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Underfloor Bus Bar Systems

Bob Cowie
The Definition in the Regulations for a Socket states " A Device, provided with Female Contacts, which is intended to be installed with the fixed wiring, and intended to receive a plug. A Luminaire track system is not regarded as a socket-outlet system"

From the above it would be my understanding that the Tap-Offs on an underfloor Bus Bar system are considered to be sockets. The exclusion of Luminaire track systems also appears to support this viewpoint as it infers that power Underfloor Bus Bar should be classed as sockets.
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  • 0
    So, if I have a kitchen appliance (say a fridge) plugged into a socket in the kitchen the socket must comply with the socket requirements, but if it is hard-wired it does not need to comply with the socket requirements?

    I think a pragmatic approach is appropriate here. It is important to consider the intent of the regulations and ensure that the installation is no less safe than it should be.

    Having been involved in the development of Standards for years I can confirm the wording "made up by committees and later amended by more committees", but it is even worse than that. Standards undergo a review process and it can happen that a change in technology may make a change in the requirements desirable but it is impossible to get the change past the review process as the reviewers don't understand the background and see the change as a watering down of the requirement and hence of safety (I know of examples, though not in BS7671). It is also common when new requirements are introduced that the full implications on other sections are not initially recognised.

    Alasdair
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  • 0
    So, if I have a kitchen appliance (say a fridge) plugged into a socket in the kitchen the socket must comply with the socket requirements, but if it is hard-wired it does not need to comply with the socket requirements?

    I think a pragmatic approach is appropriate here. It is important to consider the intent of the regulations and ensure that the installation is no less safe than it should be.

    Having been involved in the development of Standards for years I can confirm the wording "made up by committees and later amended by more committees", but it is even worse than that. Standards undergo a review process and it can happen that a change in technology may make a change in the requirements desirable but it is impossible to get the change past the review process as the reviewers don't understand the background and see the change as a watering down of the requirement and hence of safety (I know of examples, though not in BS7671). It is also common when new requirements are introduced that the full implications on other sections are not initially recognised.

    Alasdair
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