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Advice on compliance with regulations for new kitchen and general wiring question

Jamesb

Hi all, a couple of things:

1. We are looking at getting a new kitchen - live in old house with COB/brick/thatch construction for info. The kitchen fitter sent his electrician a pic of the current Consumer Unit which is a Wylex split load RCD, plastic case and he wants to replace it. The house wiring contains a mix of old and new wiring colours, but I had an EICR about a year ago to comply with my insurance requirements and it passed OK. Is there any good reason for requiring a change? He said something, via the kitchen fitter, along the lines of conforming with current regulations back to the fuse box. Is this really the case as I didn't think so from what I've read? I'm a chartered engineer, but only work on low voltage stuff so need to check what the situation is with people familiar with the regulations working on this day in, day out before I start querying this if it goes ahead.

2. One of the circuits has a 10A MCB feeding a junction box just below the CU which feeds through to some outside lights (old halogens no longer working via armoured cable outside) and a 13a socket just below the CU. The location of socket means it's really just used to plug in the hoover. Where does this stand with regard to the regulations? i.e. a 10A limited MCB feeding a 13A socket and outside lights? For info, I am intending to replace the old halogens with newer LED types so hardly any current there, but looking more closely at it I came to notice this. 

Thanks, James.

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  • 0

    how much other work is being done? to fit a nerw CU on the ends of old wiring may or may not make sense, and it also depends if walls are being rebuilt and ceilings replastered,. If the new kitchen is more of a few new cupbards and new lino then more the likely it is not proportionate.

    The EICR, as others have said, tells you it was safe to remain in service - well I hope it did!  It does not say it is suitable for a new kitchen with a load of new appliances, nor does it say it isn't

    Mike

  • 0 in reply to mapj1

    Mike, it does concern me that there is a lot of old wiring, not particularly neat either, and the electrician will want to rewire the whole house in order to sign off! This would be a big issue as the wiring does not seen to be breaking down in the insulation resistance testing and is embedded in plaster in many cases. As the walls are cob, you can't really chase them out so are embedded in lime plaster or surface mount. I might start to renew some of the wiring myself to preempt a lot of extra work.

    James. 

  • 0 in reply to Jamesb

    You should find out the state of the existing wiring before you even consider ripping it all out.  PVC insulation first appeared in the 1960's, and seems to last forever if it's not mistreated.

    In a thatched building, you may have other types of wiring.  But most of them will also be good pretty much forever if they pass the insulation resistance test.

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  • 0 in reply to Jamesb

    You should find out the state of the existing wiring before you even consider ripping it all out.  PVC insulation first appeared in the 1960's, and seems to last forever if it's not mistreated.

    In a thatched building, you may have other types of wiring.  But most of them will also be good pretty much forever if they pass the insulation resistance test.

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