commercial dsitribution board change leaving existing circuits non rcd protected

hodgey1972 · Sep 17, 2015

Thanks guys, appriciate the input

J.C.E · Sep 18, 2015

darkwood said:
I would argue that in the case of a board change where the OCPD is changed then as long as you have not made the circuit any less safe then you can treat it still as an existing circuit wired to a previous edition of the regulations, I cannot see why changing a board should make you bring any circuit up to standards just because the OCPD has different characteristics, as long as the circuit isn't a code 1 for any reason then I would treat as existing.

This is my opinion not a regulation, I believe you have to ensure that any alteration or edition must comply to current regulations where this is in the form of altering or adding to the circuit then yes! your work should follow current regulation but where the alteration is not the circuit but the actual device protecting the circuit then as long as it doesn't afford any less protection for the circuit than the previous device it should be the case you don't have to bring the whole circuit up to regulations.

not sure if i have misunderstood here..

by changing the fuse board- you work has to comply to the current regs- so if existing circuits require rcd protection- then you must protect them by rcd

you can't just change to a 16ed fuse board and then only rcbo a new circuit you have installed!

or am I reading wrong here lol

Darkwood · Sep 18, 2015

J.C.E said:
not sure if i have misunderstood here..

by changing the fuse board- you work has to comply to the current regs- so if existing circuits require rcd protection- then you must protect them by rcd

you can't just change to a 16ed fuse board and then only rcbo a new circuit you have installed!

or am I reading wrong here lol

Its an opinion hence I stated it, but on that note where in the regs does it say that, this is down to interpretation IMHO, you are changing the board, the board itself must be within regulations and I would argue that because you are not making any alteration or additions to the actual circuit and you don't leave it any worse off than before you started and as long as you test it is safe to re-energise then you do not have to bring it up to 17th edition, think about it most of the circuits probably contravene more than just requiring RCD cover so in effect your just addressing and updating one point and not others...

I too was pulled into that way of thinking but questioned where it came from and where are the regulations to state that, you are not altering the circuit in anyway you are exchanging the OCPD that monitors the circuit which will give the same protection as before if not more.

I'm not against adding rcd protection where you can but just expressing IMHO its not a requirement.

Deleted member 26818 · Sep 18, 2015

The requirement, is that your work must comply with BS7671.
There is no requirement for you to upgrade existing circuits.
Also there is only a requirement for certain circuits to be provided RCD protection, such circuits as those of a location, containing a bath or shower or socket circuits in agricultural/horticultural installations.

J.C.E · Sep 19, 2015

spinlondon said:
The requirement, is that your work must comply with BS7671.
There is no requirement for you to upgrade existing circuits.
Also there is only a requirement for certain circuits to be provided RCD protection, such circuits as those of a location, containing a bath or shower or socket circuits in agricultural/horticultural installations.

and the others...