This discussion is locked.
You cannot post a reply to this discussion. If you have a question start a new discussion

Thoughts on EICR code?

I fitted an electric shower for a Social Housing tenant in November.

The CU is in a built in garage, with direct access from the kitchen. The CU is close to the garage ceiling, with the bath floor around 400mm directly above it..

I fed it from the CU, to an isolation switch, in the garage, next to the CU, then out through the outer wall, in plastic conduit, then direct into the back of the shower unit. All sealed/glued, 10mm T+E, so no current carrying capacity problems, all RCD'd etc.


An outside Company has now done an EICR, and flagged up as a C2 that the shower has no local isolation.

I cannot see how it gets any Code at all. We use 2 different makes of shower, I can't remember which one was fitted.

One of the Manufacturers instructions say:

"The shower unit must be permanently connected to the electrical supply, direct from the consumer unit via an electrical isolation switch with a minimum contact gap of 3 mm. The switch must be readily accessible and clearly identifiable and sited out of reach of a person using the shower over a fixed bath or shower tray, unless the switch is pull cord operated"


The other says:

"A separate, permanently connected supply is taken from the consumer unit to the appliance through a double-pole switch. The switch can be a ceiling mounted pullcord type or a wall mounted switch in an adjacent room."


No. 1 is fully compliant I think.

 No.2 (which I don't think I fitted) may be slightly against the Instructions as it says the isolator should be in an adjacent room.


Even so, I cannot see how a C2 has been seen fit to code this.

462.2 is met - Isolation is provided.

510.3 says "shall take account of Manufacturers instructions"


(510.3 used to say 'follow Manufacturers instructions", it changed in the 18th iirc)


Any thoughts on this, and have I missed anything, before I start arguing on Monday?

Thanks

Alan.
  • alanblaby:
    Sparkingchip:

    I think the answer is in a IET Guidance Note, the answer being you need a cooker switch but not a shower switch 

     


    I presume you mean a 1G 45A switched isolator, if so, that is what has been fitted.

    The more I think about it, the more I'm getting wound up about it.

    The same company recently also did a number of EICRs on an estate I maintain. One had wrong polarity at the shower - when, apparently, it had been tested. Another one hadn't noticed the use of a lighting pendant in the small bathroom, along with an isolator switch for the fan at the side of the bath. To get out of the bath, you banged your head on the lampshade. And it was classed as satisfactory..




    You just can't get experienced skilled staff nowadays. That is o.k. though if the lamp shade is a soft one, but if made of glass, well............


    Z.


  • Generally can not fail a shower circuit for not having a switch at all, because it can be isolated at the consumer unit.


    One of the IET books describes the requirements for a cooker circuit and a shower circuit clarifying this, but I cannot remember which one.


    GN1 says may, the IET Guide to the Building Regulations say should, but you are not going to find an IET book the states a shower switch is an absolute requirement.


    Manufacturers instructions say fit them and it’s good practice, if it’s a TT installation then  the neutral needs to be disconnected, so we fit them, I have ended up fitting them at the start of the circuit next to the CU in some circumstances.
  • Thanks all, I've calmed down now, I was fuming at 5pm yesterday after reading the email describing the 'fault'.

    I'll be asking for a copy of the report on Monday, and try to pick any other faults out before going to my Boss.


    Oh, and not wanting to start a new thread, has anyone heard from OMS? He hasnt posted for a long time, when he used to be posing virtually every day with his wealth of knowledge.
  • The regulations do not demand local isolation for any household appliance.


    Not shower, not cooker, not fan, not anything.
  • alanblaby:

    I fitted an electric shower for a Social Housing tenant in November.

    An outside Company has now done an EICR, and flagged up as a C2 that the shower has no local isolation.

    Any thoughts on this, and have I missed anything, before I start arguing on Monday?


     


    You probably have received a communication from the local housing authority. Rather than having a bunfight with the originator of the EICR, contact the relevant admin at the local housing authority. I think that they should be made aware of the standards of their contractor that Joe Public is paying for. I'd be interested in the qualifications of the inspector.     

    Jaymack