Why to change a consumer unit ?

[Jak1708]

Hi all

obviously sounds like a stupid question but couldent think of anything else as a title

basically i am wanting to train as an electrician and have now got my 17th edition passed, i work as a kitchen fitter with my dad at the minute and we needed electrical work done so (as im not yet registered) we got our normal sparky to do the job but he said he couldent do the job unless the CU was updated to comply with 17th regs so i was curious and had a look at it, the only thing i could see was wrong was that the bathroom and all sockets weren't RCD protected and surely it would of just been cheaper to put RCD's in the board ?

am i right and our spark was just blagging for more work or is it better to change the whole unit if it doesent comply with 17th edition?

thanks again all !

Jack

 

[redecs]

If hes only working on the one circuit that thats all hes giving a certificate for (minor works) and as long as the earthing is up to standard the rest of the installation has nothing to do with him and i think hes trying to do you.

 

[Mac]

What type have you there already.May need a PIR on it

 

[Tag]

If hes only working on the one circuit that thats all hes giving a certificate for (minor works) and as long as the earthing is up to standard the rest of the installation has nothing to do with him and i think hes trying to do you.

But he has become the duty holder. If he sees something that is not safe he has to rectify it doesn't he?


Mac, could you clarify what a 'PIR' is? I'm guessing that if the board doesn't have any RCD at all then it should be updated, especially if their rewirable...

 

[Spudnik]

Its only the circuit that is worked on that needs to be updated to 17th.

One way to get over this is to whip the tails out of the old CU and run them through a standalone CU with an RCD main switch or RCBO's.

As long as ME and bonding are up to scratch.

 

[Mac]

But he has become the duty holder. If he sees something that is not safe he has to rectify it doesn't he?


Mac, could you clarify what a 'PIR' is? I'm guessing that if the board doesn't have any RCD at all then it should be updated, especially if their rewirable...

a PIR is a Perodic Inspection Report.If the board is rewireable it will need a PIR done on it,and it sounds like the board will need changing to comply with the 17th,especially if there is no RCD protection on the circuits.

 

[Jak1708]

hi all

thanks for the replies just to let you know the cu looked fine and the fuses werent rewirable if that helps and the customer said he had no problems with anythign electrical in the house,

the kitchen already had 2 sockets in there (really old) so he had to extend the ring and include a few more sockets, spur off for a cooker mains and extractor mains and do some lighting for us to,

in the regs it does say that all sockets have to be 30Ma RCD protected so if he had just fitted the kitchen wiring and not updated the cu would he then be breaking regulation ? did he really HAVE to update it ? seems to be mixed oppinions

thanks again for the help !

 

[Mac]

Probably the single most important change in the 17th Edition - in terms of the domestic sector - is the new requirement for additional protection by the use of Residual Current Devices (RCDs), or Residual Current Devices with Overcurrent Protection (RCBOs). These now need to be provided to nearly all circuits within dwellings - at least, all those for use by 'ordinary persons' i.e. a person who is not a skilled or instructed person.

 

[Tag]

......... Include a few more sockets, spur off for a cooker mains and..........

he did what????

 

[Jak1708]

the gas cooker needed elec for ignition i think, that "he did wat ??" didnt sound good though ?

 

[Tag]

cooker needed elec for ignition

ohhhhh thought you was talking about an electric cooker lol

 

[Mac]

the kitchen already had 2 sockets in there (really old) so he had to extend the ring and include a few more sockets, spur off for a cooker mains and extractor mains and do some lighting for us to,
This is what you wrote mate.
Sounds like the kitchen needs a complete rewire IMO

 

[Jak1708]

lol ye true it probably did actually,

so from everything thats been said would it be right to say that it is not REGULATION to change the board but seen as the 17th has brought this rcd requirement in if we do any work on a customers house it would be in the customer safest interest to have the cu chnaged to comply and therefore protecting there house further with the rcd's but if the customer either refuses or simply cant afford it we can still work on the electrics without breaking any regs or laws ?

 

[Mac]

Any circuits you work on,especially the kitchen need to be RCD protected.I will look up the reg and quote it in a bit.

 

[Jak1708]

a ha ! legend cheers mac !

that does help loads !