Consumer unit not 17th edition edition

[intamixx]

Hello,
I have just had an Eicr done as I'm letting out the house.
The electrician has stated the following points as c2. My consumer unit apparently is an old Wylex one.
- consumer unit not 17th edition.
- consumer unit main switch is 100ma
- cooker switches wall socket outlet only on 100ma
- circuit 1-3 on 100ma rcd

Do I really need to get a new consumer unit? Will the old consumer have a high risk to catch fire easily?
Thanks.

 

[Taylortwocities]

When a EICR is done, the report is madfe against today's regulations.
There is no need to update an existing installation to meet the new regs.

If you are having new work done (are you? if so, what?) then the new work must comply with today's regulations. This may require an update of some of teh installation.

Your old Wylex has been there for several decades. Is hasn't caught fire in all that time and there is no more chance of it catching fire in the future.

 

[ericmark]

I have two old Wylex consumer units each fed from a 30 mA RCD and until Jan this year it complied with all regulations. However with a single unit although in theroy possible in practice easier to fit a new consumer unit. Code 2 was requires improvement but now it means "Potential dangerous" although the absence of RCD protection can be seen as "Potential dangerous" having 100 mA instead of 30 mA the Best Practice Guide Issue 4 states that use of the old Wylex consumer unit should not warrant a classification code.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Will the old consumer have a high risk to catch fire easily?

No, but in my opinion your duty of care towards your tenants means that you should improve the RCD protection to 30mA.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thanks, BAS. I missed the bit about him/her letting the property.

I agree.

 

[Spark123]

Is the cooker socket outlet near an outside door?

 

[Risteard]

Hello,
I have just had an Eicr done as I'm letting out the house.
The electrician has stated the following points as c2. My consumer unit apparently is an old Wylex one.
- consumer unit not 17th edition.
- consumer unit main switch is 100ma
- cooker switches wall socket outlet only on 100ma
- circuit 1-3 on 100ma rcd

Do I really need to get a new consumer unit? Will the old consumer have a high risk to catch fire easily?
Thanks.

If those are actually listed as Observations on the Report then it leaves a lot to be desired as it should only mention specific non-compliances with Regulations. (There is no such thing as a "17th Edition consumer unit" for example - there are merely Requirements in the 17th Edition with which an installation should comply.)

 

[intamixx]

The electrician was Part P and in there for an hour. I have paid 95 plus VAT. The house is a 3 bedroom end of terrace.
I found the electrician online via his professional looking website as he was local to the area.
I attach a picture of the consumer unit. There is no outside socket.
See attached image of report listing issues and consumer unit.
Report summary was "Original wiring is in good condition however upgrade works are required and other remedial works."

 

[securespark]

He didn't say anything about the missing flap on the CU.

Also, it looks like those cover fixing screws are not secured.

What is the "water board"?

The incoming supply cable is the DNO's responsibility.

What does "socket in kitchen has only 1 x 25mm twin" mean?

Could he possibly mean 2.5mm²? Are not sockets allowed to be fed via one 2.5mm² cable?

What does "earth continuity tested of nearest socket" mean? There is no code for that.

It is a very sloppy report. Stop your payment and demand a proper report.

 

[Risteard]

Also lack of supplementary bonding where there is no additional protection by a 30mA RCD is a bit more serious than "C3".

Very, very poor Report. Earths (sic) - I presume he means cpcs - twisted together in the distribution board may be a crap practice but you would struggle to find a prohibition.

 

[Risteard]

The incoming supply cable is the DNO's responsibility.

In fairness you are now supposed to comment on its condition for an EICR.

 

[intamixx]

I will try and post the masked full report later on with a better picture of the consumer unit when I go there later today to put in the gas / water earth bonding.
I do not know what a water board is aswell, I think its supposed to say water bond?
There is also an earth rod on the outside of the wall behind the consumer unit. See picture, what is it? and what is it there for? The earth wire is attached to the consumer unit, so should I still do the gas / water bonding?

Thanks.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The electrician was Part P and in there for an hour.

As an aside, Part P is a Building Regulation, not an electrical qualification.

And there is no guarantee that the guy had any skills, experience or qualifications relevant to carrying out inspections.

I have paid 95 plus VAT.

Ah - peanuts and monkeys, monkeys and peanuts.....

I found the electrician online via his professional looking website

Anybody can get one of those. You could, for a few £'00 and some photos stolen from other sites on the internet. (Yes, people do).

For £114 you have to decide if it's worth your time and effort to take the guy to court to try and get it back, or just chalk it up to experience and a reminder that there is more than a grain of truth in the old saying "good work isn't cheap and cheap work isn't good".

 

[ban-all-sheds]

twisted together in the distribution board may be a crap practice but you would struggle to find a prohibition.

134.1.1

 

[EFLImpudence]

Also lack of supplementary bonding where there is no additional protection by a 30mA RCD is a bit more serious than "C3".

Only if it is actually required.

He says "No SB in bathroom" - perhaps it is elsewhere.