There seem to be many unintended consequences generated by the Amd 2 DPC. I wonder why it is US who sees them and not JPEL/64? Is it the lack of experience of JPEL/64 or is it something else?
Some years ago when consumer units with metal enclosures were being developed I was invited to go the a manufacturers UK offices to participate in a customer focus group.
For attending we were all given a free consumer unit with a plastic enclosure valued at about £80. I enquired about the ethics of installing a consumer unit in someone's home knowing it would soon be obsolete and not comply with the new edition of the Wiring Regulations, the reply was to fit it in my own house, but mine (with a plastic enclosure) did not need replacing. In the end I did fit it in a customers home having told them the truth that it would soon not comply with the Wiring Regulations.
In some ways it would be good if members of the Wiring Regulations committee were actually given a free consumer unit loaded with AFDD to install at home by a manufacturer, maybe with installation thrown in so that they can evaluate it and see for themselves if nuisance tripping of AFDD is a major issue and they have to go through the entire installation upgrading equipment and accessories to stop the AFDD tripping. But that would potentially be a gift valued at hundreds of pounds, maybe thousands of pounds and I not sure how it would stand up to scrutiny.
An interesting question, that will not get answered, is how many of the Wiring Regulations committee have actually spent their own money on installing consumer units with AFDD in their own homes and their experiences with living with them.
Two days ago I actually advised some customers to replace their old consumer unit before the end of March to avoid possibly getting caught up in the AFDD issue, but if I do it I will still end up fitting a Wylex main switch CU to allow devices to be replaced with AFDD later on if need be, so I am already feeling obliged to fit consumer units from one manufacturer rather than choosing from the whole market.
The consumer unit we were invited to comment on and discussed at length for several hours was one of these I won't comment on it here, the non-disclosure agreement probably still stands!
Some years ago when consumer units with metal enclosures were being developed I was invited to go the a manufacturers UK offices to participate in a customer focus group.
For attending we were all given a free consumer unit with a plastic enclosure valued at about £80. I enquired about the ethics of installing a consumer unit in someone's home knowing it would soon be obsolete and not comply with the new edition of the Wiring Regulations, the reply was to fit it in my own house, but mine (with a plastic enclosure) did not need replacing. In the end I did fit it in a customers home having told them the truth that it would soon not comply with the Wiring Regulations.
In some ways it would be good if members of the Wiring Regulations committee were actually given a free consumer unit loaded with AFDD to install at home by a manufacturer, maybe with installation thrown in so that they can evaluate it and see for themselves if nuisance tripping of AFDD is a major issue and they have to go through the entire installation upgrading equipment and accessories to stop the AFDD tripping. But that would potentially be a gift valued at hundreds of pounds, maybe thousands of pounds and I not sure how it would stand up to scrutiny.
An interesting question, that will not get answered, is how many of the Wiring Regulations committee have actually spent their own money on installing consumer units with AFDD in their own homes and their experiences with living with them.
Two days ago I actually advised some customers to replace their old consumer unit before the end of March to avoid possibly getting caught up in the AFDD issue, but if I do it I will still end up fitting a Wylex main switch CU to allow devices to be replaced with AFDD later on if need be, so I am already feeling obliged to fit consumer units from one manufacturer rather than choosing from the whole market.
The consumer unit we were invited to comment on and discussed at length for several hours was one of these I won't comment on it here, the non-disclosure agreement probably still stands!
