EICR and RCD's. Is it a C2 or C3?

[Victor Poon]

Hi,

My EICR is a C2 because the consumer unit does NOT have RCD's.
Is it correct?
My last EICR five years ago stated RCD as recommended.
What's changed?
The flat is on the 2nd floor built in 1997!
The electrician has quoted for a NEW Consumer Unit.

Thanks

Victor

 

[bill01803]

If there was no supplementary bonding in the bathroom or RCD protection to the circuits that warrants a C2

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Hi,

My EICR is a C2 because the consumer unit does NOT have RCD's.
Is it correct?
My last EICR five years ago stated RCD as recommended.
What's changed?
The flat is on the 2nd floor built in 1997!
The electrician has quoted for a NEW Consumer Unit.

Thanks

Victor

No it’s not correct.
There is no requirement to install RCDs in Consumer Units.

There are requirements to protect some circuits, which would require an RCD be placed in or very close to the Consumer Unit.
However, the person who conducted the Inspection should be listing the instances where RCD protection is required but not been provided, and then applying a code for each of those instances.

In many instances, RCD protection can be provided, simply by the installation of an RCD or RCBO in or close to the Consumer Unit.

Only thing that’s changed, is the person who conducted the latest inspection, wants to make money from you.

 

[Cid]

Can people here not discourage cowboy landlords from having RCD protection for their tenants.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Can people here not discourage cowboy landlords from having RCD protection for their tenants.

Completely agree. It's quite disheartening seeing some of the replies.

 

[Andy78]

Can people here not discourage cowboy landlords from having RCD protection for their tenants.

I don't think anyone is doing that. Questions have been asked about a report that is based on facts and minimum requirements and the answers have mainly been in the same spirit.

Questions about reports should not be subject to assumptions, such as the landlord is a cowboy.....

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Can people here not discourage cowboy landlords from having RCD protection for their tenants.

Didn’t realise it was your scam, sorry.

 

[Nigel]

I really think we need to instil the virtues of RCD's when a member of the public asks a question rather than use strong terms about the electrician who has given a C2 for lack of RCD's. The electrician may well be wrong (perhaps not though, I have given C2's for lack of RCD's in certain situations) but rather than say he's trying to swindle you (which I doubt he is) which makes the customer focus on the electrician rather than the importance of the life saving RCD, we could say it may well be a C3 but would be a very, very good idea to get done.

Electrical installations should be designed correctly and RCDs only installed if required. This blanket RCD everything is both lazy design and leads customers up the garden path.

 

[Nigel]

Could I ask if you are living in the property Victor or renting it out? The reason I ask is that you have said the last EICR was 5 years ago which makes me think you are renting it out.
As a landlord I would feel much happier with my tenants having RCD protection in their house especially if there are children who may enjoy sticking knives in toasters etc etc.

Why would a landlord be responsible for stupid children and lazy parents?

 

[magnoliafan89]

Some of our tenants have the mem boards fitted in 2005 or before . Ones where some is rcd protected other half isnt. When doing eicrs its a c3 that cables less than 50mm are not rcd protected and also c3 that lights arent rcd protected.
If however we want to do work on these circuits we either swap the mcb for an rcbo or move the mcb over to the rcd side.

As for an upfront rcd not being compliant...so you have a client with an old cartridge fuse board asking you to put an extra light on the circuit...not that big a job...you're going to honestly turn to them and say
Yeh well first im going to have to test the whole install as i have to change the whole board.
As i suspect dave from the pub would soon happily be used instead

 

[Nigel]

If there was no supplementary bonding in the bathroom or RCD protection to the circuits that warrants a C2

Only if supplementary bonding was required.

 

[Nigel]

Some of our tenants have the mem boards fitted in 2005 or before . Ones where some is rcd protected other half isnt. When doing eicrs its a c3 that cables less than 50mm are not rcd protected and also c3 that lights arent rcd protected.
If however we want to do work on these circuits we either swap the mcb for an rcbo or move the mcb over to the rcd side.

As for an upfront rcd not being compliant...so you have a client with an old cartridge fuse board asking you to put an extra light on the circuit...not that big a job...you're going to honestly turn to them and say
Yeh well first im going to have to test the whole install as i have to change the whole board.
As i suspect dave from the pub would soon happily be used instead

No, I would just install a separate RCD in a separate enclosure for just that circuit if the customer was going to be so tight.

 

[Andy78]

As for an upfront rcd not being compliant...so you have a client with an old cartridge fuse board asking you to put an extra light on the circuit...not that big a job...you're going to honestly turn to them and say
Yeh well first im going to have to test the whole install as i have to change the whole board.
As i suspect dave from the pub would soon happily be used instead

It's not compliant with section 314. That's not up for debate at all.

Lighting circuits can have RCD protection added at any point on them to facilitate alterations.

 

[magnoliafan89]

Just to clear im not against installing rcds or saying they should never be classed as c2.

Sockets on a TT system without rcd are classed as c2.

 

[magnoliafan89]

And personally i just always change it tp an rcbo.

 

[Nigel]

Just to clear im not against installing rcds or saying they should never be classed as c2.

Sockets on a TT system without rcd are classed as c2.

I think you will find that is not limited to just sockets.