Fused Spur for Boiler

[picasso]

I dont know why BG are insisting on a fused spur, vaillant mi,s ask for a plug and unswitched socket or a fused spur, on a side note I would upgrade to a 28kw combi, the 24 is underpowered in my umble opinion.

 

[gasbanni]

pennys worth ; had a similar dicussion with a sparky mate cos had a dispute with another sparky on a job that I was paying for.

Sparky mate asks question of some trainer and knowlegable guy he respects

ansa came back : fixed appliance must be on fused switch unit NOT A PLUG !!

 

[electronicsuk]

pennys worth ; had a similar dicussion with a sparky mate cos had a dispute with another sparky on a job that I was paying for.

Sparky mate asks question of some trainer and knowlegable guy he respects

ansa came back : fixed appliance must be on fused switch unit NOT A PLUG !!

You'd be surprised how many of college lecturers and the like don't know what they're talking about - did your sparky mate ask this chap to point out the regulation that covers this? There is a recommendation that fixed appliances over 2kW are wired to their own dedicated circuit, but that's about as close as it gets. A boiler certainly wouldn't qualify.

That's not to say that I think plug and socket is a good method for feeding fixed appliances, because it isn't. As a previous poster pointed out, it's shabby and a bit of a DIY effort, but it isn't strictly forbidden by BS7671.

 

[Corgigrouch]

According to table 53.2 a plug and switched socket outlet is acceptable.... However I too have always been told that both poles had to be isolated...

 

[DP]

But both the conductors are disconnected when plug withdrawn. No question whatsoever of a faulty switch staying connected with rocker switch in off position.

 

[jimhet]

We've been down this road before, the contact gap in the switch of a fused spur is at most 3mm [ 1/8th of an inch in old money] maybe less in cheaper makes, in the not uncommon event of a switched spur being connected incorrectly, [ live in N terminal and Neutral in L terminal] then
regardless of the switch being in the off position and the fuse in the spur
being removed, any poor soul working on the boiler is approx 3mm away from a wooden overcoat. Its a no brainer.

 

[Corgigrouch]

I suppose that is why you need to know what you are doing to work on electrics.... You are expected to verify that the circuit that you are about to work on is indeed off... 3mm is enough for 240v .

 

[CMairiD]

Since we are on the subject, is a non-contact pen-type voltage tester a worthwhile investment?

 

[electronicsuk]

Since we are on the subject, is a non-contact pen-type voltage tester a worthwhile investment?

Depends what you plan to use it for. They certainly aren't good enough for use in proving safe isolation, although they can be handy in identifying switching circuits and the like where one would prefer not to break into a cable.

 

[CMairiD]

Since we are on the subject, is a non-contact pen-type voltage tester a worthwhile investment?

Depends what you plan to use it for. They certainly aren't good enough for use in proving safe isolation, although they can be handy in identifying switching circuits and the like where one would prefer not to break into a cable.

Might I ask why they aren't safe for proving and what would you suggest to prove safe isolation of a boiler?

 

[DP]

It is a great faultfinding tool but i would still use other means of voltage varification if I was goilng to handle bare conductors

 

[daneski88]

It is a great faultfinding tool but i would still use other means of voltage varification if I was goilng to handle bare conductors

I agree. I'd be more inclined to use it to check the power was on rather than rely on it being off, if you catch my drift

 

[electronicsuk]

Since we are on the subject, is a non-contact pen-type voltage tester a worthwhile investment?

Depends what you plan to use it for. They certainly aren't good enough for use in proving safe isolation, although they can be handy in identifying switching circuits and the like where one would prefer not to break into a cable.

Might I ask why they aren't safe for proving and what would you suggest to prove safe isolation of a boiler?

It's mostly commonsense. I have a volt stick/pen (call it what you will) in my tool kit, and as I said before, it's an excellent way of identifying cables without having to break into them, such as light switch drops and the like. However, I also know that it is not a reliable way of testing for live voltages.

More importantly, I don't believe that single pole volt sticks or neon screwdrivers are recognised by the HSE's guidance note GS38 "on the selection of suitable test probes, leads, lamps, voltage-indication devices and other measurement equipment used by electricians working on or investigating power circuits not exceeding a rated 650 volts".

What you should be using is something more like this 2-pole tester:

 

[slinger1953]

picasso. and everyone,

Thank you for your interest, for nearly 25 years I have had the same boiler, a Glow-worm Fuel saver 35F, purely for the central heating.
The total output required for that boiler, for the radiators was 33780btu. and it has always been very reliable.
When the BG engineer came to give us a quote for a new boiler, it was he that suggested the Vallant EcoTec Pro 24kw High Efficiency Condensing Combi Boiler.
Are you suggesting that the Valiant 24kw would not be as capable as our current Glow-worm?
Before anyone asks, we have two boilers installed, one for central heating, the other, a Medway Super for hot water, installed a couple of years before we had the central heating.

 

[twgas]

picasso. and everyone,

Thank you for your interest, for nearly 25 years I have had the same boiler, a Glow-worm Fuel saver 35F, purely for the central heating.
The total output required for that boiler, for the radiators was 33780btu. and it has always been very reliable.
When the BG engineer came to give us a quote for a new boiler, it was he that suggested the Vallant EcoTec Pro 24kw High Efficiency Condensing Combi Boiler.
Are you suggesting that the Valiant 24kw would not be as capable as our current Glow-worm?
Before anyone asks, we have two boilers installed, one for central heating, the other, a Medway Super for hot water, installed a couple of years before we had the central heating.

WTF has this to do with a fused spur?