BS 7671 : 2018 + A4 : 2026

Chris Pearson said:

I cannot help feeling that BS 7671 cannot ignore small-scale solar just because it is plugged in.

I agree that it's now a reasonably-foreseeable use-case, although there are currently no product standards that cover such devices.

John Peckham said:

Not at all as BS 7671 does not deal with anything that plugs in to and installation other than caravans.

I would, however, agree with JP's point ... if there are "integration issues" with plug-in solar, those "integration issues" aren't going to go away just because a future amendment of BS 7671 is aligned with the use-case. There are millions of electrical installations in use, and the products must take that into account somehow.

If the product standard's answer is to put a line in the instructions to get the electrical installation checked out before you connect ... well, that's not going to flick the switch on the up-take of safe plug-in solar, is it?

John Peckham said:

along with an updated IET Guidance Note 3

OSG should be there too John Peckham ?

Other guidance is to follow in a particular timeline.

Ross C said:

I also ordered, among other things, a copy of the IET Electrical Installation Design Guide (6th Edition) but its not included in this dispatch

That was always the case. EIDG is usually one of the last.

The first tranche of "Amendment 4" publications contains BS 7671, OSG and GN3. The others are to follow. I believe the IET web-site has expected dates for each of the associated publications:

electrical.theiet.org/.../

I've no specific information on this occaision, but on previously I think it has been DHL.

GK

Yes I see that the updated OSG is there.

The scribes in candle light hunched over their desks with their quill pens in basement of Savoy Place have been busy!

JP

Chris Pearson said:

Looking forward to it, especially for batteries.

Not sure what you are expecting Chris but I found it, well let's say, underwhelming! 

Warning for anyone viewing the cover in the electronic version....turn the brightness down to avoid eye damage!

Perhaps someone with the electronic version can check if they are seeing a sidebar to indicate changes. I am not. Nor do I like the format, I prefer the text being displayed as per the printed book.

lyledunn said:

Perhaps someone with the electronic version can check if they are seeing a sidebar to indicate changes.

This issue has been raised.

lyledunn said:

Nor do I like the format, I prefer the text being displayed as per the printed book

This is an interesting discussion point. BS 7671 has, for as long as I've been a scholar of it, been printed in Times New Roman (or a similar font).

That kind of font, I'm led to understand, is not good for readability, for example if one is dyslexic. So the ability to present the standard in a way that improves readability is, quite possibly, a great improvement?

gkenyon said:

That kind of font, I'm led to understand, is not good for readability, for example if one is dyslexic.

Not if you are north of the border - scroll about half way down under "Typeface". It is well-established that dyslexia is not a visual problem.

I think that it is all about fashion - TNR used to be the preferred font for newspapers (obviously) and official documents. Now sans-serif fonts are dominant. The problem for me is distinguishing between lower case lima and upper case india (lI) as opposed to (lI).

gkenyon said:

That kind of font, I'm led to understand, is not good for readability, for example if one is dyslexic. So the ability to present the standard in a way that improves readability is, quite possibly, a great improvement?

Colleges and training providers are well aware of reading issues such as dyslexia. That is one of the primary reasons the training provider I work for invested in the electronic version. When referring to specific text, candidates will have their copy of 7671 or GN3 in front of them and the same page, with exactly the same text in the same format, will be up on the big screen for all to see. The tutor can then read from the screen, use the laser pen, if necessary, to carefully explain the text, table or diagram on display. Candidates then have a much better chance of deciphering the same information from their own books. 

"a great improvement?".....not for us.......rather a retrograde step. 

gkenyon said:

lyledunn said:

Nor do I like the format, I prefer the text being displayed as per the printed book

This is an interesting discussion point. BS 7671 has, for as long as I've been a scholar of it, been printed in Times New Roman (or a similar font).

There's a lot more to the fonts thing...

I also review/advise on EC registration (EngTech/IEng/CEng) and 'hate' the A4 full width Swiss/Helvetica style fonts on that wide screen format. My eyes glaze over very quickly as its so 'same-y', it's 'wood for the trees' tedium.

Newspapers have [narrow] 'columns' for readability, along with serif fonts, Novels often have ragged right to give a feel for 'place on the page', along with serifs to create flow lines.

The reformatted (reflowed text) docs can work if there is no reference for what is the nominal expectation, especially with hyperlinked reference works (some legal/legislation docs can do that well - instead of page flicking to get to to the definition of the term).

Times New Roman is great for readability, in the right context. 

Helvetica is great for road signs, and boring (but pretty) business letters  .

There should be a "pdf (portable document format / page description format)" option to complement the quick read/reference formats. (and it should be designed into the preparation work flow tools)