I would be much happier with a DIY'er doing his/her own work, aware of their limitations, than some cowboy.
Installing RCBO Query
- Thread starter veedee
- Start date
I would be much happier with a DIY'er doing his/her own work, aware of their limitations, than some cowboy.
Sponsored Links
I totally agree.
As in any field, a problem is that people of limited knowledge/experience/'competence'(whether DIYers, 'electricians' or anyone else) skills) quite often don#t have the knowledge which would enable them to recognise their limitations. ... that is why people sometimes have to be told about their limitations.
As in any field, a problem is that people of limited knowledge/experience/'competence'(whether DIYers, 'electricians' or anyone else) skills) quite often don#t have the knowledge which would enable them to recognise their limitations. ... that is why people sometimes have to be told about their limitations.
I didn't mention your name as I didn't want to risk throwing you under the bus
So people are calling for 'testing' but they haven't mentioned what I should do specifically? I really hope this is a joke.
I planned to go over the thread and undertake any necessary remedial work/tests over the weekend.
No, it isn't. You said "electrics is easy" so maybe we assumed you already knew or knew how to use Google.
After all. you have been on the forum for twelve and a half years.
For a start: do your new RCBOs trip within the specified times and current?
TLC Electrical Supplies
TLC Electrical Supplies - fast online sales of electrical cable, wiring accessories, lighting, heating and security equipment
www.tlc-direct.co.uk
Sponsored Links
I think that was being described as a 'joke' was probably the fact that, despite my having asked on his behalf,those advocating 'testing'did not answer my question about 'what tests?' I wouldn't personally call that a joke,but perhaps a little 'sad' (or, at least,'unhelpful').
Yes,I mentioned that above, but it illustrates the problemi described. Very very few DIYers are going to have the means of testing an RCD/RCBVO, and (even if they knew how to use it and interpret the results) hiring kit for just a single job would not be cost-effective. Di you therefore feel that we should always tell DIYers (other than the tiny few exceptions who 'prove the rule'!) that they should not eveer install RFCDs or RCBOs?
It is such a fundamental thing that if anyone doesn't know what it is they should not be doing more than the simplest electrical work - i.e. DIY work.
I suppose the term DIY has evolved from meaning that simplest work (without the necessary tools and equipment) to anyone doing anything they want themselves.
I know you think some advice to such people is better than them doing it anyway without advice but where is the limit?
Well, strictly speaking, yes.
I often (always when it crops up) tell people that outside power is not a DIY job.
Also, I rarely comment on posts which involve similar involved work where the DIYer has to be told everything; limiting my advice to things like actual wiring arrangements - like light switches, etc.
Where the possible options are - RCBO installed, but without any testing, or no RCBO installed, because of lack of ability to test - obviously the first option should be the preferred option.
I know 'the list of tests' as well as you do, but on behalf of the OP, I was asking what specific tests might be relevant/useful after one had merely moved two lighting circuits onto their own new RCBOs. As I said, I could think of only one thing (testing residual current performance of the new device)which is something that very few DIYer's would/could do.
Not always. As I recently wrote, sometimes people need to be told about their 'limitations', in situations such as you go on to mention ...
..."having to be told everything" being an indication that the OP was trying to go beyond his/her 'limitations'
Quite - but it's rare (if it ever occurs here) for people to be told not to install or replace RCDs or RCBOs if they are not able to test them -so 'strictly speaking' doesn't seem to be seen in practice.
True - and I suppose Harry's post:
is a valid argument in this situation.
However, you sometimes ask if the millions of pounds spent on RCDs has been cost effective and have RCDs ever saved anyone, so perhaps someone might ask if Veedee fitting these two RCDs was worth doing at all.
Is the risk of doing the work greater than that posed by not having RCDs on the lighting circuits?
That certainly also appears obvious tom
That makes at least three of us,then,but I'm slightly surprised that you accespt that view,given that it's not much different from youyr comment to me "I know you think some advice to such people is better than them doing it anyway without advice but where is the limit?" -which I thought was something you didn't really like?
It's not millions, it's billions. However, for better or for worse, 'we' have decided that we want ('need') RCD protection,and that 'advance'is never going to be reversed -so that question which I often ask is essentially moot.
As for my question, I would think that RCDs are inevitably not 'cost-effective' (in comparison with other uses of money) since there was never much scope for them to 'save many lives', given that there were so relatively few domestic electrocutions in the UK (a good proportion of of which no device could prevent) even before we had RCDs. In contrast, if those billions were 'redirected' (e.g. to road safety,health care,medical research etc.) there would have the potential to save prevent far more deaths/suffering.
... but, as above, the notion that we 'need' RCDs is certainly not going away,and we now have at least a couple more levels of 'new fangled devices'which we might also 'need'...so where is the end to all this? I'm not sure that 'Nanny'is too much to blame for this. Each 'advance' happens when something becomes technologically possible (to mass produce),whereupon those who decide to manufacture them have to convince the world that the new-fangled device is 'needed' - and, unfortunately, 'rregulators' seem only too quick to jump onto ('be taken in by'?) such band waggons !¬
All of which, I wholeheartedly do agree with. All of my installation was brand new, back in 1985-ish, not done by me, but quite a fair job. Over the many years since then it has been greatly added to and extended, with numerous items and circuits 'tacked on', but I only ensured there was RCD protection to items outside the basic house installation. I've had it in mind (8 or so years), to replace the original CU, and tidy up the numerous 'tacked on' supplies, adding many more ways, plus some form of RCBO/RCD protection. I began with an old MEM 8way RCD + a more recent 2 way CU's, plus an 8way out in the garage, supplying everything in there and outdoors.
As mentioned elsewhere, I have now tidied up that mess, with a dual RCD + 16 ways of RCD, plus one unprotected circuit dedicated to fridges and freezers- to avoid the potential for nuisance tripping. Other than for outdoors, including my workshop area, I simply wasn't convinced enough that RCD's provided enough safety benefit to add them, as a separate job, until now, where they were included in the deal of the CU supply.
I said 'electrics is easy' two days ago..
This thread was created two weeks ago, so not sure how posters could assume i already knew what tests to do..
You also conveniently missed the part where i said
Couldn't imagine why you'd leave that out.
Anyway guys, I wont be changing a thing or doing any 'testing'. I am moving on to other things like starting a house rewire and consumer unit upgrade.
As always, thanks for the advice and support. The posters in the Electrics Forum are 2nd to none.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
