inspection & testing

[eeb1933]

hi all

when you upgrade a c/u, you inspect and test the whole installation as you do.

where does it state that you have to update the installation i.e say there is no sleeving on some earth conducters at light switchs or green only sleeving not green yellow, the switch live not sleeved red or brown:|

i've just been given a lad on work experience starting his second year and his last trainer was sorting all the above.

i thought as long as you made a note on the perodic eic that was ok as your only changing the board. code 1's you do have to put right i know.

any of you gone this far when changing c/u

 

[batty]

My provider says you only need to ensure the changed protective device will operate in fault conditions so a loop test is needed on each circuit. On the eic you state this.

Batty

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

hi allwhen you upgrade a c/u, you inspect and test the whole installation as you do.

where does it state that you have to update the installation i.e say there is no sleeving on some earth conducters at light switchs or green only sleeving not green yellow, the switch live not sleeved red or brown:|

i've just been given a lad on work experience starting his second year and his last trainer was sorting all the above.

i thought as long as you made a note on the perodic eic that was ok as your only changing the board. code 1's you do have to put right i know.

any of you gone this far when changing c/u

Nowhere!

BS7671 is guidance for good practice.. it is NOT statutory...

i.e. you do NOT 'have to do' anything.

AND

you can only do what the customer authorises you to do and is willing to pay you for doing it!

BUT....

You should only carry out any alterations if the installation can carry any additional load & bonding is all up to standard. Reg 131.8 pg 16.

ANY work you do will have NO defects... Reg 632.4

But defects on the existing installation should be noted & recorded, Regs 633.2, 624.2 pg 163!

 

[PC Electrics]

If it was truly necessary to change every green sleeve for green/yellow and add red sleeve to every switch wire, then in some houses you would have to remove every socket / switch and light to carry this out. That would add up to a lot of extra time and cost for the client. Totally unnecessary. Read BPG06 here:

http://www.esc.org.uk/business-and-community/electrical-industry/best-practice-guides.html

 

[spinlondon]

BS7671, is not as has been said, statutory.

However if you issue an EIC stating that the installation complies with BS7671, then you are effectivly issuing a legal document to that effect.

If it were then determined that the installation does not in fact comply with BS7671. You could fall foul of the law.

There seems to be two camps where changing CUs are concerned.

One believes that a full Inspection and Test of all circuits to determine IR, Zs etc. is required.

The other believes that BS7671 does not require this, that the Regs. only require that the addition or alteration be tested ie. the CU.

Reg. 131.8 Does noy require anything to be up to standard, only that the rating and condition of existing equipment be adequate for the altered circumstances, and that the bonding and earthing arrangements also be adequate. In fact they have removed the wording 'additional load' from the regulation.

This is the old Reg. 130-07-01

No addition or alteration, temporary or permanent, shall be made to an existing installation, unless it has been ascertained that the rating and the condition of any existing equipment, including that of the distributor, which will have to carry any additional load is adequate for the altered circumstances and the earthing and bonding arrangements are also adequate.

This is the new Reg. 131.8

No alteration or addition, temporary or permanent, shall be made to an existing installation, unless it has been ascertained that the rating and the condition of any existing equipment, including that of the distributor, will be adequate for the altered circumstances. Furthermore, the earthing & bonding arrangements, if necessary for the protective measure applied for the safety of the addition or alteration, shall be adequate.