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Outbuilding consumer unit

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Coming back to this wretched EICR at my daughter's house


An outbuilding used as an office is supplied by a 6mm^2 T&E carried from the house on a catenary wire.and fused at the house at 32A (RCD protected)

In the garage the the 6mm^2 is split into a 2.5mm^2 for sockets and a 1mm^2 for the lighting

This is coded C2 for the inadequate protection and C3 for using T&E outdoors.  Both of which seem reasonable


Q1  Can I put a two unit CU in the outbuilding with just a 6amp and 16amp MCB or do | need also to provide a two pole switch?

Q2  What do the great and the good think of using T&E outdoors?  Should I replace it with hi-tuf?
  • 0
    I would consider it good practice to have a two pole switch in the outbuilding, the switch in a consumer unit would meet this requirement, no need for an additional switch.


    Twin with earth outdoors is arguable either way, it is the sort of thing that I would do for myself, but not for a paying customer.
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    It is difficult to find small Cus without RCDs these days and I dislike having RCDs in series
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    The issue with the T&E outside is probably more about its exposure to direct sunlight than its overall "toughness". There is a section on the inspection schedule titled something like "cables where exposed to direct sunlight, of a suitable type or adequately protected against solar radiation", is that where your C3 is entered?


    You don't have to provide an isolator at the outbuilding but you will need to link the two MCB's together on the input side and provide some sort of neutral bar which a 2 way unit with mainswitch makes nice and easy.


    Tom
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    No.  THe C3 is because it has no mechanic protection and is low enough for a six footer to touch

    I suppose protection from UV could be provided by simply wrapping Gaffer tape around it :-)

  • 0
    dcbwhaley:

    It is difficult to find small Cus without RCDs these days and I dislike having RCDs in series


    You could always take the somewhat retrograde step of replacing the CU's RCD main switch with an ordinary one. (I like the BG one - built like a brick dunny.)


  • 0
    dcbwhaley:

    No.  THe C3 is because it has no mechanic protection and is low enough for a six footer to touch


    T&E needs no mechanical protection - nothing wrong with clipped direct. However, it isn't intended to be exposed to UV (e.g. south-facing wall) or to be rained upon.


    ETA: pop it in a hosepipe - see Zoomup's thread.


  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    dcbwhaley:

    No.  THe C3 is because it has no mechanic protection and is low enough for a six footer to touch

    I suppose protection from UV could be provided by simply wrapping Gaffer tape around it :-)

     


    Strange, its perfectly acceptable to clip a length of T&E down a wall to a light switch that's low enough for a three footer to touch. Is the cable likely to sustain any damage the way it is installed?  Hituf is also not mechanically protected, just a bit tougher than T&E. Cables that are both insulated and sheathed like T&E and Hituf are suitable for touching as far as I'm aware.


  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Geez:
     


    Strange, its perfectly acceptable to clip a length of T&E down a wall to a light switch that's low enough for a three footer to touch. Is the cable likely to sustain any damage the way it is installed?  Hituf is also not mechanically protected, just a bit tougher than T&E. Cables that are both insulated and sheathed like T&E and Hituf are suitable for touching as far as I'm aware.




    The Inspector was worried that someone walking under it carrying gardening tools at full mast on his shoulder could damage it.


  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member

    &E needs no mechanical protection - nothing wrong with clipped direct. However, it isn't intended to be exposed to UV (e.g. south-facing wall) or to be rained upon.


    ETA: pop it in a hosepipe - see Zoomup's thread.




    It is North facing and it rarely rains in Greater Manchester :-)


  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member

    The Inspector was worried that someone walking under it carrying gardening tools at full mast on his shoulder could damage it.




    Fair point I suppose, He only gave it a C3 after all.

     


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