Fuse board - EICR assessment

[JohnW2]

Properly installed and maintained metal ones are fine.

No matter how properly installed and maintained they may be, that doesn't alter the fact that having lots of earthed metal in close proximity to potentially live parts creates a hazard - particularly (given that this is a DIY forum) in relation to non-electricians who might sometimes be 'fiddling in CUs' without adequate knowledge and/or care. I would personally prefer not to possibly be reliant on paint to save my life!

As I often write, if it hasn't happened already I feel sure that it's only a matter of time before someone dies because a CU was ('unnecessarily') metal ... and, as I recently reminded people, the regulation requiring CUs to be 'non-combustible' (impossible though that is!) is plain daft, anyway, because it does not require any 'fire containment'.

 

[Deleted member 142255]

I don't think that would be a guaranteed solution - we could well find some C&G 2391 'trainers' teaching that plastic CUs should be given C2s!

Since, having not been around this forum for long, you probably are unfamiliar with my personal views about what should be done about EICRs,, so see the very brief summary I've just posted in response to EFLI

Those are your personal views, mine are my professional views.

Edit: Trainers should all train to the same standards.

 

[Deleted member 142255]

No matter how properly installed and maintained they may be, that doesn't alter the fact that having lots of earthed metal in close proximity to potentially live parts creates a hazard - particularly (given that this is a DIY forum) in relation to non-electricians who might sometimes be 'fiddling in CUs' without adequate knowledge and/or care. I would personally prefer not to possibly be reliant on paint to save my life!

As I often write, if it hasn't happened already I feel sure that it's only a matter of time before someone dies because a CU was ('unnecessarily') metal ... and, as I recently reminded people, the regulation requiring CUs to be 'non-combustible' (impossible though that is!) is plain daft, anyway, because it does not require any 'fire containment'.

You could say the same about changing a wheel on your car after a puncture, or many other things that are "unsafe" because of people diying them.

Gas have the right idea by making it a prosecutable offence to interfere if you are not gassafe registered. The same principle should be applied to electrical work, but unfortunately it isn't.

 

[Deleted member 142255]

Many domestic fuseboxes/CU's are installed in cupboards and surrounded by clothing and junk. There is more chance of controlling a fire with a metal cu over a plastic one.

 

[Murdochcat]

Which would render your assessment useless really. You should be assessing against the current version of the regs, not one 10+ years old, so you should hold both up to date 2391 and 18th edition qualifications.

That’s why we have C3’s

 

[Murdochcat]

Many domestic fuseboxes/CU's are installed in cupboards and surrounded by clothing and junk. There is more chance of controlling a fire with a metal cu over a plastic one.

But how many fires are started by CUs?

Never encountered one as yet

The quality of CUs has dropped since about 1990 - they are mainly very poor, encased by plastic or metal - the internal components are 2nd rate to say the very least

 

[Deleted member 142255]

But how many fires are started by CUs?

Never encountered one as yet

The quality of CUs has dropped since about 1990 - they are mainly very poor, encased by plastic or metal - the internal components are 2nd rate to say the very least

Neither have I, but this I found interesting.

UK house fire statistics | How many house fires per year?

Updated for 2024/25, the following fire statistics have been compiled to draw attention to the risks of house fires in the UK.

www.morganclark.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 142255]

Neither have I, but this I found interesting.

UK house fire statistics | How many house fires per year?

Updated for 2024/25, the following fire statistics have been compiled to draw attention to the risks of house fires in the UK.

www.morganclark.co.uk

To qualify that, not in a domestic situation, but I have seen a few in industrial which was where I worked. Luckily they were steel switchboards and db's which gave good containment.

 

[JohnW2]

Those are your personal views, mine are my professional views.

Does that mean that you disagree with my views about EICRs, as summarised above?

Edit: Trainers should all train to the same standards.

"should" is an appropriate word. Don't forget that we are taking about issues in relation to which there is considerable variation in interpretation and views amongst professionals - so I'm not sure what your 'same standards' would be.

 

[Deleted member 142255]

Does that mean that you disagree with my views about EICRs, as summarised above?

To a degree, yes.

"should" is an appropriate word. Don't forget that we are taking about issues in relation to which there is considerable variation in interpretation and views amongst professionals - so I'm not sure what your 'same standards' would be.

The standard set by City and Guilds.

Trainers should all be working to the same guidelines and itinerary as they do with gassafe. Personal thoughts should not come into it. If the training and examination was all to be set to the same level and enforced the variation in interpretation would vastly be reduced.

You already saw the comment from @ericmark that he would be assessing to a standard from 2008 not 2018 with amendments which would cause massive confusion as the standard he would be using is so out of date.

 

[JohnW2]

Neither have I, but this I found interesting.

As I wrote in a recent thread, it seems almost inconceivable that LFB are correct in claiming (in their article proclaiming the upcoming requirement for 'non-combustible' domestic CUs) that domestic fires originating in CUs increased 5-fold during the period 2009-2014. As I wrote, I can but presume that, for whatever reason, LFB became 5 times more likely to attribute fires to CUs during that period!

 

[JohnW2]

To a degree, yes.

So you wouldn't like to see strict regulation of who could (and could not) undertake EICRs?

Trainers should all be working to the same guidelines ...

But who's 'guidelines'? As I said, at present there are no mandatory 'rules' about the coding of EICRs and, whether you lioke it or not, the views of professionals, and of organisations, vary.

You already saw the comment from @ericmark that he would be assessing to a standard from 2008 not 2018 with amendments which would cause massive confusion as the standard he would be using is so out of date.

True - and he is a well-qualified 'professional' - but, not the least for the reason you give. probably should not be allowed to undertake EEICRs.

 

[Deleted member 142255]

So you wouldn't like to see strict regulation of who could (and could not) undertake EICRs?

Yes, I would like to see it as I said, tightened up like gassafe.

But who's 'guidelines'? As I said, at present there are no mandatory 'rules' about the coding of EICRs and, whether you lioke it or not, the views of professionals, and of organisations, vary.

City and Guilds (or whatever examining body was chosen) should set the standards along with the IET. As the IET publish the regs they should also have access to the appropriate examining body resource to ensure consistency throughout the trade. NICEIC, Elecsa etc should all have to conform to that standard or lose their licenses.

 

[Deleted member 142255]

True - and he is a well-qualified 'professional' - but, not the least for the reason you give. probably should not be allowed to undertake EEICRs.

But like many others his qualifications are well out of date. Mine are reasonably close, I have 18th edition but not the latest. NICEIC used to insist that your qualifications were kept up to date to hold the title of Qualified Supervisor which I held for some years.

I was also MIET for about 15 years.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Mine are reasonably close, I have 18th edition but not the latest.

Doesn't that just mean you can read a book?