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Brand new and green
Former Community Member
Hi, I'm training to become fully qualified so know very little at the moment (just a domestic installer right now). I looked at my electrics and can see two lighting circuits not on either of my RCD's. I know this is not safe and wonder why, if I have two RCD's, are the lighting circuits not on them and also can I just add them to the busbar on each of the RCD's?
Well before you panic, it is not to current standard - however, to say 'it is not safe' is a bit sweeping.
To make it actually dangerous still requires either a gross user error or another fault to be present, so there are exposed live parts in reach or something like that.
A few years ago that would have been a perfectly acceptable situation, and as early RCDs had a tendency to pop off at odd moments, (and still do if you put too many circuits on one RCD) it may have been felt safer to leave the lights off the RCD. (same for fire alarms).
By all means re-jig it if there is room to do so, and you feel confident in your ability
Hi, I'm training to become fully qualified so know very little at the moment (just a domestic installer right now). I looked at my electrics and can see two lighting circuits not on either of my RCD's. I know this is not safe and wonder why, if I have two RCD's, are the lighting circuits not on them and also can I just add them to the busbar on each of the RCD's?
Take a couple of photos and post on here; one of the outside and one of the inside, so long as it is safe to do so.
Hi, I'm training to become fully qualified so know very little at the moment (just a domestic installer right now). I looked at my electrics and can see two lighting circuits not on either of my RCD's. I know this is not safe and wonder why, if I have two RCD's, are the lighting circuits not on them and also can I just add them to the busbar on each of the RCD's?
Can you be a competent “domestic installer” without being a qualified electrician?
It has only been a requirement to install RCD protection to lighting circuits for a couple of years.
As others have said, RCD protection of lighting circuits is a relatively new requirement, and the absence of such protection in an existing installation is acceptable.
My personal view which IS NOT reflected in regulations, is that most lighting circuits are better NOT RCD protected. I feel that the risks of trips, falls, scalding and other accidents in the dark is greater than that of electric shock from lighting circuits.
As regards competance, my view is that someone CAN be a competant domestic installer without a qaulified electrician. A fully qaulified electrician needs much broader knowledge than does a domestic installer.
You would really have to say RCD for lighting circuits in domestic insulation’s came in 2008 with the 17th edition under the buried less than 50mm reg.
