Fitting an RCCB

[trailerbob]

I am fitting my new 8.5kw shower, plumbing done and the pressure seems to be fine.
Now the electrics, I need to put in a 63A 30mA RCCB which has 1 40A MCB and Earth Terminal. I am assuming that as my existing fuse box has a maximum 32amp circuit I will need to wire the new RCCB from the input of the existing fuse box?
Is it advisable to get in an electrician?

 

[1 interceptor]

Yes, it is advisable to get an electrician in, as it is illegal for you to do this work..

You should look for one that is Part P compliant who can issue you with a certificate once the work is complete, it sounds to me like you may need to upgrade your existing fuse board as you call it, to a MCB board and possibly either have a split load board with things like your shower and sockets protected by the RCCB and lighting not..

If you can afford it, the best option is to get RCBO's as these only trip the faulty circuit and not everything that would be protected by an RCCB.

Hope this helps...........

 

[trailerbob]

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Spark123]

8.5amp or 8.5kw?

 

[ricicle]

Yes, it is advisable to get an electrician in, as it is illegal for you to do this work..

Absolute rubbish.

 

[trailerbob]

Sorry about that it is an 8.5 K.W, I think it works out at 35.6 amps.

 

[bernardgreen]

Yes, it is advisable to get an electrician in, as it is illegal for you to do this work..

Absolute rubbish.

To expand. The work must ( by law ) be done by a person who is competent to do the work correctly and then provide a means to certify the work was done correctly.

 

[1 interceptor]

Thank you Bernardgreen for clarifying the point, obviously some people do not know what the law is for electrics....

this type of ignorance is why the law and Part P regulations were introduced..

 

[dingbat]

You're both wrong.

The law - in this case the Building Regulations - applies to the standard of the work. Not to who may carry it out.

The competent persons schemes merely offer an alternative, for the tradesman, to the standard notification process.

I wish people wouldn't come on here and post up bold, authoritative statements when not in posession of the facts.

 

[1 interceptor]

Sheeesh, im amazed at how the building regs gets us all in a tissy, read the following links, or any other for that matter and it tells you that the work has to be carried out by a competent person, and that is what this is all about.....

Its the building regs that say it has to be done by a competent person, not me...

http://www.braintree.gov.uk/Braintree/planning/buildingcontrol/Build+Part+P.htm

http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=1054

what other facts could you possibly need ?

 

[RF Lighting]

So are you saying that a DIYer can't be a competent person?

com·pe·tent /ˈkɒmpɪtənt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kom-pi-tuhnt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective
1. having suitable or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience, etc., for some purpose; properly qualified: He is perfectly competent to manage the bank branch.
2. adequate but not exceptional.
3. Law. (of a witness, a party to a contract, etc.) having legal competence.
4. Geology. (of a bed or stratum) able to undergo folding without flowage or change in thickness.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME (< AF) < L competent- (s. of competéns, prp. of competere to meet, agree). See compete, -ent]

 

[davelx]

Sheeesh, im amazed at how the building regs gets us all in a tissy, read the following links, or any other for that matter and it tells you that the work has to be carried out by a competent person, and that is what this is all about.....

Its the building regs that say it has to be done by a competent person, not me...

Indeed they do. Unfortunately you are misinterpreting the meaning of "competent person", which is as defined by RF above . It does NOT mean " a member of a Part P Competent Persons Scheme", which is another matter entirely.

 

[trailerbob]

I seem to have opened a can of worms. Sorry about that.

Going back to my first question, if I got or could get a "Part P Qualified Electrician to connect the RCCB I presume I could carry out the rest, wiring to the shower. This will be done using 6mm cable going through a 45amp cord switch in the bathroom.

 

[Adam_151]

obviously some people do not know what the law is for electrics....

Evidently!

 

[Spark123]

The problem with you doing the work will be the notification, you may get an electrician who is a member of a comptent person scheme to install you an additional consumer unit tho he will only certify that he has installed that. The addition of a new circuit and electrical work in a special location are also notifiable works so for what it is worth, it would probably be better to get him to do both. Better to use 10mm for a shower also.