The last remaining domestic circuits without RCD protection.

So what if a customer asks me to fit a lumnaire and connect it to a non-RCD protected circuit? That could be because it is a lighting circuit which supplies solely lampholders (which are not, in my opinion, luminaires), or because it was installed to 17th Edn or earlier. Do I have to fit an RCD?


If I cannot replace the existing MCB, or fit an RCD in a separate enclosure, that new CU is a nice little earner, but what sort of customer would accept that?

 

I would suggest the situation is comparable to earlier editions when the requirement for most ordinary sockets to have 30mA RCD protection was brought in. Where a extra socket was required on an existing non-RCD circuit, I think most people take the attitude that the new socket needed to have 30mA RCD protection - either by retrofitting an RCD for the entire circuit (more than absolutely required, but often preferable) or using an socket with a built-in RCD or starting the extension with an RCD fused connection unit.

The work would not comply with 18th Edn, but there is no requirement that it must do so. When you fill in a MEIWC (if you feel obliged to do so) you can comment under "Details of departures".

But you can only legitimately do that if you can show that the departure is no less safe than following the regulations (120.3) - generally (especially in an uncontrolled/domestic environment) I don't see how you can show that omitting 30mA RCD protection is just as safe as including it.

Frankly, it is not necessary to bring an installation up to date every time that it is altered. That would be disproportionate and unreasonable.

Agreed - however new work needs to comply - and sometimes upgrading (some of) the existing installation may be the most practical way of achieving that.


  - Andy.

So what if a customer asks me to fit a lumnaire and connect it to a non-RCD protected circuit? That could be because it is a lighting circuit which supplies solely lampholders (which are not, in my opinion, luminaires), or because it was installed to 17th Edn or earlier. Do I have to fit an RCD?


If I cannot replace the existing MCB, or fit an RCD in a separate enclosure, that new CU is a nice little earner, but what sort of customer would accept that?

 

I would suggest the situation is comparable to earlier editions when the requirement for most ordinary sockets to have 30mA RCD protection was brought in. Where a extra socket was required on an existing non-RCD circuit, I think most people take the attitude that the new socket needed to have 30mA RCD protection - either by retrofitting an RCD for the entire circuit (more than absolutely required, but often preferable) or using an socket with a built-in RCD or starting the extension with an RCD fused connection unit.

The work would not comply with 18th Edn, but there is no requirement that it must do so. When you fill in a MEIWC (if you feel obliged to do so) you can comment under "Details of departures".

But you can only legitimately do that if you can show that the departure is no less safe than following the regulations (120.3) - generally (especially in an uncontrolled/domestic environment) I don't see how you can show that omitting 30mA RCD protection is just as safe as including it.

Frankly, it is not necessary to bring an installation up to date every time that it is altered. That would be disproportionate and unreasonable.

Agreed - however new work needs to comply - and sometimes upgrading (some of) the existing installation may be the most practical way of achieving that.


  - Andy.