Is my fuse box safe to work on?

[securespark]

IIRC, the wood-back Wylex boards were fitted during the 14th Ed.

Due to a rather large cock-up with the introduction of the 15th in 1981, it did not become mandatory until 1985. You could wire to either the 14th or the 15th Eds. up until 1 January 1985.

So, many wood-backed boards were newly installed up to the early to mid 80's.

Regarding the sleeving, I believe the change to G/Y occurred in 1977, End of December rings a bell. It was introduced in the 1976 amendments to the 14th Ed. But it probably took a few years to use up old stocks!

G/Y was introduced with the 14th Ed. in 1966, but this was only for flexible cables and solid green was listed as preferable.

 

[SUNRAY]

IIRC, the wood-back Wylex boards were fitted during the 14th Ed.

Due to a rather large cock-up with the introduction of the 15th in 1981, it did not become mandatory until 1985. You could wire to either the 14th or the 15th Eds. up until 1 January 1985.

So, many wood-backed boards were newly installed up to the early to mid 80's.

Regarding the sleeving, I believe the change to G/Y occurred in 1977, End of December rings a bell. It was introduced in the 1976 amendments to the 14th Ed. But it probably took a few years to use up old stocks!

G/Y was introduced with the 14th Ed. in 1966, but this was only for flexible cables and solid green was listed as preferable.

I recall some sort of confusion and remember using a lot of cream sleeving in late 70's, it may just be because I we used cream for functional earth in BT. But this is not salient to this thread.

 

[JohnD]

but we keep finding 1970's installations with the CPC to lighting fittings neatly clipped off; bare earth wires; ungrommeted backboxes and fence-wire main earths.

And a few supplementary-bonded baths and kitchen sinks

So I'm not convinced that everyday electricians wiring houses were scrupulous in meeting the latest editions (or being aware of them).

 

[securespark]

Notes attached to regulation D.14 in the 14th Ed. say this:

"The extraneous fixed metalwork required to be bonded and earthed in these circumstances includes the following:

(i) Baths and exposed metal pipes, radiators, sinks and tanks, in the absence of metal-to-metal joints of negligible electrical resistance. ......."

 

[SUNRAY]

but we keep finding 1970's installations with the CPC to lighting fittings neatly clipped off; bare earth wires; ungrommeted backboxes and fence-wire main earths.

And a few supplementary-bonded baths and kitchen sinks

So I'm not convinced that everyday electricians wiring houses were scrupulous in meeting the latest editions (or being aware of them).

I did a lot of work for a house builder in the 70's and everything had to be bonded, the inspection by SEEBOARD before providing a service included things like window hinges and handles. The builder soon made sure power was on ASAP and before things like internal doors and coat hooks etc were fitted.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Notes attached to regulation D.14 in the 14th Ed. say this:
"The extraneous fixed metalwork required to be bonded and earthed in these circumstances includes the following:
(i) Baths and exposed metal pipes, radiators, sinks and tanks, in the absence of metal-to-metal joints of negligible electrical resistance. ......."

That must be referring to Supplementary Bonding but regarding Main Bonding the 18th in 411.3.1.2 says something very similar.

Does the preceding text in the 14th make it clear (if one understands) that the list only applies to parts which are extraneous-c-ps.


I do agree it could be better written for those who do not understand.

 

[securespark]

D14. The exposed metalwork of all apparatus which is required by these Regulations to be earthed, which might otherwise come into fortuitous contact with extraneous fixed metalwork shall be either effectually segregated therefrom or effectually bonded thereto so as to prevent appreciable voltage differences at such possible points of contact.

 

[EFLImpudence]

As I suspected, it only applies to extraneous-c-ps so the often quoted mantra that in the past (also the 15th edition) 'everything' was required to be supplementary bonded was a misreading of the regulation and is a fallacy.

Therefore no different than now.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It is poorly worded in that surely it means the parts that a person might simultaneously fortuitously contact both exposed and extraneous-c-p.

Obviously if the earthed exposed-c-p itself fortuitously came into contact with an extraneous-c-p (or even an isolated part) then there would be no voltage difference.

 

[SUNRAY]

the often quoted mantra that in the past (also the 15th edition) 'everything' was required to be supplementary bonded was a misreading of the regulation and is a fallacy.

You may verywell be correct but in the new build properties I was working in the energy supplier [SEEBOARD] would not connect power if the bits of metal tested were not bonded and yes they did test window hinges.
If they wouldn't provide the power it was irrelevant whether it was regs or not.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Did you do anything about such dangerous ignorance?

 

[SUNRAY]

Did you do anything about such dangerous ignorance?

Yes of course I did.

 

[securespark]

My Gran's house had bonding all over the place: bath, sink, Crittall windows (inc link from frame to opening light) and even the cast soil stack.
In conversations with Paul Cook, he admitted the 15th regs were way over the top and others said that some regs were not easy to interpret.

 

[EFLImpudence]

In conversations with Paul Cook, he admitted the 15th regs were way over the top and others said that some regs were not easy to interpret.

Yes, definitely not easy to interpret but not actually over the top.

If people knew what bonding did and what it was for, they would not need the regulations.

 

[winston1]

A typical example of the regs being wrong and later corrected. There are others still waiting to be corrected.