EICR Certificate - Should Bathroom light not having RCD protection be C2 or C3?

I haven't got RCD protection for my bathrooms and I am not going to give myself a C2.

All the switches are well out of reach on the ceilings. So are the luminaires. I find it very difficult to see how they could present a danger to any user of the bathroom, so that's C3 from me.

The OP's problem, of course, is how to get a satisfactory EICR. Pay for a new CU, or pay for another EICR, which may or may not be the same? ?

I had already asked the electrician about fitting an RCBO but he advised that he'd never seen one fitted into my type of Wylex CU and he didn't think one was available that would fit.  I contacted Wylex with the details of my CU and they said they did have a retrofit RCBO even though it wasn't designed for my CU.  I bought one from Screwfix for £33 and the electrician said he would fit it.  Unfortunately, the electrician has tried to fit it but has advised that it fouls on the neutral busbar so unfortunately an RCBO isn't an option.  Great idea with regards to moving the the bathroom light to the RCD side.  I've just checked my photos of the CU but unfortunately the design doesn't allow any reconfiguring and there's no circuit I can remove/do away with on the RCD side.  Thanks very much for the suggestions though.

Thank you all for your comments and advice, it’s very much appreciated.

The link to the Best Practice Guide provided by OlympusMons was particularly useful as it provided some clarification on the C2 that is written on my EICR.  The following is the wording on my EICR, it is rather long and I was struggling to understand it.

“Absence of supplementary bonding where required in a location containing a bath or shower, where all final circuits of the location comply with the requirements of Regulation 411.3.2 for automatic disconnection, and all final circuits have additional protection by means of a 30mA RCD, and all extraneous-conductive-parts of the location are effectively connected to the protective equipotential bonding (main earthing terminal)”

Page 12 of the Best Practice Guide is more clearly written with wording similar to that above and seems to state that a C2 is appropriate IF there is an absence of supplementary bonding and there’s no RCD and a few other things.

Page 13 also clearly states C3 applies for “Absence of RCD protection for circuits of a location containing a bath or shower where satisfactory supplementary bonding is present”

As such, I believe I now need to establish if I have satisfactory supplementary bonding!

I don’t readily have access to the premises but I expect the simple light battenholder fixture will have the cpc terminated within it but I don’t remember seeing visible earth straps on the wash basin pipework or radiator and the pipework for the bath is hidden.  However, Page 12 states “Where the presence of supplementary bonding cannot be confirmed by inspection it may be verified by a continuity test (<0.05 Ω).  

I don’t know if the electrician has done the above continuity test but I’m thinking that if I measure the continuity between all taps, radiator and light fitting wrt the main earth then if less than 0.05 Ohm then I shouldn’t need an RCD hence C3.  If it’s more than 0.05 Ohm then I guess I’ll just bite the bullet and get the electrician to fit a new CU which will have 9 RCBOs for all the existing circuits and SPD (I’ve spent too many nights Googling all things EICR related and I’ve had enough).

Thanks again to all who have offered advice, it’s very much appreciated.

701.415.2 only requires accessible extraneous conductive parts to be supplementary bonded. Are there any accessible extraneous conductive parts in the bathroom? There may not be with the use of plastic pipes these days.

I think that we need to know.

And, if (iv) (v) and (vi) are complied with then the supplementary bonding can be ignored and not installed.

Z.

AdamG: 
If it’s more than 0.05 Ohm then I guess I’ll just bite the bullet and get the electrician to fit a new CU which will have 9 RCBOs for all the existing circuits and SPD …

Or fit supplementary bonding if the pipes are copper.

Adam, is this a rented property? Much the easiest fix is the RCBO you have bought in a matching box (from Screwfix) in the lighting cable at any point outside the bathroom. This will then be fully compliant and removes all your difficulties. The batten holder you mention will also have to be changed unless more than 2.4 metres above/away from the bath for one that is at least IP44 and preferably class 2, which is not difficult to find. What is the light switch and where is it? This also needs to be outside of possible contact, ie: outside if a standard switch or a cord switch if inside. Doing these things will not take very long and will be much cheaper than your new CU quote, which may itself turn up other problems. You should document the position of this sub-board near the CU, if it is not obvious, and label it “Lighting RCD / CPD”.

This EICR has many hallmarks of those currently being produced for rental properties. I am interested in how many others are somewhat unhappy with the outcomes, quote, and process? Why all RCBOs, again no discussion with the customer? Is the price fair and reasonable?

The batten holder you mention will also have to be changed unless more than 2.4 metres above/away from the bath

Erm,.. zones stop at 2.25m above floor level (not above the bath itself) and just 0.6m sideways.

  - Andy.

Zoomup: 
 

701.415.2 only requires accessible extraneous conductive parts to be supplementary bonded. Are there any accessible extraneous conductive parts in the bathroom? There may not be with the use of plastic pipes these days.

I think that we need to know.

And, if (iv) (v) and (vi) are complied with then the supplementary bonding can be ignored and not installed.

Z.

Hi, I'm not really sure what constitutes as extraneous conductive parts.  I have copper pipes for my bath and and wash basin and also for my radiator (which is more than 0.6m from the bath and so on this basis is neither in a zone 1, 2 or 3 if that makes a difference).

davezawadi (David Stone): 
 

Adam, is this a rented property? Much the easiest fix is the RCBO you have bought in a matching box (from Screwfix) in the lighting cable at any point outside the bathroom. This will then be fully compliant and removes all your difficulties. The batten holder you mention will also have to be changed unless more than 2.4 metres above/away from the bath for one that is at least IP44 and preferably class 2, which is not difficult to find. What is the light switch and where is it? This also needs to be outside of possible contact, ie: outside if a standard switch or a cord switch if inside. Doing these things will not take very long and will be much cheaper than your new CU quote, which may itself turn up other problems. You should document the position of this sub-board near the CU, if it is not obvious, and label it “Lighting RCD / CPD”.

I'm liking this idea.  I've just searched screw fix and can buy a small (two way) Wylex din mount plastic enclosure for £3 which could be fitted immediately to the side of the existing CU and should hopefully fit the tall RCBO.  I need to ask if the electrician would be willing to fit this and finally issue a certificate.  He may also insist on a metal enclosure but these are also very cheap.  Thanks for the suggestion.