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Obvious departures from the regulations at first glance at a new consumer unit.

Jaymack
I was asked to give an EICR on an domestic property which is to be placed on the market (part P applicable). I found that a builder as part of the other renovation work, (new doors, windows and kitchen etc.) has carried out the installation of a new metal consumer unit. On first opening this dual RCD unit, the 2 lighting circuits were on one R.C.D., and the 2 final ring circuits on the other R.C.D,, it was obvious also, that some wires to the new CB's were short and not lengthened, resulting in a bird's nest at the M.C.B.''s.


Plainly, a qualified electrician hadn't carried out the work. What would the readers as registered electricians have done ?. 1. Walk away. 2. Propose to have an E.I.C.R. carried out (UNSATISFACTORY), then carry out the rectification work and issue MWC's.3. Rectify the obvious departures, issue M.W.C.'s and then issue a SATISFACTORY E.I.C.R. 


Jaymack
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    314.1

    DIVISION OF INSTALLATION

    Every installation shall be divided into circuits, as necessary, to:

    (i) avoid danger and minimize inconvenience in the event of a fault

    (ii) facilitate safe inspection, testing and maintenance (see also Chapter 46 and Section 537)

    (iii) take account of hazards that may arise from the failure of a single circuit such as a lighting circuit

    (iv) red uce the possibility of unwanted tripping of RCDs due to excessive protective conductor (PE) currents not due to a fault

    (v) mitigate the effects of electromagnetic disturbances (see also Chapter 44)

    (vi) prevent the indirect energizing of a circuit intended to be isolated.




    I think this is the politicians use of the word "minimise" of the inconvenience, meaning 'not make it overly big' rather than the engineering one where we really mean 'make it as small as is possible'

    If not, then circuits can always be subdivided further, until every light and socket would be on an individual RCBO and we do not normally do that.

    The acceptable level is when it is not tripping often enough to be a problem. Has this one tripped recently?

    One might argue that the best thing to reduce inconvenience for most users is to fit the CU at eye level and have an emergency light above it, not any particular configuration of RCDs or RCBOs

    It certainly does not say that  2 RCDs is OK but 3 would be overkill, and 1 would not be quite enough, but consumer unit makers seem to have done that Goldilocks analysis, and decided that is the case  for many of us.


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  • 0

    314.1

    DIVISION OF INSTALLATION

    Every installation shall be divided into circuits, as necessary, to:

    (i) avoid danger and minimize inconvenience in the event of a fault

    (ii) facilitate safe inspection, testing and maintenance (see also Chapter 46 and Section 537)

    (iii) take account of hazards that may arise from the failure of a single circuit such as a lighting circuit

    (iv) red uce the possibility of unwanted tripping of RCDs due to excessive protective conductor (PE) currents not due to a fault

    (v) mitigate the effects of electromagnetic disturbances (see also Chapter 44)

    (vi) prevent the indirect energizing of a circuit intended to be isolated.




    I think this is the politicians use of the word "minimise" of the inconvenience, meaning 'not make it overly big' rather than the engineering one where we really mean 'make it as small as is possible'

    If not, then circuits can always be subdivided further, until every light and socket would be on an individual RCBO and we do not normally do that.

    The acceptable level is when it is not tripping often enough to be a problem. Has this one tripped recently?

    One might argue that the best thing to reduce inconvenience for most users is to fit the CU at eye level and have an emergency light above it, not any particular configuration of RCDs or RCBOs

    It certainly does not say that  2 RCDs is OK but 3 would be overkill, and 1 would not be quite enough, but consumer unit makers seem to have done that Goldilocks analysis, and decided that is the case  for many of us.


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