Notifying The Council Of Cu Change And Additional Garage Submain

[Steve3948]

Hi Amateursparky

Not wishing to upset other posters, but the Fire Safety (Approved Doc B) contains the following in relation to smoke and heat alarms:

"The detectors and alarms are required to be permanently wired with an independent circuit to the distribution board (cu), or preferably supplied from a local, regularly used lighting circuit (there should be a means of isolating the supply to the alarms without switching off the lighting;"

So, no sharing with the house alarm. Instead, suggest you install a switched FCU next to the cu, with the supply from one of the lighting circuits (existing "smokes" supply cable connected to the load side of the FCU). This method has been through numerous NICEIC inspections!!

Other comments:

As a minimum you'll need a smoke alarm on each floor;

Lighting - I use 1.5mm T&E, because there's no need to de-rate if running in thermal insulation (e.g. if first floor lighting cabling in the loft) ;

Garage Dist Circuit - I'd put it on a RCD protected way at the CU and then just use a DP isolator in the garage cu (especially if the garage supply is in T&E, rather than SWA;

Presumably the 32A "Kitchen Sockets" 2.5mm circuit is a ring, not a radial?

Agree you need to de-rate the "boiler" to a 6A MCB, or put a 5A FCU at the load end;

Cheers & good luck with the inspection

Most domestic alarms unplug from the base plate which is classed as isolation without affecting the lighting circuit.

 

[steptoe]

brian, I would agree with that, but the OP said he wanted to have it non RCD side, which is why I suggested he double up on the intruder alarm,

myself, quite often I use the 3core to the upstairs alarm to feed the upstairs lighting circuit.

NICEIC assessor actually said it was a good use of cable and resources, :|

me, well, its simply one less cable I have to pull in.

 

[NozSpark]

Hi Amateursparky

Not wishing to upset other posters, but the Fire Safety (Approved Doc B) contains the following in relation to smoke and heat alarms:

"The detectors and alarms are required to be permanently wired with an independent circuit to the distribution board (cu), or preferably supplied from a local, regularly used lighting circuit (there should be a means of isolating the supply to the alarms without switching off the lighting;"

So, no sharing with the house alarm. Instead, suggest you install a switched FCU next to the cu, with the supply from one of the lighting circuits (existing "smokes" supply cable connected to the load side of the FCU). This method has been through numerous NICEIC inspections!!

Other comments:

As a minimum you'll need a smoke alarm on each floor;

Lighting - I use 1.5mm T&E, because there's no need to de-rate if running in thermal insulation (e.g. if first floor lighting cabling in the loft) ;

Garage Dist Circuit - I'd put it on a RCD protected way at the CU and then just use a DP isolator in the garage cu (especially if the garage supply is in T&E, rather than SWA;

Presumably the 32A "Kitchen Sockets" 2.5mm circuit is a ring, not a radial?

Agree you need to de-rate the "boiler" to a 6A MCB, or put a 5A FCU at the load end;

Cheers & good luck with the inspection

It also states in there somewhere (IIRC) that any fire/smoke alarm should not share RCD protection with any socket circuit

 

[brianabsolute]

Hello Steptoe. Like the idea of saving effort, but how do you interlink with g/fl alarm (or are you using wireless bases)?

 

[steptoe]

brian, T&E to first alarm from CU, 3c&E to upstairs alarm, that gives you a signal, plus, a perm L N & E upstairs, so simply link off the perm L & N & E to your first upstairs light. [which is now the 3rd accessory on the circuit]

 

[brianabsolute]

Rodney

Got it. So your smokes are running off the 1st floor lighting circuit, albeit that the first outlet is the ground floor alarm. I'll probably stick to installing a sw fcu though, because I know that if challenged I can quote the IEE Guide to Building Regs publication. Also, I'm not inclined to rely on the 'unclick' method as safe isolation. One of my tasks tomorrow is to replace a unit where the teneant had attempted to change the back-up battery but couldn't get the unit to slide off (the flimsy screwdriver head relase tab had broken off). He resorted to levering it off using a wallpaper stripper blade - best done with the supply off!!

Cheers

 

[Electroglow]

also why use 1.0mm up stairs and 1.5 down ?? and you got ur cooker on 6amp mob

 

[steptoe]

Rodney

Got it. So your smokes are running off the 1st floor lighting circuit, albeit that the first outlet is the ground floor alarm. I'll probably stick to installing a sw fcu though, because I know that if challenged I can quote the IEE Guide to Building Regs publication. Also, I'm not inclined to rely on the 'unclick' method as safe isolation. One of my tasks tomorrow is to replace a unit where the teneant had attempted to change the back-up battery but couldn't get the unit to slide off (the flimsy screwdriver head relase tab had broken off). He resorted to levering it off using a wallpaper stripper blade - best done with the supply off!!

Cheers

thats it Brian,

BTW, I only do that on the social housing where the price is so bad every 10mins saved counts.

 

[elvis]

Forget the RCD... Apple are working on a new 'blood-soaked nose' app. so your sorted!

How he manages to do both his arms and the cable is frankly genius and no RCD is gonna save him!

As for the wife, if she's watching Eastenders, she's dying a long, slow death anyway. Anyone do an RCD that trips if you put Eastenders on the telly! I'd buy it and it would be much more conducive to good health in this household...