Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 157 replies
  • Subscribers 32 subscribers
  • Views 9793 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion is locked.
You cannot post a reply to this discussion. If you have a question start a new discussion

Ring Main at Consumer unit

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
My daughter has just had an electrical safety check done and I suspect that the electrician has been over zeleous..

Would anyone care to comment.


There is no grommet where the meter tails enter the consumer unit and the outer insulation stops just short of the knockout.

He has graded this C1.   Now my opinion is that that does not present an  an immediate threat to the safety of personell

It needs fixing but surely only a C2?


More intriguing.  He gives a C3 to the ring circuit because the two legs enter the consumer unit through separate knock outs.  I can't find that in the regs


And finally an old chestnut which has been discussed before.   A C3 because two radial "circuits" are served by a single breaker..  I have always argued that the definition of a circuit is that it is served by a single breaker.  Certainly if both radials were brought to a junction box outside the CU and then connected to the breaker by a single cable it would meet the definition of a radial..


Thanks for your attention

  • 0
    Nice pic, I feel your pain. I fear once open you may find a very good reason the board is there, and not a touch further up, it may  become obvious, as some cable or other thing we cannot see either does not reach,  or fouls the mounting holes...

    Still as the main fuse seal is absent, it is a chance to note it's value, (maybe write it on the wall in felt tip) look in the CU and even  consider to add an in-line isolator  one  Sunday afternoon if one felt the urge. Not sure where in that space though (Tut tut removing fuse is a bit naughty... and joking aside, not to be done if it is so stuck it needs gorrilla force of the kind that pulls the board off the wall or the holder off the board.)

    Equally  unless the wooden base of the cupboard is removable, it is not really credible that anyone could put a finger in the hole so the C2 is now a C3.

    Mike.

  • 0
    The seal is missing off the meter terminal cover as well as off the fuse holder, which may be a subject of discussion after the next visit from a meter reader.
  • 0
    Classic example of a Screwfix bought BG dual RCD  board installed badly. The grommet more than likely fell out on installation as it really didn’t stand a chance. Looks like the lid won’t open fully either. Good idea to have it reinstalled properly and fix all the issues. I would imagine the tails will show signs of damage when removed.
  • 0
    Are there any easily read earth clamp warning labels? Can the consumer unit be easily used or maintained if the door does not fully open? Will the mould above attack anything? 


    341.1, 522.9, 132.12, 514.13.1.


    Z.
  • 0
    “I have advised my daughter to get a proper electrician to move the CU up by about three inches and refit the grommet and ensure that the tails are secure.”


    Code FI- Further Investigation required, same outcome an unsatisfactory report.
  • 0
    The CU appears to be relatively new because the test button notice is to the 18th Edn. (And it is still shiny) The date of inspection (and date of next one) have not been filled in. Perhaps there was no initial verification? The meter may have been replaced a little earlier in Jan 2018 - I cannot quite make out the text of the little label above it.


    Ideally, those consumer's tails need to be replaced (because of the exposed insulation) but if not, they could be put into an isolator or Henley blocks. They could then be extended easily.


    Are the cables properly secured where they exit the board? They may come out of the back, but if the top, I doubt that they are IP4X.
  • 0
    To BOD particularly.


    Yes BOD the first few things are C3, the Danger C2, or C1 as appropriate. It is the advice on the basis of coding which is missing from BS7671. To improve the consistency of reports I think this is very important and will proceed with it.


    Kind regards

    David
  • 0
    The photos are interesting. The property appears in poor condition. The new board probably has not got IP4x on top, the Earth (BS951 front pipe) is missing its label, thre one behind is backwards and cannot be read.

    A lot of the wiring is untidy above (nothing unusual in that) but I expect that whoever changed the CU didn't have a piece of wood to cover the rough wall to fix it higher. Seeing the inside would be interesting. I suspect that the rest of the installation is unsatisfactory. I suspect this was not notified under partP, and I suspect the EICR very much. Could I have a copy please? davezawadi (at) yahoo.co.uk. Thanks very much for the several received this week!


    David
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    mapj1:

    Nice pic, I feel your pain. I fear once open you may find a very good reason the board is there, and not a touch further up, it may  become obvious, as some cable or other thing we cannot see either does not reach,  or fouls the mounting holes...

    Still as the main fuse seal is absent, it is a chance to note it's value, (maybe write it on the wall in felt tip) look in the CU and even  consider to add an in-line isolator  one  Sunday afternoon if one felt the urge. Not sure where in that space though (Tut tut removing fuse is a bit naughty... and joking aside, not to be done if it is so stuck it needs gorrilla force of the kind that pulls the board off the wall or the holder off the board.)

    Equally  unless the wooden base of the cupboard is removable, it is not really credible that anyone could put a finger in the hole so the C2 is now a C3.

    Mike.

     


    What do you mean "note the value of the main fuse seal"?

    Space is a bit tight for an isolator  (which in your link appears to be a switch not an isolator)

    No intention of removing main fuse as it is a smart meter which would report me.  A bicycle chain over the incoming overheads might be safer :-)

    The cupboard is very solid.  The reason for the C1, as explained by the inspector, is that if the tails chafed through the CU would be live until the DNO fuse cleared the fault.  And anyone touching the unit during that five seconds would be subject to a  dangerous shock.  Which is why I issued an advisory not to open the cup board unless a breaker trips.


  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Chris Pearson:

    The CU appears to be relatively new because the test button notice is to the 18th Edn. (And it is still shiny) The date of inspection (and date of next one) have not been filled in. Perhaps there was no initial verification? The meter may have been replaced a little earlier in Jan 2018 - I cannot quite make out the text of the little label above it.


    Ideally, those consumer's tails need to be replaced (because of the exposed insulation) but if not, they could be put into an isolator or Henley blocks. They could then be extended easily.


    Are the cables properly secured where they exit the board? They may come out of the back, but if the top, I doubt that they are IP4X.


    The notice reads "I have witnessed a socket test after my meter change" - illegible signature - 19/1/18


Join us to get the best from IET EngX.

Joining EngX lets you personalise your experience so you stay up to date on the topics that interest you, plus you’ll be able to make connections who are looking to collaborate, exchange ideas and more.

Join us Not now

Community Rules & Guidelines