One way of earthing the pipes.....

[Bob Geldoff1234]

I was changing the consumer unit today and look how the previous person has earthed the main water and gas!

I will give them 10 out 10 for ingenuity

Here's how it looked after i had finished.

On a totally different job i was called out to i came across this fitted by a so called electrician.

The bottom of the rcd is feeding straight out to the RFC.
How he thought that a 63amp RCD on it's own would comply with regulations is beyond me.I had to removed the enclosure and fit a larger one so that i could fit a 32 amp mcb next to the RCD as it needed.
The guy even charged £330 just to fit that unit!

It saddens me that cowboys like this get away with it and tarnish qualified electricians in the process.

 

[Des 56]

Other services should not to be used to support our cables

Besides,what would your reaction be if he started strapping his pipes to any cables that happened to be handy instead of using his own clips for support

 

[Spunkywads26]

I've a question based on OP photo of completed work. The new CU is installed on ply. I recently had my registration visit from my chosen CPS and the guy who came wants the CU I installed to be practically air tight.

I had a garage install with 2 x 2.5mm T&E and 1 x 1.5mm T&E installed down wall in trunking to CU. I channeled the wall out to allow back entry into the CU. The gap between CU and block wall is about 5mm. The inspector told me that it was not good enough and that I should be filling the gap with intumescent foam to prevent air getting into the CU and help fuel a fire.

Now I stood there sort of bemused and wanting to really argue it but thought for a second and asked about IP ratings of CU and if the front of the board should be sealed as the gaps between the MCBs would also be a violation. He was quite adamant about it and was stating that it all changed with amd 3.

Now OP has installed a CU on a flammable material, I wonder what my guy would have to say about that???

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Plumbers view this forum, don't put ideas in their heads.

 

[telectrix]

I've a question based on OP photo of completed work. The new CU is installed on ply. I recently had my registration visit from my chosen CPS and the guy who came wants the CU I installed to be practically air tight.

I had a garage install with 2 x 2.5mm T&E and 1 x 1.5mm T&E installed down wall in trunking to CU. I channeled the wall out to allow back entry into the CU. The gap between CU and block wall is about 5mm. The inspector told me that it was not good enough and that I should be filling the gap with intumescent foam to prevent air getting into the CU and help fuel a fire.

Now I stood there sort of bemused and wanting to really argue it but thought for a second and asked about IP ratings of CU and if the front of the board should be sealed as the gaps between the MCBs would also be a violation. He was quite adamant about it and was stating that it all changed with amd 3.

Now OP has installed a CU on a flammable material, I wonder what my guy would have to say about that???

your cps inspector is a dickwad.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I've a question based on OP photo of completed work. The new CU is installed on ply. I recently had my registration visit from my chosen CPS and the guy who came wants the CU I installed to be practically air tight.

I had a garage install with 2 x 2.5mm T&E and 1 x 1.5mm T&E installed down wall in trunking to CU. I channeled the wall out to allow back entry into the CU. The gap between CU and block wall is about 5mm. The inspector told me that it was not good enough and that I should be filling the gap with intumescent foam to prevent air getting into the CU and help fuel a fire.

Now I stood there sort of bemused and wanting to really argue it but thought for a second and asked about IP ratings of CU and if the front of the board should be sealed as the gaps between the MCBs would also be a violation. He was quite adamant about it and was stating that it all changed with amd 3.

Now OP has installed a CU on a flammable material, I wonder what my guy would have to say about that???

The reg only states that the CU should be made of non combustible material, nothing else.

 

[Toneyz]

Cable tied to pipework of other services!!!

pulled up by NICEIC for that once.

 

[Des 56]

In all fairness the inspector probably (but not certainly)exceeded the 5 weeks of some of his applicants.

This whole cps thing just gets worse,time as long since past that it should have been shelved

 

[Wilko]

The reg only states that the CU should be made of non combustible material, nothing else.

Methinks this may be another thing they've expanded on in their own nice way.

 

[DPG]

That bonding cable with the crocodile clips in the first picture - it's not some sort of temporary bonding lead put in while a plumber has disconnected some pipes is it?

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

As far as why we now fit metal boards,I was told it was due to the old plastic boards melting and dripping down onto flammable items below the unit and setting them on fire.You DO NOT have to make the board airtight.When AM3 came out I started sealing the back of my boards with fire proof silicone.I was told expressly by my NIC guy that this was not needed.If anyone knows of another reason as to why we have to fit these boards then please let me know

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

That bonding cable with the crocodile clips in the first picture - it's not some sort of temporary bonding lead put in while a plumber has disconnected some pipes is it?

Would you call 10 years temporary?

 

[DPG]

Would you call 10 years temporary?

Perhaps he went for a sarnie and a cuppa. Maybe he's on his way back?

 

[westward10]

At least the mice can get into the back of it for a bit of winter shelter.

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

You all seem to be dissing my tie wrapping the bonding wires but how would you take the wire across and support it? I can still see no practical reason why i cannot do it as i have done.Just because someones NIC bloke says you can't doesn't make it law.If any of the other posts of inspectors is to go by they seem to make it up as they go along.

 

[westward10]

No one is dissing you and I have no interest in what the NICEIC recommend or suggest but the fact is they are not suitably fixed. You could have taken a short section of tube from the right side if the board.