kitchen electrics

[Belle427]

My mates parents have had a b&q kitchen planned and priced up,im assuming they use sub contractors to do their work as the fitters turned up to look at the kitchen and picked a few holes in the electrics
They stated that an rcd needed to be fitted to the fusebox but didnt elaborate and the gas meter needed to be bonded,apparantly the guy opened the gas meter door and saw no visible bond
I think their main issue is with the cooker and hob though so i popped in today to try to clarify what needed to be done and found the following
1.gas meter is bonded,bond was tucked behind the meter but is only in what looks like 6mm cable
2.old cooker and hob are being reused and are staying in the same place,the cooker isolation switch is situated underneath the cooker fixed to the base unit side and the hob is fed from a fcu along side this,im not sure where this gets its feed

what i need to know is are they right in insisting the rcd is fitted to the fusebox and commenting on the gas meter bond just for disconnecting and re connecting the cooker and hob without any major alterations taking place?

 

[electronicsuk]

what i need to know is are they right in insisting the rcd is fitted to the fusebox and commenting on the gas meter bond just for disconnecting and re connecting the cooker and hob without any major alterations taking place?

If they are adding any extra sockets or making alterations to the existing electrical system (excluding like-for-like replacements, such as changing socket fronts, or replacing a damaged cable) then they are correct in telling you an RCD will be required. If you don't have any RCD protection then it's time to consider at least having your CU replaced, as it's been mandatory to have downstairs household socket outlets RCD protected for some time now.

If the gas meter is really bonded with 6mm then this is likely to be outdated too, although it does depend on your supply type. Unless you're TT it will need to be replaced with 10mm.

 

[Belle427]

thanks i do understand the requirements for rcd protection,i just wanted to check if they were right to pick these problems up with just the disconnection and reconnection of the cooker and hob and no other alterations

 

[electronicsuk]

thanks i do understand the requirements for rcd protection,i just wanted to check if they were right to pick these problems up with just the disconnection and reconnection of the cooker and hob and no other alterations

If that really is the extent of the electrical work they are carrying out, there is no requirement for RCD protection to be added retrospectivey despite such protection being a requirement of the 17th edition. They are still right to insist that your gas and water PEBs be up to scratch, but if you have a TT supply then 6mm may already be adequate.

 

[Belle427]

thanks,im unsure of their supply so will check the bonding size issue