Surface mounted sockets on skirting board

[Deleted member 26818]

This to my mind is one of the problems with the 2391.
Before it was introduced, Inspectors were a different breed.
They had experience, and knowledge of many different types of installations, and used common sense when applying codes.
Now it seems that anyone who passes the 2391 can set themselves up as an Inspector, yet have little or no experience or knowledge of the systems they are inspecting, applying codes willy nilly with often no real understanding of why they are doing so.

 

[the pict]

I have just done extensive upgrade work in a Hotel lounge with sockets on the wall just above the skirting, so according to some I should have cut holes in the wood panelling and done a patch job on the holes left, Some of these clowns should work for the council where that "jobsworth" attitude is compulsory
Pict

 

[mogga]

we have a client right now ( Big national company) who have a "Surveyor" he says I undercode and a lot of 2s should be 1s My gaffer and I both gave him a copy of guidelines HE said that they are only guidelines and if HE wants 2s to be 1s then thats hois view NOW any PIR I do for them has "All codes as per bs7671 not cleint list!" a little knowlage only goes a little way but can do big damage v

 

[Octopus]

Hi
A good friend of mine has recently had someone round to test their electrical wiring to obtain a certificate for their insurance as its a thatched cottage.
One of the items on the list was compulsory and was to move all the sockets on the skirting boards up to the walls.
Is this correct? The sockets have been there for years and are not new installations. They all have back boxes and none are sunk into the skirting board. The cabling then is surface clipped up the wall (This has to go into conduit too according to the report).

Thanks

Code 4 - if anything.

Code 1 or 2 a complete joke.

 

[telectrix]

in any case, regs.are not retrospective. i would tell this "surveyor" that he's talking out of his arse and needs a reality check.

 

[TPES]

Just found this image on google, so coding this a 2 would be a joke? And would be a 4 at most if anything at all.

Common sense should be used on how low they are, each scenario would be different, in my opinion this would be a 2.

 

[Octopus]

Just found this image on google, so coding this a 2 would be a joke? And would be a 4 at most if anything at all.

Common sense should be used on how low they are, each scenario would be different, in my opinion this would be a 2.

Or take them off the wall and mount the sockets upside down. Job done!!

 

[goldie]

Hi
Im new to this forum so hope this msge gets through.
On a pir or a soon to be condition report from 1st jan 2011. a code 1 or code 2 would class as a fail on your cert. This means that the subject would need urgent attention or requires improvement as is potentially dangerous. If i were carrying out the test it wouldnt fail due to this but i would make a reccomendation to bury the cables a and resite the sockets to a higher position.

 

[telectrix]

Hi
Im new to this forum so hope this msge gets through.
On a pir or a soon to be condition report from 1st jan 2011. a code 1 or code 2 would class as a fail on your cert. This means that the subject would need urgent attention or requires improvement as is potentially dangerous. If i were carrying out the test it wouldnt fail due to this but i would make a reccomendation to bury the cables a and resite the sockets to a higher position.

quite right , goldie, and welcome to the asylum.

 

[TPES]

Or take them off the wall and mount the sockets upside down. Job done!!

Ha ha, I wouldn't put it past some people

 

[malcolmsanford]

Ha ha, I wouldn't put it past some people

We have to do this all the time over here. A lot of our work is fixing up and wiring these office desk modules which have a skirting type trunking in them and holes for the sockets and a certain type that is corner design we have to reverse the sockets as I have seen lads lift the module to insert the plug.

 

[TPES]

We have to do this all the time over here. A lot of our work is fixing up and wiring these office desk modules which have a skirting type trunking in them and holes for the sockets and a certain type that is corner design we have to reverse the sockets as I have seen lads lift the module to insert the plug.

Are these the recessed sockets that sink into the top of the desk top at the back, you just push down and they pop up? I've seen many of these but never seen any mounted upside down, is it seriously ok to fix sockets upside down then? Am I the only person that sees a problem with this?? I've only ever seen this in houses done by the home owner DIYer

 

[dickuk]

Thanks everyone for all of the updates. I am going to go back to them to challenge the sockets.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Just found this image on google, so coding this a 2 would be a joke? And would be a 4 at most if anything at all.

Common sense should be used on how low they are, each scenario would be different, in my opinion this would be a 2.

To be honest, I would apply a code 2 as well to those socket-outlets in the picture.

 

[waco007]

Regulation 341.1 EWR 1989 requires that, having regard to the frequency and quality of maintenance expected, persons responsible for the design, construction and commissioning of an electrical installation must apply all the relevant requirements of BS 7671. '

This "doesn't apply retrospectively" is nonsense in the truest form of the word. When you I&T an installation it is to the current edition of the regs.
Are you really trying to argue that any deviation in the most current edition of the regs can be ignored just because the installation was built to a previous edition of the regs but does not comply with the current edition?