CU change and 17th edition regs

[DJM]

As some may remember I got some great help here last year when sorting out our kitchen and new CU. Well just about ready for teh next part and looking for some more advice.

We had/have multiple CUs, and when we had teh kitchen fitted we replaced one old one with a large new one with sufficient expansion room for the rest to be moved across in due course. Now we are aiming to get rid of teh old CU and move to the new one, but am concerned about how 17th ed will affect this transfer

All the current cable for the ring finals and the lighting circuits is plastic T+E, and in good condition. However as the house is old, the positioning of sockets etc is close to or on skirting boards. The lighting circuits are all via junction box rather than loop-in at ceiling roses. drops to switches are either plastic conduit or cable plastered into wall.

So in priciple it should be a simple move, but with 17th ed requiring earthed metal conduit or buried in wall up to armpits, will the electrician do the work and sign off based on the circuits being to an old standard, or will he look to re-wire whole house?

 

[BS3036]

I would have thought that the main issue would be that all the circuits moved would need to be RCD protected. As the new CU probably wasn't organised in that way, it may be a question of some RCBOs or a new extra RCD in the CU. The problem with the new RCD is that you lose two MCB positions.

Edit: Unless you could say that it was all part of the original design, of course.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[DJM]

Bonding is fine and I planned the new CU with 17th ed in mind. New CU was populated with RCBOs for circuits installed last year, and will have RCBOs for all circuits transferred which require RCD protection.

My concern is not that the circuits themselves will not test out ok (never certain, but ring finals are defo rings and lighting runs look properly formed) but it's more the physical protection aspects of 17th ed.
I don't want to have to rip out all teh light drops for example just because they are not buried half a yard deep in earther metal conduit.

 

[BS3036]

But surely the RCBOs deal with that. As long as the cables are in safe zones.

 

[DJM]

That would be my understanding, but as I am not a qualified electrician, I was hoping someone could confirm it.

At the end of the day, I want the job done properly, but if moving the circuits requires a significant re-wire due to 17th ed physical protection changes, then it wont happen as we can't afford to do it. Fixing issues found with the current wiring will have to be done ( but I expect few or none), but chasing walls follwed by major redecoration is not something that the family will be able to cope with.

 

[holmslaw]

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[RF Lighting]

It's not nonsense.

It's idiots like you who encourage people to work to outdated wiring practices, leaving potentially unsafe installations.

If you have nothing constructive to say, then don't say anything at all.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Your existing wiring does not have to comply with the 17th nonsense about safe zones and 50mm depth.

Any new wiring would have to be in accordance with this nonsense.

How different is the 17th depth and zone nonsense from that of the 16th?

 

[holmslaw]

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[ban-all-sheds]

And your point is?

 

[holmslaw]

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[RF Lighting]

None in my house.

 

[aptsys]

And none in mine. I still don't get the point you're making...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Some in mine, but I know there aren't any cables there.

But whatever the answer to the question, I still don't see what point you are making.