No main switch

[buttonmoon]

Hello

I was just trying to test a very old Simplex 3 phase DB which I found in the basement boiler room of a small office block. The door was hanging off... ok I can fix that, there are several holes knocked out of the base of the metal case.... again that shouldn't cause too much trouble, one live wire dangling across the top of the box...... traced it to a twin socket in a cupboard and disconnected it. Right now lets isolate the thing and have a proper look....ah, no main switch, just four cables going straight to four bars (including the neutral). I think it's being fed from an isolator upstairs. Does it not need to have a local means of isolation, as in, in the same room?

any thoughts??

 

[malcolmsanford]

What you have there is a simple Distribution board (Definitions Section 2 of the Regs) As it seems you doing a PIR then no code. If the upstairs switch isolator is not marked identifying this DB, and the panel cover of the DB is not marked identifying the switch isolator and it's location, then I would code it a 4. Again if there is no board schematic or anything linking the switch isolator/DB, ie drawings, panel schedule etc, then again a code 4

I'm sure you will find loads of these type of boards dotted around commercial/industrial premises, I know they were prevalent on older installations.

 

[oxocube]

The isolator should also be lockable.

 

[IQ Electrical]

The isolator should also be lockable.

I agree with both of the above, the isolator should be clearly labelled and be capable of being locked in the 'off' position.