Good Practise or Specific Requirement?

[Crosswire]

1) Fan isolator switches?

2) Earthing metal downlight rings holding a GU10 lamp?

3) Cable clamps in chocboxes


If poss quote Reg No.

Thanks!

 

[Plonker 3]

I thought the whole point in installing a fan isolator was for one reason only, if the fan is installed in a room where there is no window, and the fan is wired from the lighting circuit, it allows you to isolate the fan without isolating the lights, hence giving you light to work on the fan.

So how do you cope when its dark outside? Or work on a faulty lighting circuit?

 

[JD6400]

Refer to the link in my previous post. It's a fallacy born out of the Electricians Guide to the Building Regs.

I did not think it was a reg but i knew i had seen it some where !

 

[roukel01]

So how do you cope when its dark outside? Or work on a faulty lighting circuit?

Now thats a stupid question, and I was waiting for someone to suggest that, like I said, it simply makes life easier in that situation.
Plus I have a lead light and torch for the other situations you so witfully mentioned.

 

[Guitarist]

At the end of the day, it makes good common sense to be able to switch off a fan using a local isolator/pullcord to clean it, service it, or simply turn it off if it's annoying you, without going to the breaker. I KNOW it's not a requirement but it is such a simple thing to do and makes everyones life easier in the long run. Many things in life aren't "required" but they just make sense.

 

[Amp David]

Why? JB's don't have cable restraints. BS 7671 makes no distinction between JB's and Chocboxes.

Cables entering or leaving a traditional JB have to be secured though, usually clipped.

 

[Amp David]

I thought the whole point in installing a fan isolator was for one reason only, if the fan is installed in a room where there is no window, and the fan is wired from the lighting circuit, it allows you to isolate the fan without isolating the lights, hence giving you light to work on the fan.

Personally to install an isolator makes it less of a hassle to work on a fan wired to the lighting, window or no window.

My main aim is to think ahead for future maintenance, having the isolator will cause less inconvenience for others in the house or building because you won't have to knock the lighting circuit off.

 

[Kiers1970]

suits me fine not to fit the darn things! As for the light being on, surely all us competent Sparks have a head torch. I've been pulled once by a little Hitler about them, Grrr. HAD to fit ceiling pull cord iso, looked horrible.

 

[Amp David]

Now thats a stupid question, and I was waiting for someone to suggest that, like I said, it simply makes life easier in that situation.
Plus I have a lead light and torch for the other situations you so witfully mentioned.

Not really a stupid question IMO. Whats the difference between no window and a dark winters afternoon. You still have the lead light to use when its dark and gloomy outside.

This reg or guidance to me is the stupid part for me

 

[Amp David]

Back to the OP

1. Ok no local isolation required BUT many fans on the market now require fusing down to 3A so that should be complied with IMHO

Yes it should really. Always make me laugh though at how many fans i've had to replace due to burnt out motors and the fuse is still ok. Every time the motor is bound to be the weak element and is sure to give up before any 3 amp fuse

 

[Guitarist]

Just as a side point.... After the incident where a fan caught fire and the electrician was prosecuted due to no 3A fuse installed, there is now a new 3A MCB for lighting circuits incorporating extractor fans.
Just thought I'd mention it.

 

[LineProducts]

Point 3) Cable Clamps.
The regs that demand cable clamps (unless JB and cables secured) are (2011):
522.8.3 (ref terminations)
522.8.5 (ref terminations - other mechanical stresses)
526.1 mechanical stress and protection for connection
526.6 mechanical strain on termination/connection
526.7 (non surface mount) JB's achieve part of this with cable clamps
In summary - if there is a chance that that the cable may exert a force on the connection if it is pulled....clamp.

So, taking the light fitting out (in the example given) with no clamps in JB would exert strain/force on connection is one example.

Use LINE, it takes no longer than using a cbox without clamps whilst getting the job done properly!

 

[Guitarist]

Point 3) Cable Clamps.
The regs that demand cable clamps (unless JB and cables secured) are (2011):
522.8.3 (ref terminations)
522.8.5 (ref terminations - other mechanical stresses)
526.1 mechanical stress and protection for connection
526.6 mechanical strain on termination/connection
526.7 (non surface mount) JB's achieve part of this with cable clamps
In summary - if there is a chance that that the cable may exert a force on the connection if it is pulled....clamp.

So, taking the light fitting out (in the example given) with no clamps in JB would exert strain/force on connection is one example.

Use LINE, it takes no longer than using a cbox without clamps whilst getting the job done properly!

Where would we be without you guys? :sunny:

 

[rick]

Yes it should really. Always make me laugh though at how many fans i've had to replace due to burnt out motors and the fuse is still ok. Every time the motor is bound to be the weak element and is sure to give up before any 3 amp fuse

I wonder why there isn't there a 3 pole isolator with fuse in the same unit? What do you do, install FCU and then isolator? Bit much for a fan isn't it?