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Rather than hijack an existing thread I thought a new thread might better serve.

A few times I have stated my dislike of the way some folk few acceptance of installations undertaken to earlier editions of our "Regs" being compared to installtions being done very recently.

For those of you (if any) who are not aware of my stance I will repeat it (Yes again, sorry folks).

When doing an EICR/PIR a defect is noted and if that defect was compliant at the time of the actual install then some would not code it at all or perhaps code it more leniently.

I say this is very silly.

A defect should be recorded and if you think it sufficiently impacts on "safety"  (relative safety reallY) then should be coded as appropriate.

We I & T to todays standard and compare it to that.

We might reasonably consider how safe/unsafe we perceive it to be if we compare it to things past.

Those of us who are older and remember earlier Editions of Regs might ,admitadley, be less severe with our coding than a more newbie electrician. That should not be the case but in reality it might well be. We often use that as a mental reference to effect our perception of "safety".

However, no relevance in coding different outcomes should ever be based purely upon the install date (therefore Reg Edition in force at that particular time). It must be purely based on how it compares with our standards now.

So quick answers as to what items we would have not felt aprehensive about in days gone but might concern us a bit more nowadays?

I`ll start of with inclusion of RCDs and Bonding presence/sizing.

Any more?

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  • Ebee, I'm not sure that your description of inspection to older versions of the regulations is correct. No one should do this, but dealing with discrepancies from the latest regs is somewhat complex. You use RCD protection as an example, and it is worth looking further.

    You inspect an install from around 2000, which has RCD protection on some circuits but not the lighting. You compare it with the latest regs (and I am going to use the Amdt 2 DPC here, you will see why in a moment). 

    How would you code the lighting circuit, assuming it is otherwise compliant except for RCD protection? The DPC said it is required. Would you code this as a C3 or a C2? If a C2 it must be corrected before letting, the installation is unsatisfactory. The question you must answer is “how is this potentially dangerous”? I think that you might find that quite difficult unless you make quite a number of “what if” statements that suggest abusing the system as a whole.

    The new regs have made something actually dangerous that was not before because of a slight change of a few words? What evidence have you to support that view?

    Take AFDDs, what evidence have you that they improve safety in any way? I know, a man in a pub told you? Where is the data?

    If I have an installation to the 15th edition, should I bother to assess all the additional bonding which will be present, some probably broken? Should the lack of RCDs be considered a C1?

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  • Ebee, I'm not sure that your description of inspection to older versions of the regulations is correct. No one should do this, but dealing with discrepancies from the latest regs is somewhat complex. You use RCD protection as an example, and it is worth looking further.

    You inspect an install from around 2000, which has RCD protection on some circuits but not the lighting. You compare it with the latest regs (and I am going to use the Amdt 2 DPC here, you will see why in a moment). 

    How would you code the lighting circuit, assuming it is otherwise compliant except for RCD protection? The DPC said it is required. Would you code this as a C3 or a C2? If a C2 it must be corrected before letting, the installation is unsatisfactory. The question you must answer is “how is this potentially dangerous”? I think that you might find that quite difficult unless you make quite a number of “what if” statements that suggest abusing the system as a whole.

    The new regs have made something actually dangerous that was not before because of a slight change of a few words? What evidence have you to support that view?

    Take AFDDs, what evidence have you that they improve safety in any way? I know, a man in a pub told you? Where is the data?

    If I have an installation to the 15th edition, should I bother to assess all the additional bonding which will be present, some probably broken? Should the lack of RCDs be considered a C1?

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