Domestic Visual Condition Report

[PaulSC]

Putting your personal feelings aside regarding these visual condition reports, would you code this:

PME system, old Wylex BS3036's, no RCD (apart from dedicated shower feed) fairly standard setup with a few noted minor non-conformaties.

1) Main earth good as is bonding to water. Burried LPG gas tank in garden with NO bond. Would you comment or code this?

2) SWA (underground) feed to detached garage from 15A BS3036. The feed itself is code 4. However, in the garage itself the SWA is terminated into metal adaptable box which then feeds BOTH small radial sockets AND lights with no FCU for lights. The lights are in 1.5mm and good for 20A from OSG Table 6D1. Would you even bother noting this? Not the way I do things but from an electrical point of view not unsafe. I guess you could argue segregation of circuits but as they are both fed from the same fuse even that doesn't hold water.

I'm getting an increasing number of requests for these reports from Estate Agents. I guess our increasingly litigious society is forcing surveyors to become more cautious, but cant understand why when they see an old Wylex board they automatically assume its unsafe.

Anyway if your quiet, maybe worth dropping some business cards into some local Estate Agents. I'm going to create a editable (Word) Domestic Visual Condition Report based on the model form from the Electrical Safety Council this week and pop into the downloads section if anyones interested. :C

 

[ProDave]

My comment about the lighting circuit on a 15A fuse, is I'll bet the light switches are rated at 6A, or possibly 10A maximum.

Would that alone not dictate further protection for the lighting circuit?

Might the simplest solution be to change the light switch for a switched FCU, thereby combining switch function and fuse without any actual rewiring? I know in most instances that would mean you using only one pole of the FCU with no neutral connection to it, but I can't see an issue with that (as long as it's not one with a neon light built in as well)

That's what I usually do when I encounter that, and I class it as a (almost) "like for like" replacement so consider it not necessary to upgrade to current regs.

I would also recommend the socket(s) in the garage be changed to RCD sockets, as you can pretty well guarantee they are used "outside" If more than 2 sockets I would probably fit a stand alone RCD rather than individual sockets with RCD built in.

My own personal opinion is certainly the light switch, I would change it there and then while doing the inspection. My reasoning is what the client wants is a report saying "all is well" so something so simple I would change on the spot, it would take just a few minutes and charge them

 

[PaulSC]

Thanks Dave,

I see your point regarding the light switch, which I obviously missed. Couldn't change anything while I was their as the purchasers haven't yet exchanged contracts and moved in yet, though they ordered the report.

I think with the garage sockets, I'd be recommending RCD protection at the fuseboard to protect the SWA running across the garden as well (or even CU change to upgrade the whole install).

Paul

 

[Andy™]

just because the switch is rated at 6 or 10A doesnt mean the circuit must be 6/10A max.

you say the underground tank isnt bonded. it doesnt need bonded. only the pipe coming into the property needs bonded. and thats if its extraneous

 

[kme]

The gas tank/pipe. Plastic or metal?

I`m with prodave on the fused spur as switch though, AND the RCD sockets to outbuilding minimum - though probably note lack of compliance with current regs r.e. the lack of RCD protection.

Not too fussed about RCD`ing the SWA - its prob the safest bit of wire there, given the TN-C-S.

KME