Switched Socket Outlets

[Evans Electric]

A question arose today while doing a EICR  ....." Should these sockets be switched "    Its preferable but I'll check , says I .

Just spent the rest of my life in the regs book and found nothing about switches .

I know there was a fashion to fit unswitched SOs  as they used to be a penny cheaper I 'spose.

And I remember a recommendation for kitchens to have SSOs . 

But is their a new reg anywhwere I 'm not seeing .

 

[kerching]

No reg that I have ever seen......but give it a few months and there probably will be. Then we will have to buy another book, go on another course, part with more money etc etc etc

More donations to the Ms Clancy depreciation fund...........how much does she get paid per annum???

Just....ifying their existence

 

[Evans Electric]

Well Kerch  I'm looking at Table  53.2     on page 117  of the BRB    ( 'Cos the BGB is in the van and its cold & raining & garage is locked & if I pick up the keys the K9  device thinks he,s going out  & he,s not ) (( He can hear two keys touch together at 100mtrs  and will appear like magic ))

But I'm non the wiser TBH .     It indicates that a Plug &  UNswitched  socket to BS 1361   should have  ...     Isolation = Yes ....   emergency Switching = No  Functional switching  = Yes . 

I'm guessing that means an UNswitched socket behind a  Dishwasher  is to be switched in an accessable position ,  which I knew anyway .    This a house full of unswitched sockets  . 

 

[kerching]

From the NICCY guide to EICR codes

Items that are NOT departures from the current edition of BS 7671

The following items are commonly included in electrical installation condition reports as requiring remedial action, but are not departures from the current edition of BS 7671, and should therefore not be recorded:

• Absence of earthing and/or bonding to metallic sinks and baths (unless they are extraneous-conductive-parts in their own right)

• The use of rewireable fuses (where they provide adequate circuit protection)

• The use of circuit-breakers to BS 3871

• Absence of barriers inside a consumer unit (provided the cover is removable only with the use of a key or tool)

• Absence of bonding connections to boiler pipework (where the pipework is not an extraneous-conductive-part in its own right)

• Shaver supply units installed in zone 2 of a location containing a bath or shower and located where direct spray from a shower is unlikely

• Absence of switches on socket-outlets and fused connection units

• Any other observation not directly related to electrical safety and hence to the suitability of the installation for continued service.

page 18 ©The Electrical Safety Council

Consumer units having rewireable fuses can continue to provide satisfactory service

Consumer unit with circuit-breakers and fuses

 

[Evans Electric]

Thanks Kerch ...that'll do for me ..........I'll ignore them. 

What !!!!  Who said I was angling for the job of replacing all the sockets ?    Hush yo mouth Bro !! :innocent

 

[steptoe]

the only thing I can think of that has ANY sort of bearing on this is that if a boiler is plugged into a socket outlet it must NOT be switched.

 

[Apache]

Oscar? IIRC

 

[ProDave]

the only thing I can think of that has ANY sort of bearing on this is that if a boiler is plugged into a socket outlet it must NOT be switched.

What's the logic behind that?

 

[Adrian]

So they have to remove the plug to achieve isolation  

 

[OnOff]

A lot of the bumf that comes with the boilers says about a "3mm gap.......on all poles" though sure I've seen it specifically say "all THREE poles" too ref isolating the boiler. Hence removing an UNSWITCHED plug guarantees that.

I guess they are harking back to when sockets were normally not DP (switched on the N maybe)? Even then you leave the CPC connected........

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I have had to change a socket for a customer as the Gas Safe engineer would not give a satisfactory result until done. It was already a spur so i could not fit a FCU. When i went to my regular wholesaler to purchase a twin, unswitched socket they said, not sure if we have one, i will check.  It had an inch of dust on it.   Its down to possible reversed polarity and double pole isolation etc.

On a similar matter......... When carrying out an inspection, re sockets mounted in backbox's in skirtings low down. I could just get my molded plug of my Henry in so i deem it satisfactory but with a note. What do the viewers think ?

 

[Adrian]

The ref to 3 poles mean live neutral and switch live  and not the cpc 

You can still get single pole switched sockets so by using a unswitched socket it  requires the boiler engineer to full remove the plug  to ensure he disconnects live and neutral 

On a similar matter......... When carrying out an inspection, re sockets mounted in backbox's in skirtings low down. I could just get my molded plug of my Henry in so i deem it satisfactory but with a note. What do the viewers think ?

I have in the passed just turned the socket upside down 

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I have in the passed just turned the socket upside down 

I have read that is not acceptable. Maybe it was in the best practice's/guidance ?  Maybe someone else remembers

 

[Evans Electric]

Oscar? IIRC

You do remember correctly 'Patche  ....thinks he runs the place . !! 

 

[Evans Electric]

I have had to change a socket for a customer as the Gas Safe engineer would not give a satisfactory result until done. It was already a spur so i could not fit a FCU. When i went to my regular wholesaler to purchase a twin, unswitched socket they said, not sure if we have one, i will check.  It had an inch of dust on it.   Its down to possible reversed polarity and double pole isolation etc.

On a similar matter......... When carrying out an inspection, re sockets mounted in backbox's in skirtings low down. I could just get my molded plug of my Henry in so i deem it satisfactory but with a note. What do the viewers think ?

I think the same ...an advisory  note.   I also think if you don't note it ..some cleverclogs will come after and criticise you for not pointing it out .  

I did read up on EICR s  and as said above ,  ( and contary to what some sparks think)  you can't just condemn everything that is not to the 17th ed.  

Every edition of the Regs was the bee's knees at the time   ......but the day the 17th kicked in did  not  scrap all the other editions .  

     One day we're doing bonding in 6mm  the next day its gotta be 10mm , you don't go back to every job and change it.

I can remember the NICEIC man picking us up on using green earth cable  ( As in Red--Bk--Green in a conduit ring main.)  "  You should be using Green /Yellow now  "

"Well obviously we will as soon as these drums have been used up ...we'll be buying G/yell from now on ..........you don't expect us to throw it away "?  

 

[kerching]

In my worthless opinion the WORST step they made was to remove CODE 4

Just saying......

 

[a3]

In my worthless opinion the WORST step they made was to remove CODE 4

Just saying......

Thats all you have to say on it ? I do not believe you !

Just looking at previous moaning!

 

[kerching]

Thats all you have to say on it ? I do not believe you !

Just looking at previous moaning!

I feel you misunderstand me...

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

The ref to 3 poles mean live neutral and switch live  and not the cpc 

You can still get single pole switched sockets so by using a unswitched socket it  requires the boiler engineer to full remove the plug  to ensure he disconnects live and neutral 

I have in the passed just turned the socket upside down 

I have read that is not acceptable. Maybe it was in the best practice's/guidance ?  Maybe someone else remembers

Could it be argued that a socket mounted upside down would put strain on the flex itself coming out of the plug....?

(unless it has additional mechanical support..)

As rather than hanging down naturally following the force of gravity..

it could be bending and straining the conductors in the flex more that they are designed for????

opcorn

 

[OnOff]

The ref to 3 poles mean live neutral and switch live  and not the cpc 

You can still get single pole switched sockets so by using a unswitched socket it  requires the boiler engineer to full remove the plug  to ensure he disconnects live and neutral 

I have in the passed just turned the socket upside down 

I wondered when I'd find the bloke who did this:



:lol: