Electrical Connection to Central Heating

[Philneo]

Hi,

Firstly I would like to say that I have been lurking in the background browsing this froum for some time, and on numerous occasions, I have found the information extremely helpful - what an excellent site!

I have registered today as I wondered if you could help me with regards to exactly what a British Gas engineer meant when he fille dout a "Not to Current Standards" form for my mother-in-law yesterday.

Basically, the mains electricity connection to they Gas Fired central heating system is via a plug and switched socket. On the form he has specified that this connection should either be via a plug and NON switched socket, or via a fused spur (no mention of if it should be swiched or not??!). Surely a plug a switched socket is safer than plug and non-swiched socket, or am I missing a more fundamental saftey issue here? I can put in a fused spur, but should it be switched or not?

I have searched the web to see if I can find the regulations he refers to, but to no avail, so hopefully you can come up trumps for me!!

You help is much appreciated!

 

[Bas]

I think its down to a possibility of incorrect wiring where the switch may not isolate the supply and an unsuspecting service engineer could switch off the switch but still end up working on live wires. The fused spur should also be unswitched (I think for the same reason)

 

[Bas]

nb I suppose it would be much simpler to change the existing switched socket for an unswitched one

 

[Philneo]

Thanks for the quick reply. I think I will replace it with an unswitched socket as you suggest!

 

[COG]

As said if you put the switch to off on a plug it will only isolate the L wire and if you have reverse polarity (wires crossed) you would have isolated the N the boiler would seem safe when it is not, a fused spur generally isolates both wires (not always) and a plug removed is definitely isolated.