Rcd

burnett0001 · May 19, 2013

hi all nice to be here im looking for help would be handy to get some definitive clarification on this. regarding regs over when an RCD is required. What if I have a CCU that has sockets and cooker protected but not any other circuits and the install is 20 years plus older. What if there is no rcd on any circuit and the property is over 20 years

Zeespark · May 19, 2013

What are you looking to do to the circuits that you mention? rewire them?

Andy Guinness

Doc Hudson · May 19, 2013

Welcome to the forum. not exactly clear what you are asking as you haven't said what work you are intending to do. Definitive answer is that wiring regulations are not retrospective and are only applicable to new work you intend doing, so there is no obligation to bring an older installation up to current regulation standards. Please tell us more about who you are, electrician, DIY, student etc.. An illustration could be that older cars with no rear seat belts, fog lights, airbags etc are still legally roadworthy. But you cannot purchase a new car without these items fitted by the manufacture. The older car is not unsafe, but the newer car is probably safer offering better protection to the occupants.

Doc H.

m4tty · May 19, 2013

The latest regs require all socket outlets for general use to be rcd protected. If your working on the circuit it will need to be brought up to date. Are you a sparky ? More info needed really ?

Welcome to the forum btw

sparkytim · May 19, 2013

Compliance with the latest regs (BS7671 2008 Ammendment 1 2011) is only required for NEW work. If your existing installation meets the Regs of the time (16TH edition) when it was installed then thats fine.

SPECIAL LOCATION · May 19, 2013

Definitive answers can be found on page 457 of BS7671.. (The index!)

look under Residual Current Devices (RCDs)

lists a whole bunch of the regs that refer to RCDs..

Of those, some that are more related to domestic installation would include:-

411.3.3

411.4.9

415.1

522.6.102

522.6.103

531,2

531.3

531.4

531.5

701.411.3.3

I am not going to quote them all out..

but TBH they are not too hard to read.

:coffee