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

[rich.250]

And circuits in a bath/shower room
Need to be Rcd'd too.

 

[bilabonic]

I was going to put smoke detectors on their own rcbo. Do i need 3 core cable ??

 

[mogga]

what you need to do is ask these questions of the electrician your getting to do the job If it was me Id just ask mark wall where you want sockets lights switches ect then LEAVE him to get on with it theres nothing worse than an "Electrician" watching you working From what your asking and saying you have either not worked in the trade for a few years or are an industrial electrician
Probably better to let him get the kit as he will have prices bettter than you can get By the sounds you have an understanding BUT get someone experienced in domestic

 

[bilabonic]

Will do, have wired many houses back in the day....When i had a chat with him he stated that all lighting circuits should now be connected via a RCBO, to comply with the latest amendment in the wiring reg's.


So a basic dual RCD split way C/U really is'nt upto scratch !!
He has just started a rewire on a 4 bedroom house and the board thats going in there is a single RCD split way - with 6 RCBO's on the main incoming side and 4 ring circuits on the RCD sideThis then fully complies

 

[Octopus]

Will do, have wired many houses back in the day....When i had a chat with him he stated that all lighting circuits should now be connected via a RCBO, to comply with the latest amendment in the wiring reg's.


So a basic dual RCD split way C/U really is'nt upto scratch !!
He has just started a rewire on a 4 bedroom house and the board thats going in there is a single RCD split way - with 6 RCBO's on the main incoming side and 4 ring circuits on the RCD sideThis then fully complies

Well, I have to disagree with him. A dual RCD board will comply with the regs as long as the circuits are "arranged" in a suitable manner.

Maybe you should get another one in.

 

[malcolmsanford]

So if that single RCD trips there will not be a power point in the house left working, I bet his clients will love all those clocks/timers they will be resetting.

What are the 6 RCBO's be supplying ?

 

[PC Electrics]

This week I've been wiring up an extensive stables. I've used a 10 way flexible high integrity board from Wylex. I'd normally prefer to use Hager (especially as they do 25A mcbs for those 2.5mm radials), but the Wylex is more compact. I've configured it as a 3+3+4. Wylex also do a fixed 2+4+4 but it's only a pint cheaper. These boards would probably suit your house perfectly:

C6A RCBO, down lights & smokes
RCD1:
20A radial to down sockets
C6 to up lights
32A 6mm for cooker
RCD2:
20A radial for up sockets
20A radial for kitchen sockets

This leaves you with a spare unprotected way and at least one spare on each RCD. It also meets the recommendation of BS5839 not to have smokes on same RCD as sockets. But don't forget to take the feed for the smokes back to the board so they can be isolated seperately to the lights (at the RCBO in this case).

Don't forget main protective bonding.
No need for any supplementary bonding.

You mention about plugging in 3kW heaters, but surely you'll be installing gfch?

 

[malcolmsanford]

Nice split PC but for 6 circuits RCBOs would be better, especially in your own home.

I always tried to convince a client that spending a little more would and have each circuit separate would be the way to go. But if cost was the bottom line then your configuration is spot on

 

[PC Electrics]

In a commercial or industrial environment RCBOs every time. But for domestic? Hmm, the inconvenience caused by having a couple of circuits out isn't costing production downtime and so not so critical. Also what's the risk? Just how often do domestic installs suffer from RCD tripping? Usually faulty appliances, so minor inconvenience.

Mainly depends on the depth of the clients pockets.

 

[lauriehurman]

I was going to put smoke detectors on their own rcbo. Do i need 3 core cable ??

Yes, 3 core for the interlink but ...
I am not an "expert" and don't want to be Mr know-it-all but; if you're running a separate way for the detectors then why RCD it? The danger is that it trips and you don't notice (and so loose your fire protection).

RCD is required for all LV circuits in the bathroom. So if you 12v the lights then you can run the smoke/heat detectors (with battery backup) from the light circuit without RCD.

That's my understanding (I may be wrong).
Laurie

 

[Octopus]

Yes, 3 core for the interlink but ...
I am not an "expert" and don't want to be Mr know-it-all but; if you're running a separate way for the detectors then why RCD it? The danger is that it trips and you don't notice (and so loose your fire protection).

RCD is required for all LV circuits in the bathroom. So if you 12v the lights then you can run the smoke/heat detectors (with battery backup) from the light circuit without RCD.

That's my understanding (I may be wrong).
Laurie

As you say, you could well be wrong!

 

[HandySparks]

RCD is required for all LV circuits in the bathroom. So if you 12v the lights then you can run the smoke/heat detectors (with battery backup) from the light circuit without RCD.

As Murdoch says, maybe, but I think that some would argue against.

And also provided that you don't have any switch drops buried in the wall less than 50mm deep.

 

[PC Electrics]

Far and away best to wire smokes in with a light circuit so if there is a circuit fault it is quickly apparent and highly likely to be fixed.

A fault on a dedicated circuit could go un-noticed for months or years by which time the batteries will be properly exhausted and the system totally useless. Or the batteries get taken out of the beeping smokes and promptly forgotten about.

 

[jeremy]

Yes, 3 core for the interlink but ...
I am not an "expert" and don't want to be Mr know-it-all but; if you're running a separate way for the detectors then why RCD it? The danger is that it trips and you don't notice (and so loose your fire protection).

RCD is required for all LV circuits in the bathroom. So if you 12v the lights then you can run the smoke/heat detectors (with battery backup) from the light circuit without RCD.

That's my understanding (I may be wrong).
Laurie

I'm pretty sure that non rcd requires the 12v system to be selv. Would this be the case with electronic transformers?
the lighting circuit would also have to comply completely with being in earthed trunking, conduit where necessary
I would split the circuits with 2 RCD and have the fire det on its non rcd protected rcbo

 

[jeremy]

PS fit smokes with li-ion batteries or you need to change the batteries every 12months