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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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    ebee:

    (Notwithstanding I am a frontender - back from the days that was all there was back then!).

    If kitchen is downstairs as it often is, then  kitchen and downstairs sockets on one RCD, upstairs sockets on the other, lights inside on one of them and lights outside on the other.Cooker with upstairs sockets. So far that`s 2 x 32A circuits on each RCD and 1 x 6A on each.Boiler (assuming a wet radiator bog standard central heating type not an electric boiler) on one RCD and outside sockets on other. I`d prefer 2 x 80A RCD rather than 63s. RCBOs if two then cooker and boiler. A cooker, even new, can be leaky. A boiler then RCBO would mitigate a fault on any other circuit causing boiler fail (you`re away on holiday and your pipes are frozen). Although if I had two more RCBOs then outside lights and outside socket - say damage causing water ingress. Of course I`d prefer inside lights to be split to two circuits so RCD split could be up sockets with down lights and vice versa. Breakers would be largest near RCD and inside lights at one end if possible (some consumer units have RCDs at opposing ends so the last MCBs end up in the middle nearest to each other though). My preference, as always, would be RCBOs each circuit. Usually allow the customer to conclude this option by gentle mention, therefore it becomes "their idea" not mine.




    This is a real house and an electrician wired the CU as follows:


    RCD 1

    Cooker (32A)

    Kitchen sockets (32A)

    Outside socket (16A)

    Outside lights (6A)


    RCD 2

    Upstairs sockets (32A)

    Downstairs sockets (32A)

    Boiler (16A)

    Inside lights (6A)


    The inside lights circuit was later moved to an RCBO.



     

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  • 0

    ebee:

    (Notwithstanding I am a frontender - back from the days that was all there was back then!).

    If kitchen is downstairs as it often is, then  kitchen and downstairs sockets on one RCD, upstairs sockets on the other, lights inside on one of them and lights outside on the other.Cooker with upstairs sockets. So far that`s 2 x 32A circuits on each RCD and 1 x 6A on each.Boiler (assuming a wet radiator bog standard central heating type not an electric boiler) on one RCD and outside sockets on other. I`d prefer 2 x 80A RCD rather than 63s. RCBOs if two then cooker and boiler. A cooker, even new, can be leaky. A boiler then RCBO would mitigate a fault on any other circuit causing boiler fail (you`re away on holiday and your pipes are frozen). Although if I had two more RCBOs then outside lights and outside socket - say damage causing water ingress. Of course I`d prefer inside lights to be split to two circuits so RCD split could be up sockets with down lights and vice versa. Breakers would be largest near RCD and inside lights at one end if possible (some consumer units have RCDs at opposing ends so the last MCBs end up in the middle nearest to each other though). My preference, as always, would be RCBOs each circuit. Usually allow the customer to conclude this option by gentle mention, therefore it becomes "their idea" not mine.




    This is a real house and an electrician wired the CU as follows:


    RCD 1

    Cooker (32A)

    Kitchen sockets (32A)

    Outside socket (16A)

    Outside lights (6A)


    RCD 2

    Upstairs sockets (32A)

    Downstairs sockets (32A)

    Boiler (16A)

    Inside lights (6A)


    The inside lights circuit was later moved to an RCBO.



     

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