  If the protective device is a 3036 I also change it for a plug in c.b.

Cheers

 

[Andy™]

3036 still complies with current regs, so doesnt have to be changed

 

[soulman]

Cheers Andy, I know they still comply, I just change anyway.  I have spoken to customer's who have been told they need a new fusebox as 3036's are illegal.  I also read a periodic inspection report not so long ago & the electrician had code 1 for a 3036 fusebox.