I have a Client that will not provide a Risk Assessment to omit an RCD Commando Socket for a Data Cabinet. He wishes to employ a local isolator for the Cabinet, however he is concerned that the PDU Strip that arrived on site from the factory and pre-fitted within the data cabinet would still need an RCD. It is my opinion that the Factory built Data Rack is classed as a piece of equipment and as such does not form part of the Contractor's installation. If the Rack had arrived on site without the PDU strip fitted and it was installed by the Contractor then this would form part of the installation and therefore would require an RCD. Any advice/assistance would be appreciated.
Gentlemen, I think we have drifted from my initial query. My question was about the internal power strip (generally 13amp) which arrives pre-fitted within the Data Rack. Is this classed as Equipment or is it part of the fixed wiring? The Client through his advisers consider it to be part of the fixed wiring and therefore should have RCD protection as they are unwilling to complete a risk assessment. Their initial thought was to fit an isolator above the rack negating the need for RCD protection and negating the need for them to produce a risk assessment, however they have now been advised that the power strip inside the cabinet requires an RCD or Risk assessment. Feedback from other bodies like Select advise that the power strip is not part of the fixed wiring and it does not come under the EICR therefore an RCD is not needed if you use an isolator rather than an external Commando socket, however if the Contractor fits the power strip after delivery of the rack it becomes part of the fixed wiring. I would appreciate comments on this point.
To comply with BS EN 50310 fully, the power strip should have a supplementary bonding stud for connection to the rack earthing system for impedance control. This then effectively becomes part of the fixed wiring installation, because it has permanent equipotential bonding from the PE connection in the strip, to the rack earth bar. BS EN 50310 also contains a requirement to conduct impedance tests, so even if delivered "part assembled", still think there's some form of "fixed wiring tests".
Even if the power strip is outside an EICR, BS 7671 can still be used to select and erect it, therefore I'm not 100 % convinced by that argument. I think this is the case even if the product comes fully or part assembled - it still contains 13 A socket-outlets, therefore the RCD issue of 411.3.3 should be addressed either by installation design (fitting the RCD in the fixed wiring installation), or by selection (i.e. rack has internal RCD protection to meet BS 7671 requirements).
To comply with BS 7671, the 13 A socket-outlets in the rack require RCD protection, unless there is a risk assessment in place.
The only other alternative to RCD or risk assessment is to use interconnection couplers (e.g. IEC 60320 J or F) on the power strips instead of BS 1363 socket-outlets. BS 7671 does not require cable couplers and interconnection couplers to be RCD protected, only socket-outlets.
Gentlemen, I think we have drifted from my initial query. My question was about the internal power strip (generally 13amp) which arrives pre-fitted within the Data Rack. Is this classed as Equipment or is it part of the fixed wiring? The Client through his advisers consider it to be part of the fixed wiring and therefore should have RCD protection as they are unwilling to complete a risk assessment. Their initial thought was to fit an isolator above the rack negating the need for RCD protection and negating the need for them to produce a risk assessment, however they have now been advised that the power strip inside the cabinet requires an RCD or Risk assessment. Feedback from other bodies like Select advise that the power strip is not part of the fixed wiring and it does not come under the EICR therefore an RCD is not needed if you use an isolator rather than an external Commando socket, however if the Contractor fits the power strip after delivery of the rack it becomes part of the fixed wiring. I would appreciate comments on this point.
To comply with BS EN 50310 fully, the power strip should have a supplementary bonding stud for connection to the rack earthing system for impedance control. This then effectively becomes part of the fixed wiring installation, because it has permanent equipotential bonding from the PE connection in the strip, to the rack earth bar. BS EN 50310 also contains a requirement to conduct impedance tests, so even if delivered "part assembled", still think there's some form of "fixed wiring tests".
Even if the power strip is outside an EICR, BS 7671 can still be used to select and erect it, therefore I'm not 100 % convinced by that argument. I think this is the case even if the product comes fully or part assembled - it still contains 13 A socket-outlets, therefore the RCD issue of 411.3.3 should be addressed either by installation design (fitting the RCD in the fixed wiring installation), or by selection (i.e. rack has internal RCD protection to meet BS 7671 requirements).
To comply with BS 7671, the 13 A socket-outlets in the rack require RCD protection, unless there is a risk assessment in place.
The only other alternative to RCD or risk assessment is to use interconnection couplers (e.g. IEC 60320 J or F) on the power strips instead of BS 1363 socket-outlets. BS 7671 does not require cable couplers and interconnection couplers to be RCD protected, only socket-outlets.
