18th ed Arc Fault Devices - £120 each!

[Gavin John Hyde]

Just watched this video on the GSH youtube channel
Crabtree have released there 2 module Arc Fault device, reckon they will be £120 each and needed on basically all non light circuits.
They dont say specifically but were 'hinting' as the video was likely made last week and would be interested if anybody has there 18th edition books already (mine come early this week) what it actually says.
I can see £120 per circuit adding quite a bit of money to the cost of a new CU.. will be a hard sell to the customer... hopefully the 6 month grace period means they will come down in price quite quickly.

 

[Octopus]

We need to start a "movement" to block the mandatory introduction of these devices

IMHO and for starters manufacturers should NOT be allowed to advise on ANY of the regs changes

 

[Rpa07]

Besides a 14 way consumer unit being 4feet wide - at least we won’t be able to fit them under stairs anymore.
Someone needs to start telling the DIY Daves (sorry Dave, didn’t mean you) so they can be updated on what they’ll need to leave out and be oblivious to!
I personally don’t think it’ll make it to the table BUT I’m going to the cinema on Wednesday morning so along with my coffee, cake and m+ms (peanut variety) I shall have a reporters style notebook for telling you all the gossip (unless Pete beats me to it)!

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Well in the video the guy carefully hints at somethings... and talks about the boards being the 2 row versions, rather than one long one. given the firms sit on the panel, i would not be at all surprised if they are not demanding they stay in the final version of 18th as they will put £ signs above the real likelihood of risk/safety requirement -sledgehammer and walnut come to mind! these would basically add around £400-500 quid to a board change.... can see the customers face already...
Had I done it before Christmas 2018 I could have done it under the 17th and avoided these expensive things. but now its February 2019 I have to install them and charge you an extra £500!!!

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

deleted. posted in error

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I let him get as far as Glasgow, couldn’t be bothered to watch any more.

 

[Baker1988]

I watched that earlier today.

If this device did trip and has detected a arc fault how you go about finding it say if it is on a socket circuit would you just have to take every socket off till you find the loose wire

 

[LankyWill]

£120 that takes the P*** a bit, im all for making systems safer but how are we supposed to earn a living. On a small 8 way board your talking nearly £800 in bits before you have even priced labour into it, were going to look like money grabbers.

 

[Wilko]

Agree - I'm having a really hard time understanding this "improvement". Just because it's possible does not make it desirable, let alone mandatory. Can you imagine the"workarounds" that will be developed to skirt this one?

 

[Dillb]

Had I done it before Christmas 2018 I could have done it under the 17th and avoided these expensive things. but now its February 2019 I have to install them and charge you an extra £500!!!

Just date the quote 2017 and then you can say it was deigned to 17th edition

 

[Andy-1960]

Also, how do we test the things? Suppose they will introduce a special tester for a squillion quid!

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Also, how do we test the things? Suppose they will introduce a special tester for a squillion quid!

Easy, just plug in an arc welder and try to weld something.

 

[westward10]

Costing aside there is also the issue of nuisance tripping. This is quite an issue in the States where their Codes require the fitment of these devices with the exception of some areas. The problem being many appliances and circuit switching devices have inherent arcing taking place. So called nuisance tripping of rcd/rcbos can generally be resolved, wait until afds start joining the party.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Just about all switches arc when operated.

 

[westward10]

Just about all switches arc when operated.

Depends I suppose how quick they are to react, that the arc would have to be for a sustained duration. Not sure my brushed motor vacuum cleaner will understand this.