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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
  • 0

    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.


     If the cooker switch has a socket you could swap its circuit for the upstairs sockets circuit to leave a working socket in the kitchen if there is a RCD trip, it’s all a bit pedantic.


    Andy Betteridge
  • 0
    I'm all for upstairs lights and downstairs sockets on one RCD and downstairs lights and upstairs sockets on the other, but what about a 3-storey house? I reckon alternating floors.


    It seems sensible to divide the loads (after diversity) more or less evenly between the two RCDs.


    Unless using all RCBOs, have the boiler and immersion heater (if you have one) on opposite sides.


    The aim, i.a.w. 314 is to provide, for want of a better term, a degree of redundancy.


    Taken to the extreme, you could have just one circuit. Would that be satisfactory or unsatisfactory? Well, we do have one circuit between the origin and the CU! ?
  • 0

    Sparkingchip:



    If the cooker switch has a socket you could swap its circuit for the upstairs sockets circuit to leave a working socket in the kitchen if there is a RCD trip, it’s all a bit pedantic.




    The cooker switch does not have a socket.


    RCD1 is rated at 80A and RCD2 is rated at 63A. The electrician wired up the CU as previously described because he assumes that the upstairs and downstairs ring mains will be lightly loaded most of the time, and heavier current consumption will take place on the cooker and kitchen ring main circuits. The outside socket circuit is an unknown quantity but potentially may convey more current than the boiler consumes.


    The house incomer has an 80A fuse in it.



     

  • 0
    Oil boilers are fused at 5-amps and gas at 3-amps, unless they have a built in immersion heater in case of breakdowns the 16-amp circuit and CPD just aren’t needed.


    Many houses have a 60 or 80-amp main fuse, either way if either RCD is running at its marked capacity there is something wrong, a 100-amp supply split two ways is still well less than their ratings.


    What is the estimated maximum demand for the installation, more than sixty amps?


    Andy B.
  • 0
    A bog standard boiler will usually run at only a fraction of 3A anyway. I prefer 80A rather than 63A RCDs usually just to give a bit more headroom as the cost diff is minmal. It would take a lot of circuits/loading to even approach 63A anyway
  • 0
    Do electricians generally have a dislike of 'large' CUs and would feel a bit perturbed if the owner of a 3 bedroom house wanted to install a 10 way CU in order to accommodate future expansion if the house only had 5 circuits?
  • 0
    If so, I don't see why. If there is room for one and the customer is happy to pay a few pounds more, what is the problem? However, I can see that installing more circuits will be more expensive. So if electrician A quotes £1k for 4 circuits and electrician B quotes £1.5k for 8 circuits serving the same appliances, electrician A is likely to get the contract.
  • 0

    davezawadi:

    That Jaymac is rather rude. 




     

    OK headmaster ?, do you seriously expect posters to comply with the pretentious statement? - "I would seriously like everyone to stop this effectively futile discussion".


    Jaymack
  • 0
    OK Jaymac, the discussion about the exact rating of 13A sockets is futile. The suggestion that you can code something which you think is not tidy is also futile. If you don't know the regulations to the letter you should be nowhere near an EICR, particularly if you don't know which regulation is being broken (which it appears you don't). The whole point of type testing is that MCB order doesn't matter, neither the order or rating or anything else, it is entirely due to convenience, by the installer and the customer (if asked). Which bit of this don't you understand? I hate abuse (which is what you are doing) and if you think I am in error, please point out which regulation you think my replies do not follow, to the letter. If you cannot I suggest an apology is in order.
  • 0

    davezawadi:

    OK Jaymac, the discussion about the exact rating of 13A sockets is futile. 




    I find that most of the posts on this forum are informative, whether or not one agrees with posts, there is an option of not participating, There are many ways in contributing however, one way is not too appearing to be pretentious when making a contribution, nor in the attempted denigration of others.?


    Jaymack .

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