Advice on regs please

[Shock Doctor]

Hi all,

Ive just come back from looking at a job. Customer has 3 electric heaters in thier flat only one is working. Had a look and the one that works seems to be wired into the ring main. The 3 15a radials wired in for the heaters have no power getting to them. The board is a split feed with no RCDs one side works fine but the side that has the 3 heaters on has no power. If I disconnect everthing and straighten out the feeds so I get power am I required to RCD them as well? There is a 40a add on to the side of the CU for the shower which has no rcd either. If I get involved in this am I going to be responsible for everything else?

All advice as usual gratefully received!

 

[Amp David]

If there are no RCDs then how is the CU split as usually its split with some circuits on the RCD and some not?

 

[s_d]

are you sure they're not on economy 7?

 

[Amp David]

Shouldn't be in the same CU if they are. Sounds like someone may have moved over the one thats working of the ring.

 

[Shock Doctor]

No definatly not eco 7. My mistake! the side that has sockets and lights on is rcd protected the side that has no protection only has the 3 radials for the heaters on. Apologies!

 

[Amp David]

My take on things is that if you are modifying the circuit you will have to RCD it/them.

Thing is though, as the side of the CU that doesn't have RCD protection, its normally fed right out of the main switch, along with the link that feeds the RCD too, so can't see how you don't have any voltage there?

 

[Shock Doctor]

Someone has definatly been messing with the feeds. There are the main incomers then a feed onto the split side and a feed for the shower cu shoved in and anther which I havent traced yet. It looks like the feeds have been split which is why no power on one side if that makes any sence ( should have taken a picture! ). I just want to know if the heaters will need rcd protection once the feed mess is sorted. There in bedrooms run behind platerboard. In the riser in the hall there are 3 lives in 16mm in a small henly and neutrals go straight in through wall!

 

[Shock Doctor]

What can I say it's a mess! Think I will go in on an hourly rate and just try and get it all safe and 17th! Thanks for your time people it is appreciated especialy as my discriptions are as clear as mud!

 

[Deleted member 19807]

Sounds very much like you have 24 hour supply to one side and a night time taffif on the other side, Is there a single point of isolation for this board?

Sounds like you will have to fit another board and move the storage heater into it to comply with the regs.

 

[MFHEng]

Sounds very much like you have 24 hour supply to one side and a night time taffif on the other side, Is there a single point of isolation for this board?

Sounds like you will have to fit another board and move the storage heater into it to comply with the regs.

It does sound like there are two supplies (dual feed board), but why are you saying he'd need to fit another board and move the storage heater into it to comply with the regs?

 

[Shock Doctor]

Double feed board does sound logical but no sign of an accessable timer for heaters. Also one feed is split between the two sides of the board.

 

[Deleted member 19807]

From the description it dose not sound like it is clear even to an electrician how this board is set up. Currently it presents a danger asit sounds from the op that its not clear how to isolate the storage heaters, from the description it dose not comply with 132.1. one way to make this clear for unskilled persons to be able to isolate circuits safely would be to install a board for the heaters, more information from the op would help to come up with a list of other options tahs may also make it clear what dose what and how to operate it.

 

[Deleted member 19807]

Double feed board does sound logical but no sign of an accessable timer for heaters. Also one feed is split between the two sides of the board.

photo would be good,

 

[Deleted member 19807]

are they storage heaters or panel heaters?

 

[Shock Doctor]

I make you right. More investigation is required before going any further. Thank you to all again. I will let you know how I get on.