Consumer Unit change & Certificate info please

[Chris Ward]

Hello all,

Im wondering what views you guys take on consumer unit changes? Ive been looking into it and am getting slighty confused about the whole board swap & certing process. This has probably cropped up multiple times before...

I have a job coming up which requires one new kitchen ring main, and a board swap. Obvoiusly I need to test all re-connected circuits and issue a cert & notification for the swap. That means myself taking responsibility for all other circuits.

However... The only circuit I am installing, and can 100% guarantee is installed correctly is the ring main.

The other circuits may test out ok, but whos to say cables are run in zones etc? existing ring mains may test out OK, but what if somethings been altered and left undafe? What if there is something hidden away that I could miss?

How can I issue an EIC and cover my own arse from any possible combacks from the existing installation?

Would i be right in saying that in box: 'Extent of installation covered by certificate' is key here? What would you put on the cert?

All work is getting notified to LABC.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[alanl]

Yes, you test all the other circuits, but, unless they are dangerous, you are under no obligation to fix them.
It would be good practice to fix them, but you need to confirm with the client first, as they may not want a bigger bill. In general, I fix minor faults free of charge, anything that is going to take more than 2 hours, then I tell them I'll have to charge for it.
Safe-zones, then it isnt your problem, unless you can see it is unsafe. Just be sure to fill in the Certificate corrctly, and put in there the extent of the install.
Alan.

 

[telectrix]

extent of work.... CU change and new circuit to kitchen only

test and inspect rest of installation, yuo can't verify everything e.g. cables under floors and in fabric of building. you are not accepting responsibility for the whole install, but will have tested it to the best of your ability.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

On your Certificate, you should describe the work carried out as clearly as possible.
(i.e. Replacement of Consumer Unit, installation of 1 new kitchen Ring Final Circuit, re-connection and division of existing circuits to meet the requirements of BS7671.)
You should not be taking any responsibility for re-connected existing circuits.
If you want to I&T the existing circuits, that is your choice, it is not a requirement of the Regulations that you do so.

 

[tony mc]

Have a look at this sticky Chris

**CU Changes And YOU**

 

[telectrix]

On your Certificate, you should describe the work carried out as clearly as possible.
(i.e. Replacement of Consumer Unit, installation of 1 new kitchen Ring Final Circuit, re-connection and division of existing circuits to meet the requirements of BS7671.)
You should not be taking any responsibility for re-connected existing circuits.
If you want to I&T the existing circuits, that is your choice, it is not a requirement of the Regulations that you do so.

surely, if doing a CU change, you should test all circuits connected to that CU.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

surely, if doing a CU change, you should test all circuits connected to that CU.

The requirements of BS7671 are a bit wooly with regards to this.
We are required by 631.1 to issue a Certificate detailing the extent of the installation, together with a record of the inspection and the results of testing.
This would suggest that the I&T relates only to the extent of the installation detailed in the Certificate.
632.2 requires the schedule of test results to identify every circuit an their respective CPD along with the results of appropriate tests.
This could be taken to include circuits not covered by the Certificate.
Then we have 632.4 which requires us to rectify any defects or omissions revealed during I&T of the work covered by the Certificate, before issuing.
This obviously requires us to I&T the work covered by the Certificate, but doesn' preclude the I&T'ing of other circuits not covered by the Certificate.
633.1 States that the requirements of Sections 631 and 632 apply to all of the work of the additions or alterations for both EICs and MWCs.
This would suggest that I&T'ing, and identifying circuits and their respective CPDs only applies to the work of the additions or alterations, as you would not be expected to issue either a schedule of inspections or test results when issuing a MWC.

 

[white armour]

PIR for existing installation. EIC for new CU, tails, earthing, bonding (if needed) & new circuits.

Regards wa

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Yes a PIR on the existing installation, preferably before the work on the CU change commences would be ideal. Charged appropriately of course.
Then an EIC covering the work involved for the CU change, the new circuit and any rectifications to defects in the existing installation revealed by the PIR.

 

[pencilpusher]

I don't understand what is required on the Schedule of Inspections which needs to be issued with every EIC. Would you put "LIM" in these boxes. Unless you Inspect the whole installation after/before a CU change, you cannot tick all the schedules on this list. ie "Routing of cables in prescribed zones" Advice please.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

It's likely on a CU change that different overcurrent devices to those originally provided will be protecting existing circuits, therefore it would be necessary at the very least to carry out tests to verify disconnection times are met.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Limitations are agreed by yourself and the person ordering the work, but only on a PIR.

If you issue an EIC for a new circuit, you should only be putting ticks and N/A in your inspections.

For a CU swap, a comment like "wiring installed within the fabric of the building has not been inspected as it is not accessible without causing undue damage to the property, it does say something like that on the PIR forms i think.

Cheers............Howard

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Limitations are not allowed for EICs, so N/A would be most appropriate.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I don't understand what is required on the Schedule of Inspections which needs to be issued with every EIC. Would you put "LIM" in these boxes. Unless you Inspect the whole installation after/before a CU change, you cannot tick all the schedules on this list. ie "Routing of cables in prescribed zones" Advice please.

The schedule of inspections would only apply to the work you have carried out...you would state the extent of work and testing clearly in the 'extent' box...so "routing of cables" would only be ticked and apply to the work you have carried out....if this wasnt applicable to work you have carried out you would put N/A.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

For a CU swap, a comment like "wiring installed within the fabric of the building has not been inspected as it is not accessible without causing undue damage to the property, it does say something like that on the PIR forms i think.

Such would be placed under comments on the existing installation