ADVICE - Is rewire needed on 2 bedroom property ???

[bilabonic]

Hi

Just purchased a 2 bedroom property and it has an old 4 way CU with 3 circuits. Mains, lights, boiler, it also has no RCD and wire fuses. Think cable is rubber red/black..

I am a sparky in heavy industry and have rewired many houses over the years but WAY out of date wit regs.

I plan on doing as much DIY on rewire as possible.

Can anyone give an outline as what is required ?

One main ? Twin for lighting ? Split board ??

Cheers

 

[trev]

Only a full inspection and test would tell you mate but it won't do any harm to spend the cash getting it up to date.
Take a look at the NAPIT scheme that allows you to register just a few installs each year to get round the notification requirements.
As far as what you would want/need circuit wise it's too hard to say without seeing the place mate but as a rough guide, lighting upstairs and down 1 circuit each RFCs up down kitchen 1 circuit each
heating 1 circuit
CU either twin RCD split load + MCBs or main switch +RCBOs

 

[trev]

+ any other circuits you would need of course

 

[SparkyDips]

what is the state of the bonding? is there any in place?

 

[GT1]

If its old rubber insulated gear it more than likely will fail IR testing.
If your going to start from scratch I wouldn't even bother with a ring on a 2 bed bungalow.
I would fit a board with RCBO's instead of a split board because your probably only going to have maybe 4 or 5 circuits at most.
The notifiable bit is going to be your main problem...!

 

[Paul.M]

If you've just bought this 2 bed property I would rewire it now before you decorate it. Better now than in a couple of years time.

Small properties like this doesn't need much:-
Radial for bedrooms.
Radial for living room & hallway.
Ring for the kitchen
Lights upstairs
Lights downstairs
Heating.

You could do the work yourself with the supervision of a reged sparky. He will know the up to date regs, bonding, safe zones etc etc that maybe your out of date with.

Call a local electrician or post up your location on here and I'm sure a member could help you.

 

[Octopus]

£125 -£150 spent on an EICR (electrical installation condition report) would be my first step. That would give you the best input and could save you hundreds and all the hassle of ripping the house apart

Moving forward a new RCBO board, with spare slots and bonding would set you back £350-£450

Have fun

 

[NMc]

From what you are saying just purchased, no doubt you will make changes and the existing will not be where or what you want and not up to current standards

I would not mess around just rewire the lot now before you get settled in - get the mess over and done with

 

[bilabonic]

Cheers guys.

Bit confused by Paul.M above. Thought you could not use radial circuits ?

Would i need one for each bedroom ??

Always just thought it was -

Upstairs ring
Downstairs ring
Kitchen Ring
Up lighting
down lighting

I am ditching the immersion etc so the ONLY consideration is an Induction hob for kitchen.

Why do we still use rings in this day and age ??? Surely it's overkill ???

Also with regards split board, which circuits go where, so i don't get nuisance trips ?

Cheers

 

[Silly Sausage]

Also with regards split board, which circuits go where, so i don't get nuisance trips ?

Cheers

This is worth a read through...
http://download.hager.com/hager.uk/files_download/guides/consumer_unit_guide.pdf

 

[Paul.M]

"Bit confused by Paul.M above. Thought you could not use radial circuits ?"

It depends on the load your going to pull. 2.5mm t+e should be ample to feed a radial to a livingroom or you could install a ring, up to the designer.

Would i need one for each bedroom ??"

No mate, as above depends on the load. One radial should be fine for a couple of tv's and alarm clocks.

 

[bilabonic]

Even more confused now ??

States that all cables in wall (unless earthed in earthed metal conduit) have to be protected by an RCD.

Whats the point of a split boardthen as all my cables will be in brick/plaster wall with just plastic sheathing.....

Or am i missing something ?

Cheers for info.

 

[bilabonic]

Ok. So i need a split load dual RCD, what is common practice on grouping circuits then ??

I was thinking of split board where only one side is RCD protected.

 

[Octopus]

I refer you back to post #7 - surely the best way forward, especially step 1.

 

[bilabonic]

"Bit confused by Paul.M above. Thought you could not use radial circuits ?"

It depends on the load your going to pull. 2.5mm t+e should be ample to feed a radial to a livingroom or you could install a ring, up to the designer.

Would i need one for each bedroom ??"

No mate, as above depends on the load. One radial should be fine for a couple of tv's and alarm clocks.

This is what confuses me ?

How do i know if somebody is not going to plug in an electric fire ??

The cooker is integral and only 2Kw so can that just go on the ring circuit ?

I am being swayed to fitting all RCBO's due to the number of circuits.

Made a phone call and got a qualified spark coming out, last time i looked at my 17th Regs book was when studying for apprenticeship 15 years.....:icon9: