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Scope of Part P (extra-low voltage)

WireWeHere

I'm trying to understand the scope of Part P as at the extra low voltage end of things it seems a bit contentious. Below is an extract from Approved Part P and it includes extra-low voltage. That raises some questions:

  1. Would 48V DC be in the scope of Part P as extra-low voltage appears to have no bottom end, just a top end at 50V AC and 120V DC? As an example, installing house wide lighting 'through the fabric of the building' run with a plug in 48V supply (plugged into a socket outlet).
  2. Lots of people are retrofitting under unit lights into their kitchens which are 12V. They have a plug in transformer, but in many cases the wires are then routed 'through the fabric of the building'. Why isn't this in the scope of Part P if a house wide extra-low voltage lighting system would be?

The second case could arguably be an 'electrical installation' too as although it is plugged in to an outlet, the wires and lights are fixed.

Is it that both of these would be in the scope of Part P, but if both plugged in to existing outlets, they wouldn't be notifiable? If that's the case, in theory they could also both have wired in transformers spurred off an existing circuit as that would only be notifiable if it's an 'addition or alteration to existing circuits in a special location' which if it didn't include a bathroom it wouldn't be. Am I understanding that right?

There's a bit of a can of worms here, but LEDs are becoming so efficient that house wide extra-low voltage systems may start to become more of a thing.

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  • 0

    For the umpteenth time, this is Part P of the Building Regulations; The Law.

    It applies to ALL work in the locations stated.

    That's all there is; there is no more.

    The notification requirements are given in Regulation 12; also The Law.

    Approved Document P is merely a guide that someone has written; not the law.

    What is states has no effect on Part P nor Regulation 12.

    It is no more valid than anything NICEIC or anyone else has written.

    That Regulation 12 or Approved Document P do not include certain work does not mean Part P does not apply to that work.

  • 0 in reply to geoffsd

    But it may or may not be notifiable.

  • 0 in reply to geoffsd

    I know, Part P applies. But Jonny Two-Thumbs considers himself competent and so is going to replace all his lighting circuit with some fantastic LEDs he's found on eBay and he can crack on. He's not doing anything in the consumer unit and got a letter from the DSO telling him that the electricity supply is getting turned off next Tuesday for scheduled maintenance so he's taken the day of work to get the job done. When he's done, and if he lives to tell the tale, he doesn't have to notify anyone.

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  • 0 in reply to geoffsd

    I know, Part P applies. But Jonny Two-Thumbs considers himself competent and so is going to replace all his lighting circuit with some fantastic LEDs he's found on eBay and he can crack on. He's not doing anything in the consumer unit and got a letter from the DSO telling him that the electricity supply is getting turned off next Tuesday for scheduled maintenance so he's taken the day of work to get the job done. When he's done, and if he lives to tell the tale, he doesn't have to notify anyone.

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