The last job of the day today was to check a ceiling rose and pendant set in the lounge of a tenanted flat, because a light bulb had “exploded” in it, with the glass bulb ending up on the floor leaving the base in the lamp holder and tripping the MCB.


The tenant said on the phone she had removed the base of the lamp, so I told her to just fit another lamp and try it, but she wasn’t convinced it would be okay. So a week later I called by to check it out and replaced the lamp holder and flex, though that was just to put her mind at rest.


I told her about the proposed change to the regs and the cost. She does not lack confidence in the consumer unit in her rented flat, when the lamp blew it tripped the MCB and she has no reason not to believe it will protect her in future.


What she did say is that she and her boyfriend have saved the deposit for a house and if it needs a new consumer unit the additional cost of a consumer unit with AFDD over the cost of a consumer unit to current standards being possibly over £1000 would make the difference between them being able to buy a house or not.


By the end of next March we will be a full year into the Covid lockdown and most people will be beyond the point of tightening their belts, spare money for unexpected repairs and maintenance will be hard to find for them.


It would actually be far better if this proposal is put in abeyance for several years during which time the manufacturers can advertise their products to the end users, educating the general public about the risks of arc faults and the protection they claim their products offer to mitigate the risks. If they actually do this it will be interesting to see how much of a demand they can generate with end users asking for AFDD rather than having them foisted on them by electricians complying with a new regulation.


Andy Betteridge.

The last job of the day today was to check a ceiling rose and pendant set in the lounge of a tenanted flat, because a light bulb had “exploded” in it, with the glass bulb ending up on the floor leaving the base in the lamp holder and tripping the MCB.


The tenant said on the phone she had removed the base of the lamp, so I told her to just fit another lamp and try it, but she wasn’t convinced it would be okay. So a week later I called by to check it out and replaced the lamp holder and flex, though that was just to put her mind at rest.


I told her about the proposed change to the regs and the cost. She does not lack confidence in the consumer unit in her rented flat, when the lamp blew it tripped the MCB and she has no reason not to believe it will protect her in future.


What she did say is that she and her boyfriend have saved the deposit for a house and if it needs a new consumer unit the additional cost of a consumer unit with AFDD over the cost of a consumer unit to current standards being possibly over £1000 would make the difference between them being able to buy a house or not.


By the end of next March we will be a full year into the Covid lockdown and most people will be beyond the point of tightening their belts, spare money for unexpected repairs and maintenance will be hard to find for them.


It would actually be far better if this proposal is put in abeyance for several years during which time the manufacturers can advertise their products to the end users, educating the general public about the risks of arc faults and the protection they claim their products offer to mitigate the risks. If they actually do this it will be interesting to see how much of a demand they can generate with end users asking for AFDD rather than having them foisted on them by electricians complying with a new regulation.


Andy Betteridge.