What cert does a new consumer unit require?

[tonys]

tips on "grey areas" in this sparky world

Don't forget to notify Local Building Control if you are not registered with a part p scheme provider lol

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I've spent the last 30 years not worth my salt.

 

[tonys]

I've spent the last 30 years not worth my salt.

Does he know you then lol

 

[tony mc]

It would be better to do a PIR before every CU change I agree but IMO I can't see customers coughing up for it.

Does't the best practice guide state record on the EIC any defects or faults found on connecting the new CU ,it also makes mention to make arrangements with the electricity supplier for the cut out fuse to be withdrawn.

Now I know everyone does that (dont they)

​

 

[DaveyD]

"Suggest a PIR on existing installation" on the cert for any connected circuits I'm not working on.

However, Just a thoght ... I wonder if the customer expects a check if they are getting a new CU. If I was gettting a new boiler fitted I would expect the plumber to check that everything is right before he connected existing rads up.

 

[tonys]

Are people not confident enough to do a 20 minute visual for defects, strip a domestic fuse-board or consumer unit out, mount a new unit and test the circuits, ie end of line, R1+R2 at each socket, IR etc as they put them away.

All this pir lark before a board update etc is a nonsense, if an installation is that bad, deteriorated and antiquated you would not even attempt to change a board.

I'm running ads tomorrow and going to start taking some of these board changes, doddle and easy money. Certs won't be a problem, my friend wants me back on his company doing the QS bit again, NICEIC Approved Fullscope.

 

[rocker]

You do that, tony, and see what happens when you're chucking a new board together, you come to the last circuit and find massive IR issues. See what happens when you tell the customer you are going to be charging your fault-finding hourly/half hourly/whatever charge to look for it.

See what happens when you ask the wholesaler to give you a refund on the board you've already taken the knock-outs out of, mounted to a wall and then removed because the customer told you to put it back as it was and do one.

Must be a skill you aquire when you get a gold jib card, being able to tell the state of a full installation by glancing at it.


As for me, I wouldn't do a full PIR wiithout being paid for it, I do suggest it where I think it's needed on a board change, but I DO do a quick IR soft test and a quick Zs on each circuit, preferably when I'm quoting, to make sure we aren't going to get the board on and have problems. If there are issues, I explain to the customer they need sorting, this will be done before the board change, it will cost so much and the board is so much on top. I have to do this as I haven't got my JIB psychic card yet, but I am confident I can do a couple of simple tests without massively inconveniencing the customer.

 

[DurhamSparky]

must admit i have started to give a quick test to the circuits when quoting unless i can see its a well maintained system in need of a update!

niceic qs!!! nuff said!

 

[tonys]

Rocker

Not going to get into the ins and outs on a forum, because its hard work, but I'm very flexible and can get round issues on domestic installations.

Ive got the experience to not worry about trivial things, if I was charging say £290/£300 for a board change, within the cost of what say £210 for labour, I would have enough time left on the job and could find some spare materials to put things right.

Nothing to do with a JIB Gold Card, all about years of experience working in all kind of situations and conditions, you believe what you want I believe in what I know.

Don't know about you, but like Ive said in other posts, the domestic side of the industry paid for my house, now that takes a lot of rewires. upgrades, kitchens, bathrooms, board changes, periodics, so I do have a feel about things and pretty confident in what I do.

Some jobs you can hurt for money others you have to swallow, that's why Ive got what Ive got even though I moan, but I still take the 6 weeks kids school holidays off (summer) to fish and lay about and spend time with the family.

 

[DurhamSparky]

Some jobs you can hurt for money others you have to swallow, that's why Ive got what Ive got even though I moan, but I still take the 6 weeks kids school holidays off (summer) to fish and lay about and spend time with the family.

we can all aspire to that!!

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The discussion about what tests etc. to do when changinga CU/DB seems to never really end.
I always wonder why the change is being made, and how the decision to change it was determined?
Do customers really phone up requesting their board be changed, nothing else just the board?

 

[rocker]

Well if you're confident to do it then great, I thought you'd said before that you don't really bother with domestic and are only thinking about doing it recently, but I must have read wrong.

Also thought it was you saying you werent going to bother notifying jobs but I must be thinking of someone else again as you're a qualified supervisor, so I apologise for being a bit snippy.

You've obvioiusly been pretty successful, as Steve-o says it's something we can aspire to rather than the usual stories of honest hard work for no return, getting ripped off, passed over for crap cheap work, non payers etc.

As you say it's all experience, I suppose we never stop learning. Right now I'm experienced enough to know faults can be where you least expect them, but not experienced enough to not worry about the time I'd have to spend fixing them.

 

[BluSparx]

The discussion about what tests etc. to do when changinga CU/DB seems to never really end.
I always wonder why the change is being made, and how the decision to change it was determined?
Do customers really phone up requesting their board be changed, nothing else just the board?

Believe it or not I just had a customer call today and say "i have just bought a house I don't like rewireable fuse boards can you upgrade it to one of those new ones" oh and I need it relocating as its in the kitchen cupboard - UNDER THE SINK - yes UNDER THE SINK

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Sounds to me like a complete re-wire is on the cards.

 

[rocker]

The discussion about what tests etc. to do when changinga CU/DB seems to never really end.
I always wonder why the change is being made, and how the decision to change it was determined?
Do customers really phone up requesting their board be changed, nothing else just the board?

They do sometimes, not that often. Sometimes it comes from customer wanting work done elsewhere which will require RCD protection. Other times you are doing something poncey like a new light pendant and they have an old 3036 board, so you explain the benefits of RCD protection, 17th boards etc etc. Don't be pushy about it, if they don't want it they don't want it, but I always mention it when I think it would benefit them. Most of the time it goes in one ear and out the other, but sometimes they think it's a good idea, so they get a much safer installation and a full electrical test, and you get a days work. Everybody's happy.