Lightswitch Wiring Help - 3 gang to 2 gang

[securespark]

Easiest thing is to pay for inspection and see what comes out of it - what the rec's are.

 

[D J Fryer]

secure - is a 'rec' a Regional Electric Company.......i.e. in my case Southern Electric (or Scottish & Southern Electric if that's what they are called now)?

Anyway - just been on the NICEIC website and found a registered firm down the road from me so they are going to come and formally inspect the wiring. Is £100 + vat reasonable for a formal inspection and itemised report (I'll concede that I think it is if he is going to check everything in detail - always good for a 2nd opinion though) ?

 

[dingbat]

Is £100 + vat reasonable for a formal inspection and itemised report.

Yes, very reasonable. Wait till you see all the paperwork!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

secure - is a 'rec' a Regional Electric Company.......i.e. in my case Southern Electric (or Scottish & Southern Electric if that's what they are called now)?

I think he meant recommendations...

 

[D J Fryer]

I think he meant recommendations...

I see, said the blind man

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As in

Easiest thing is to pay for inspection and see what comes out of it - what the recommendations are.

 

[D J Fryer]

Don't worry - got there in the end

I suspect the recommendation will be a full rewire, and to be honest with our first nipper on the way I'd rather get it done now than later. I wish the bathroom and kitchen people had of been honest and said that the electrics needed sorting before getting them done because I have probably, inavdertantly paid them for electrical work that will be undone or modified in the rewire Oh well....!

 

[securespark]

Sorry for any confusion!

REC is regional electricity company
rec is recommendation........

 

[D J Fryer]

No problem - I appreciate all the advice given to be honest (even if you old hands used abbreviations I haven't heard of!) - thanks again

 

[securespark]

Yeah, sorry DJ, Breezer should be along shortly to slap my wrists.....

OUCH!

Told you.....

 

[D J Fryer]

Okay - the initial view is a complete lighting rewire, new split load consumer board desirable but not essential, upgrade earthing on sockets and upgrade earth bonding in a few areas - I've asked the guy for pricing on all the 'essentials' and then additional cost for desirables. I'll then use that to get a second quote and take it from there. Got a good impression of the guy that came though and certainly this site and others online have assisted me in having 'some' idea what he was talking about. Thanks again!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Split-load board is very very desirable - you shouldn't try to save a few quid by not having one. Rolls-Royce solution is a non-RCD CU with RCBOs for each circuit where you want RCD protection, but that is very expensive.

Make sure you end up with a few spare ways on the RCD and non-RCD sides.

 

[D J Fryer]

Am I right in thinking that you have the high current stuff on the RCD side i.e. immersion, electric shower, cooker and the lights and sockets on the non RCD side? How many spare ways would you suggest to allow for future expansion? 2 on each?

 

[breezer]

no, lights are the only thing that should NOT be on the rcd side.

how ever if possible, fridge freezers and the like ideally should be on their own cct and also not on the rcd side.

all ground floor sockets must be on the rcd side as you may plug in say a hedge trimmer and use it in the garden, and ...............

I know, fridges and freezers are usually downstairs

for what an rcd does see here

 

[D J Fryer]

breezer - that makes sense. Presumably it wouldn't be outside of regs to have specific sockets changed for RCD sockets if this was easier. I tend to power all garden tools/pressure washer etc using a RCD adaptor in the socket in the garage so presumably this is still okay?