Pic of the week

[mywetpants]

I know how you forumites love pics, so here goes mine.

This is a pic of my bro's fuseboard. I have the pleasure of rewiring his house from scratch with a brand new Wylex NHRS12SL at the heart of the system. Now we've called the suppliers and they will be fitting an isolator tomorrow. When asked about the earth clamp on the incoming supply (or lack of) they said it was the responsibility of the electrician.

Not being funny, but I'm not touching the incoming supply.

Anyways, the new fuseboard comes with 1xB40, 4xB32, 2xB16 and 3xB6. it also comes with an 80A 30mA RCD. As I'm rewiring from scratch, what circuits would you seasoned pro's have?

 

[JohnD]

I'm surprised you didn't ask the supplier to provide PME. If it had been booked in, it could probably have been done at the same time as fitting the isolator, and saved time and cost. Provide an earth block and some 16m G&Y for them to connect, otherwise they will just connect your old wire and seal the terminal so you can't change it.

Looks like you need to provide new (bigger) meter tails. 25mm is usual these days. If you provide them, I expect you can get the fitters to insrtall then to the new isolator (if not they will probably just re-use those old undersized ones)

 

[ricicle]

Anyways, the new fuseboard comes with 1xB40, 4xB32, 2xB16 and 3xB6. it also comes with an 80A 30mA RCD. As I'm rewiring from scratch, what circuits would you seasoned pro's have?

If you are attempting this job you should at least have some idea, due to the specific demands of the user

 

[mywetpants]

I should have asked for PME actually, I wasn't thinking.

I've got new metre tails already - 25mm harmanised colours - and an 8-way earth block, so I'll see if they can connect it up.

Demands - downstairs & upstairs sockets and lights - 4 circuits. plus smoke detectors. that's it. But I've got 10MCBs.

 

[JohnD]

RCD
Upstairs sockets
Downstairs sockets
Dedicated circuit for utility room or kitchen where the washer and drier are
Outdoor socket
circuit for loft
electric shower (if any)
RCD circuit for bathroom (for future requirement) including lighting

Non RCD
Upstairs lights
downstairs lights
Outdoor lights
dedicated radial for freezer
Immersion heater circuit (or boiler on an RCBO as it will one day give nuisance trips from water leak)
Alarms
Cooker(s)

Have you notified your BCO?

 

[mywetpants]

I haven't notified Building Control as yet. I wanted to use this as my major works so NIC can verify it allowing me to join their domestic installers scheme.

 

[Cremeegg]

Asking questions like what circuits should I have - this should ensure the NICEIC assessor has you for breakfast.

 

[securespark]

Isn't the supply TN-S at the moment?

Isn't that an earth connection to the sheath?

In which case, the DNO have a responsibility to maintain it.

What's your Ze?

If it's > 0.8, you can ask them to rectify it.

 

[mywetpants]

We all start from somewhere and as my background is in accounts not engineering, I figure this could be a personal challenge.

There is an earth connection, but aren't current standards 16mm? I can't test the Ze but as soon as the CU and circuits are in, then I can test. I was thinking about picking up the Fluke 1651 to do this.

 

[equitum]

I haven't notified Building Control as yet. I wanted to use this as my major works so NIC can verify it allowing me to join their domestic installers scheme.

No, thats a mistake. Once the work is completed you won't be able to issue a EIC as you won't be part of a self cert scheme(even if the NICEIC inspection is OK), and the building control won't issue a completion cert as you didn't notifiy them before starting work, so you will end up with a non compliant, illegal installation.

Notify BCO now, and do the job properly. You can then demonstrate to the NICEIC that you are aware of the part p requirements and process.

 

[DESL]

Once the work is completed you won't be able to issue a EIC as you won't be part of a celf sert scheme

You do not need to belong to a scheme to be able to issue EIC

 

[equitum]

Once the work is completed you won't be able to issue a EIC as you won't be part of a celf sert scheme

You do not need to belong to a scheme to be able to issue EIC

True, my nan could issue one. But as its notifiable work it would be meaningless. It would not comply with part p. Should have stated that you would not be able to gain a Building Completion Certificate from BCO.

 

[Spark123]

Issuing an EIC is part of complying with BS7671.

 

[equitum]

Issuing an EIC is part of complying with BS7671.

I know and accept that, see above. My point is that the work the OP intends undertaking would not be compliant with Part P regardless of whether the NICEIC inspect his work as part of his application to join their scheme, unless he notifies BCO first, for two reasons:

a) They (NICEIC) are not inspecting the installation, they are assessing the applicant

b)Even if he is subsequently accepted by the NICEIC he would not have been part of the scheme at the time of the installation. You can't retrospectively submit the work past 30 days, and I know how slow the NICEIC enrolment process is!

If he doesn't notify first then he will NEVER be (legally) be able to gain a Completion Certificate in accordance with Part P for this work.

 

[Chri5]

Your correct, but there's been a fair few that hood wink the system and avoid the LBC, use the site as assessment and then retrospectively submit EIC to the scheme provider nominated, post the assessment.


Now I'm not say this is right, but when the assessment by the scheme provider is done they never ask for any details regarding working inside the part P rules and showing evidence of LBC involvement.

So the £200-£300 LBC charge is saved and the rules bent a wee bit.

Post where DISQ's have paid the LBC to monitor the job and then use the job as an assessment site all suggest that the LBC tend to consider these jobs money for nothing.

The LBC knows that the job will be the subject of a through 3rd party assessment by the DISQ scheme provider, since this beyond the skill sets of the (average) LBC staff this means they do nothing- other than make punitive charges for no effort back.

Add in that most assessment sites will be non commercial (own house, best mates, mums, brothers etc) in that no real profit will be made and you can understand why some choose to ignore the LBC notification and costs when the job will be a flagship one due to the installer wanting to be 1000% above the line to pass his / her assessment.