Is this normal

[Steve]

Not DIY but something I was wondering.

Is it normal in a petrol station to have all the lighting circuits protected by a single 30mA RCCB? I mean canopy lights, lamp posts, shop lighting, fascia lights. Everything.
It doesn't feel right, when many of these circuits would be susceptible to tripping and would therefore stop the whole business from trading.

Also, do metal halide lamps take increasing startup surge as they age? I have had electricians out several times recently to upgrade breakers as it seems the electrician that wired the place had an abundance of B6 and B10 breakers. But these are starting to cause problems. The B10s are on the canopy lights, each one has 4 x 250w halides and an LED feature light. One has been swapped for a C10 as it kept tripping. Each lamppost (also 250w halides) is on a B6, again both have recently been changed for a C6. Bad design or ageing lamps?

 

[333rocky333]

Tesco/ esso sites tend to have 2 pole or 4 pole rcds, some sites will also have a time delayed rcd on the supply

Sometimes a sub section of the board, like lighting will be breakers with a rcd main for that whole section, again 4 pole.
Petrol stations have there own regs, heavily centred on double pole isolation

Untitled

• 333rocky333
• 21 Jun 2008
• 1

when somerfield/elf first teamed up they had similar set ups, these sites were known as PIXY sites, due to the elf connection

 

[bhm1712]

The Atex directive doesn't stipulate anything other than each circuit must be protected by a residual current device, with specifics for circuits within the zoned areas and under the canopy area. BS7671 also applies but the Atex requirements over ride those of BS7671 where applicable. Only a compex or equivalently qualified electrician should be working on the electrics in a filling station.

 

[Adam_151]

Only a compex or equivalently qualified electrician should be working on the electrics in a filling station.

Its not quite as simple as that, for the pumps and anything else in a zoned area you need the right compex ticket, however the shop is outside the zoned areas so you don't need a compex ticket... BUT... because the hazardous area is fed form the shop, anyone carrying out work on the shop requires an understanding of how the requirements for the hazardous area affect the design of the switch gear in the shop


@ STEVE

Having all the lighting through a 30mA RCD perhaps isn't the best design for the reasons you state, I would generally like to see each lighting circuit on its own 30mA Double Pole RCBO. In addition to this there is normally whats called a petrol station incomer on the supply. Its basically an MCCB with an adjustable earth leakage shunt trip fitted along with a socket for the testing of earth loop fitted (fed from a breaker which is locked off normally). PME is forbidden and TNS is also not permitted unless it can be assured that it'll never end up becoming PME (this is only likely to the be case for installations that have a dedicated transformer on site) So TT is normally the order of the day

 

[bhm1712]

Without compex or equivalent you would not be able to demonstrate a competent understanding of the Atex directive and so you wouldn't have a leg to stand on if anything were to go wrong as a result of your work.

 

[bhm1712]

The relevant regulations for Atex still apply outside of the zoned areas if power supplies and other circuitry for the zoned areas come from outside the area but from the same distribution system.

What you have said is like saying you don't need BS7671 or to be registered to replace a consumer unit providing you have an understanding of BS7671.