Integrity of the entire installation post c/unit change

[Andy Fenn]

You have probably all seen this before but would appreciate your views.

If you were going to carry out a consumer unit change and you noticed the main equipotential bonding not up to the latest BS7671 regs, or perhaps none at all, what do you do????

Do you carry out the job and write all your observations/findings on your certificate or....

Carry out the job but inform the customer of your findings and quote to rectify the work.

One other question, would you carry out a PIR before the consumer unit change, after or both.

Looking forward to your views.


Many thanks.

 

[plugwash]

from what i've heared a pir before a CU change is a very very good idea from a CYA pov

the problem is a new CU can make faults apparent that weren't apparent before which can cause you big problems if the customer blames you for the fact that thier electrics don't work anymore.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How "not up to the latest BS7671 regs" are we talking about? Once you change the CU you have become responsible for the integrity of the entire installation, so if it is not "reasonably safe" then it will contravene the Building Regulations...

 

[Andy Fenn]

Thanks for the replies.

I agree with you both.

We are talking along the lines that maybe the equi bonding is say 6mm or not even present.

The point being, do you rectify the problem before the consumer unit change, do nothing and report findings on your certificate or say to customer you will do the job but it will cost an extra xzy to make the installation up to current regs.

Bear in mind that to upgrade the bonding may mean lifting carpets, floors etc.

The leckie I work for always does a PIR prior to a consumer unit change and I just wondered what the views of you good people would be and why.

 

[pixey]

from what i've heared a pir before a CU change is a very very good idea from a CYA pov

the problem is a new CU can make faults apparent that weren't apparent before which can cause you big problems if the customer blames you for the fact that thier electrics don't work anymore.

What problems could show up after a cu change that were not apparent before, as an example?

Paul

 

[BenStiller]

from what i've heared a pir before a CU change is a very very good idea from a CYA pov

the problem is a new CU can make faults apparent that weren't apparent before which can cause you big problems if the customer blames you for the fact that thier electrics don't work anymore.

What problems could show up after a cu change that were not apparent before, as an example?

Paul

If you change an old wylex fused board for a modern mcb board when you connect all circuits they could be tripping all over the show, because for example maybe insulation breakdown over the years

 

[Adam_151]

You check for such things before doing anywork, a visual check of what does and what does not exist, and what sort of state its in, and probably meggering the circuits quickly and checking continutity of rings then you can give the customer a good idea of the extra work required, and if they do not want to pay for it, then you don't change the CU, then when you do the tests after changeing the cu, there should be very few supprises.

 

[plugwash]

the biggest possible gotcha with a CU change is the RCD, some cuircuits are not supposed to be on non-rcd so if they are non-rcd before the CU change and trip the rcd afterwards you have a bit of a problem .