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Making two properites into one

Rob Bain
Afternoon all,

An MOD client wishes to form one large property from two semi-detached properties, keeping both consumer units. I have looked through the latest BS 7671 for any glaring regs that are going to stop this from happening, and can only see the separation distance regulation that must be applied. Obviously am trying to persuade them that it would be better to have only one source of  supply into the property and hence only one consumer unit. Has anybody else come across this in their line of work and if so how did they get over it to maintain compliance with BS7671?


thanks in advance.

Rob
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    BS 7671 wouldn't prohibit two supplies into a facility - provide the earthing was common


    If they are DNO supplies, they won't be happy however


    If they are MOD private supplies, then I would just put a 16mm2 copper conductor between the earth bars of the two consumer units and crack on with a warning label advising of two supplies.


    Regards


    OMS


  • 0
    What is the relevance of MOD please?


    This is a similar situation to my daughter's house, which used to be two semi-detached cottages with two separate electrical systems. There has been only one CU for many years, but the circuits were arranged vertically rather than horizontally with the potentially dangerous result that "downstairs sockets" meant only some of them; ditto upstairs.


    If your customer wants to retain two separate supplies, he will have to pay two standing charges, which seems rather foolish. If both CUs are to be retained, why not have one meter removed and supply the second CU from the first?
  • 0

    Chris Pearson:

    What is the relevance of MOD please?

     



    They tend to be a law unto themselves.


    Some years ago the MOD announced they were building a new a Territorial Army HQ slap bang in the middle of Worcester, the council said they did not want it built and would not give planning permission for it, however the MOD did  not need to take any notice of the council and didn’t need to apply for planning permission.


    So it was built, eventually after twenty odd years an agreement was reached that the perfectly sound modern building would be demolished to make space for new shops, there is now a Sports Direct in its place and the TA have moved into a refurbished Victorian vinegar brewery that was there all the time.


    Rather a waste of time and money when viewed with hindsight, but that’s how it goes.


    Andy B.
  • 0

    Chris Pearson:

    This is a similar situation to my daughter's house, which used to be two semi-detached cottages with two separate electrical systems. There has been only one CU for many years, but the circuits were arranged vertically rather than horizontally with the potentially dangerous result that "downstairs sockets" meant only some of them; ditto upstairs.




    That can be viewed as good practice, with sockets still available on both floors it one circuit trips out.


    Andy Betteridge 

  • 0
    Going on from the post by OMS, I did some reading up some years ago about two supply’s into what is effectively one installation and have it in mind that if a neutral current is likely to flow through the 16 mm linking the two main earth terminals in the two consumer units the ends should be over-sleeved in blue to indicate the presence of a neutral current in earth conductor.


    Andy Betteridge
  • 0

    Sparkingchip:




    Chris Pearson:

    This is a similar situation to my daughter's house, which used to be two semi-detached cottages with two separate electrical systems. There has been only one CU for many years, but the circuits were arranged vertically rather than horizontally with the potentially dangerous result that "downstairs sockets" meant only some of them; ditto upstairs.




    That can be viewed as good practice, with sockets still available on both floors it one circuit trips out.



    It's the labelling that I considered to be dangerous.


    I think that it would be perfectly reasonable for a skilled but ordinary person to change a socket outlet. I would not, however, expect an ordinary person to know about safe isolation, let alone have the gear. So you think that you have turned off the circuit when you haven't.


    Yes, yes, I know that you can plug in a vacuum cleaner and listen at the CU for it to go off; and yes, your life might be saved by an RCD, but only if you have one.

  • 0
    My only experience of this, and I was wearing my plumber's sou'wester at the time so wasn't involved electrically, is that our DNO (SSE) insisted that there be only the one supply to the newly joined properties so a beefy sub main was installed to the second property's CU.

    Personally speaking, apart from the two standing charges, I think two separate supplies into one dwelling is simply inviting trouble.

  • 0
    They could actually be on a looped supply rather than having two street joints.


    Andy Betteridge.
  • 0
    Replying to Chris,

    relevance of the MoD is that they do not have to consult the DNO with regard to the incoming supplies. they are no longer a law unto themselves, they do have to abide to UK regs.


    thanks for the replies so far, very useful.

    Rob
  • 0

    Rob Bain:

    Replying to Chris,

    relevance of the MoD is that they do not have to consult the DNO with regard to the incoming supplies. they are no longer a law unto themselves, they do have to abide to UK regs.


    thanks for the replies so far, very useful.




    So is the property still owned by MOD, or has your customer bought it?

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