Advice needed on wiring issue

[Solly26]

Hi all, let me start by saying in no way am I a qualified electrician but do have some basic knowledge from having worked as an apprentice in the past. I am not confident in carrying out any electrical work so I will not be doing any electrical work. I am here for advice.
Now thats out of the way, let me tell you what the problem is.

I had an appointmet to have a smart meter fitted. When the guy turned up he tested my sockets and said I have a fault on my circuit. All the sockets in my home were showing the same fault. He mentioned the polarity is reversed and could not go ahead with the installation until I get the fault rectified.

After he left I decided to check the wiring on my sockets and they seem to be fine, I then had a look at my consumer unit as I was curious. All the wiring looked correctly wired and as it should but I spotted the Tails going in to the consumer unit were reversed. (you can just about see see the colour of the tails in the picture)

I would like to know if this is what is causing the fault I am experiencing and if this is dangerous? Everything seems to be working. I have been living in this property for the last 7 years but am worried now incase a fire breaks out or risk of electrocution. Please can you advise me what I should be expected to pay to get this rectified? There are so many ripp off merchants out there and I dont want to get ripped off for something that seems a simple fix.

Any advice will be most apprecited.

Thanks

Solly

 

[Colfly]

Are you saying if someone does any work in a plastic consumer unit then they must change it to a metal one?

To bring up to the latest standard depending on the work. If a new circuit you would need a test if the board is plastic it fails common sense on the PUWER

 

[telectrix]

To bring up to the latest standard depending on the work. If a new circuit you would need a test if the board is plastic it fails common sense on the PUWER

by that standard red/black cable would fail. as long as the plastic CU is compliantin other ways( IP rating/correct breakers and sound terminations. you can'tinsiston replacong itifyou are just adding a newcircuit./

 

[nicebutdim]

To bring up to the latest standard depending on the work. If a new circuit you would need a test if the board is plastic it fails common sense on the PUWER

Can you please explain to me, an apprentice, exactly what bearing the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 have on an existing consumer unit within a domestic property? I'd really like to know as I'm stumped as to how these regulations might apply.

 

[telectrix]

christ. mytypingis getting worse than buzz's.

 

[telectrix]

To bring up to the latest standard depending on the work. If a new circuit you would need a test if the board is plastic it fails common sense on the PUWER

common sense says if it's not broke, don't fix it.

 

[nicebutdim]

common sense says if it's not broke, don't fix it.

Common sense says that regulations covering the provision and use of work equipment have no bearing on a domestic consumer unit. I could of course be wrong, which is why I've asked the OP for some clarity on the issue.

 

[freddo]

A RCD will operate which ever way up it is installed, and there is no regulation to say that any wording on it must be the right way up.

Though a few models will detonate when the test button is pressed if the supply and load connections are reversed! RCD fused connection units like doing that.

 

[brianmoooore]

RCDs usually have the neutral feed to the test circuit on the 'in' side, and the live feed to the circuit from the 'out side, or vice versa.
I came across one once where the neutral fed through one way, and the live the other. I was rewarded with a large puff of smoke and a strong burning smell when I pushed the test button, as the series resistor disintegrated. That was the last time that the test button ever worked (and was probably the first).

 

[123]

Though a few models will detonate when the test button is pressed if the supply and load connections are reversed! RCD fused connection units like doing that.

I think the old Contactum RCD's where like that

 

[Yozza19]

To bring up to the latest standard depending on the work. If a new circuit you would need a test if the board is plastic it fails common sense on the PUWER

People like you are the Bain of my life giving estate agents unsatisfactory certificates for a plastic db without any understanding or knowledge to interpret the regs

Glad you take pride in your installation works but you really need to brush up on the b*llsh*t your talking

 

[UNG]

Hi James just to say no I do not need to brush up on how an RCD works but any electrician who takes pride in his work would not put the RCD upside down. I agree it still will work but not very nice to see. If anyone who worked for me were to install upside down any breaker his work mates would have ripped him a new one and there were a good few electricians.
As for the Board being plastic they are illegal to install now due to fire brigade recommendations. If anyone were to work on that board they would be required by regulations to use PUEWR as there guide and install a manufactured metal DB. As when there was fires these could and did put out Heavy black toxic smoke.
My personnel dealings with Proteus equipment has not been good and I personally would never recommend the brand to anyone, but again that is my opinion

I think you need to brush up on more than RCD's from your comments
I think if the people you work with read this post they would almost certainly to use your phrase "rip you a new one"
Yes LFB did force changes to BS7671 but as it is not a statutory instrument it is not illegal although it may be non compliant if you depart from it's guidance, with regard to CU's the non combustible e.g. metal seems to have been interpreted by many as it MUST be metal

It is one of my pet hates how illegal rather than non compliant is frequently used even before I did the 2391 course many years ago where it was drummed into us about the statutory and non statutory documents relating to electrical work it always annoyed me how the term illegal gets used when EAWR has not been breeched and only BS7671 applies

 

[Mike Johnson]

I think @Colfly has got the idea now have to wonder if he is an electrician or a Troll.

 

[nicebutdim]

I think you need to brush up on more than RCD's from your comments
I think if the people you work with read this post they would almost certainly to use your phrase "rip you a new one"
Yes LFB did force changes to BS7671 but as it is not a statutory instrument it is not illegal although it may be non compliant if you depart from it's guidance, with regard to CU's the non combustible e.g. metal seems to have been interpreted by many as it MUST be metal

It is one of my pet hates how illegal rather than non compliant is frequently used even before I did the 2391 course many years ago where it was drummed into us about the statutory and non statutory documents relating to electrical work it always annoyed me how the term illegal gets used when EAWR has not been breeched and only BS7671 applies

Aside from the debate about plastic CUs, which could technically still be fitted, the member in question quoted regulations that weren't even relevant to the subject.

PUWER? I'm still waiting for a response about how they might be applied to the fixed wiring in a domestic installation.

 

[UNG]

PUWER? I'm still waiting for a response about how they might be applied to the fixed wiring in a domestic installation.

My advice don't hold your breath he might be a while as someone may be ripping him a new one with his comments in this thread