Certification dilemma

[pdhan]

I just had the electrics for my new shower pump installed by a competent but unregistered person. He added it to the water heater circuit in the airing cupboard and it runs from there into the kitchen to the switch. The shower pump is located in the bathroom.

I know I can't have this certified by an electrician as they didn't carry out the work themselves. My question is if the work is notifiable if he moves the switch to the airing cupboard too? (I know some works need to be notified just because they're in the kitchen or bathroom.)

Building control charges almost £300(!) for regularisation and I don't think a London sparky would charge much less for redoing the installation.

Thanks for any advice

 

[EFLImpudence]

Whereabouts in the bathroom are the pump, wiring and accessories?

If it is under the bath and only accessible by means of a tool (to remove panel, for example) then it is considered 'outside the zones' and as such not notifiable.

However, your unregistered electrician should have tested and issued a certificate.

 

[pdhan]

thanks for your quick reply.

Yes the pump is under the bath behind a panel, the cable from it runs through the wall to the on/off switch in the kitchen (back of sink cabinet). This is then connected back through the same wall the other way into the cupboard with the water heater.

So if the cabling is running behind cables unexposed it is not considered to be in a 'special location'? Would the switch still be classified as being in the zone though? I believe that adding to an existing circuit is non-notifiable but a new circuit is.

The installation is tested and perfectly valid, installed by my brother who is an electrical engineer but not registered in this country so can't issue a cert.

 

[davelx]

The installation is tested and perfectly valid, installed by my brother who is an electrical engineer but not registered in this country so can't issue a cert.

He doesn't have to be registered to issue an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Works Certificate as required to comply with the UK wiring regulations. Anyone competent can do that. Forms can be downloaded from the IET web site.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

what type of water heating circuit has the shower pump been added to? As water heaters fitted to storage cisterns in excess of 15 litres, should be on an independent/dedicated circuit, nothing added to it.

 

[EFLImpudence]

independent/dedicated circuit, nothing added to it.

It doesn't say 'independent'. It does say 'dedicated'.

They're not the same thing.

There's nothing wrong with an immersion (13A) and a shower pump (1A?) being on the same 16A circuit.

 

[pdhan]

He doesn't have to be registered to issue an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Works Certificate as required to comply with the UK wiring regulations. Anyone competent can do that. Forms can be downloaded from the IET web site.

Didn't know that, very helpful thanks.

what type of water heating circuit has the shower pump been added to? As water heaters fitted to storage cisterns in excess of 15 litres, should be on an independent/dedicated circuit, nothing added to it.

I guess this could be an additional issue then as it's a 200 l cylinder. However I never use it as there's an economy 7 heater too which does all the work. Is this regulations or good practice? Would it be flagged in a PRI?

 

[pdhan]

independent/dedicated circuit, nothing added to it.

It doesn't say 'independent'. It does say 'dedicated'.

They're not the same thing.

There's nothing wrong with an immersion (13A) and a shower pump (1A?) being on the same 16A circuit.

Cheers, it's a 5A pump - will check with him what the circuit is

 

[EFLImpudence]

Cheers, it's a 5A pump - will check with him what the circuit is

That's a big one.

What is the wattage? Are you meaning it has a 5A fuse?

 

[pdhan]

Cheers, it's a 5A pump - will check with him what the circuit is

That's a big one.

What is the wattage? Are you meaning it has a 5A fuse?

Indeed I am yes - obviously not very competent myself! It's 2.8A with a 5A fuse, 640W. On a 16A dedicated water heater circuit so I guess that's enough then.

So for the self cert to be valid only the switch (currently in the kitchen) needs to be moved?

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's 2.8A with a 5A fuse, 640W. On a 16A dedicated water heater circuit so I guess that's enough then.

That should be alright - assuming it's done correctly.

So for the self cert to be valid only the switch (currently in the kitchen) needs to be moved?

Switch in the kitchen is fine.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

independent/dedicated circuit, nothing added to it.

It doesn't say 'independent'. It does say 'dedicated'.

They're not the same thing.

There's nothing wrong with an immersion (13A) and a shower pump (1A?) being on the same 16A circuit.

so what does "should be supplied by their own separate circuit" mean?

 

[EFLImpudence]

so what does "should be supplied by their own separate circuit" mean?

If you mean an immersion, where does it say that?

If you mean the pump, are they suggesting a new circuit must be run?

As it is, the immersion and pump are supplied by their own separate and dedicated circuit.

 

[JohnW2]

so what does "should be supplied by their own separate circuit" mean?

If you mean an immersion, where does it say that?

AFAIAA, 'it' (the regs) doesn't. About the nearest I'm aware of are notes (ii) and (iii) to Fig 15A in ('informative') Appendix 15. However, they merely say that (in order to avoid overloading circuits for long periods) cookers, ovens and hobs rated >2kW should have 'their own dedicated radial circuit', and that immersions heaters and similar should not be supplied from a ring final circuit.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Taylortwocities]

Dop check the installation instructions for the pump and see if an RCD must be fitted. Most pump manufacturers mandate this.

Many immersion heater circuits are not RCD protected.