GasSafe man told me they that they can only connect onto the output terminal of an existing FSU, not install a new one or even unscrew it - by law. He was adamant they cannot run a cable back to a CU or anything like that. I am unaware of any such law.
Can they can't they
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Well a new circuit (which is what you describe) means Part P notification
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They’re not notifiable unless in a special location, however they may have to have a minor works certificate?
Notification is nothing to do with Part P.
People say all sorts of stupid things.
'Cannot' could also mean he doesn't know how.
This is the law: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/635/contents/made
Anyone working on electrical equipment or electrical systems needs to comply with that legislation, which has been in force for 30 years.
If 'GasSafe man' isn't competent to work within the law prior to a fused connection unit, they are not competent to work on things connected after it either.
The presence of a FCU or how things are connected to it is irrelevant.
Notification, Part P and building regulations in general are unrelated.
Anyone working on electrical equipment or electrical systems needs to comply with that legislation, which has been in force for 30 years.
If 'GasSafe man' isn't competent to work within the law prior to a fused connection unit, they are not competent to work on things connected after it either.
The presence of a FCU or how things are connected to it is irrelevant.
Notification, Part P and building regulations in general are unrelated.
Competent is what your results are.
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As has been said 'cannot' can mean lots of things.
If, as one would imagine, 'running a cable back to the CU' would be 'creating a new circuit', then anyone competent to do it safely (even a DIYer) could do it, but since it would be notifiable work, and given that the GasSafe man presumably is not a member of an (electrical) 'self-certification' Scheme, you would end up having to pay potentially £hundreds in notification fees.
Where does it state that a FCU is a line that you cannot pass? Flameport gave the regs with them not saying anything of the sort.
You could argue that a wire onwards to a boiler from an FCU (double pole) is a circuit in itself. It even has fuse protection for that circuit. As does a circuit from CU. As a does a circuit from a main fuse. There is something upstream from them.
You could argue that a wire onwards to a boiler from an FCU (double pole) is a circuit in itself. It even has fuse protection for that circuit. As does a circuit from CU. As a does a circuit from a main fuse. There is something upstream from them.
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Although the regs which flameport cited certainly apply in such cases, electrical work also has to comply with the Wiring Regulations (BS7671) and the Building Regs (in regard to 'Part P' and the rules concerning notification).
Indeed - and that is, in fact, what the BS7671 definition of 'a circuit' says. However, it is generally agreed that, for the purpose of the Building Regs (i.e. whether or not work is notifiable) it 'was never intended' that adding things downstream of a FCU (which is fed from an 'existing circuit') should count as "creating a new circuit" - otherwise a vast number of additional things would become notifiable.
Anything connected to a 'new' (not previously in use) fuse/MCB/RCBO in a CU counts as a 'new circuit', hence notifiable. If the fuse/MCB/RCBO was already in use (supply some circuit), then connecting something additional to it would qualify as adding a spur/branch to an existing circuit, and would therefore would not be notifiable.
Generally agreeing is not the written law. That is moving the goalposts to suit. BS7671 says a new circuit, as you wrote - that is firm then.
BS7671 says that the wire from FCU to a boiler, is a new circuit.
If a Gasman is competent to wire up from the FCU to the boiler, he can also do the same from the CU. Flameport homed in on that.
Fair enough. If you want to work to the letter of the law, as written (which I agree is as you say), then connecting something via a newly installed FCU (fed from an existing circuit) is notifiable - and I don't suppose that a LA would decline to take a few hundred quid off you if you wanted to notify it.
Flameport indicated that he would be compliant with one law (EAWR) if he were competent to do it - but that doesn't remove the need to notify notifiable work (and pay the notification fee) as required by another law (the Building Regulations).
I was chatting a while back with a guy at an IET lecture about, amongst other things, the description of a new circuit.
He described connecting to a vacant FCU as being identical to connecting to a vacant fuse/MCB in a CU, especially if the CU is a submain.
He described connecting to a vacant FCU as being identical to connecting to a vacant fuse/MCB in a CU, especially if the CU is a submain.
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