Minor works question

[dormermike]

Hi all

I had a large 1st floor bedroom split into two bedrooms back in December and electrician had mentioned he would need to come back to test and sign off.

All good.

Except when he came back he mentioned that I need 2x RCD to be installed; one for the lighting and one for the sockets. The circuits are existing except for adding one new socket to the existing ring main , and, putting an extra light switch in so the existing 2x light pendants which are now in separate rooms can be independently controlled.

Bit surprised he didn't mention the RCD's to me when I'd spoken to him numerous times and will ask him why.

But also wanted to check that this is expected for what is essentially minor work's, ie bringing that circuit up to current regs?

Thanks
Mike

Ps eagle eyed readers might spot that I had the precise opposite problem in a bathroom recently, the installer didn't put an RCD in.

 

[EFLImpudence]

New sockets and new unprotected cables should be protected by RCDs.

May not make much sense in a bedroom but that's what the rules state.

Ps eagle eyed readers might spot that I had the precise opposite problem in a bathroom recently, the installer didn't put an RCD in.

Neither did this one.

 

[dormermike]

New sockets and new unprotected cables should be protected by RCDs.

May not make much sense in a bedroom but that's what the rules state.


Neither did this one.

OK cool if that's the rules.

Even the lighting circuit, because it was changed, presumably?

After the last experience with the NICEIC spark leaving the job in a dangerous state I am in once bitten twice shy mode. This new chap looks to be fitting 3 RCD's for me. Didn't realise RCD's are like buses haha.

Cheers

 

[EFLImpudence]

Extra light switch cable ?

 

[dormermike]

Extra light switch cable ?

Ah yes.. thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This new chap looks to be fitting 3 RCD's for me.

Photo of your CU would be of interest.

Seems unusual that a CU modern enough to have 3 sections would have been installed with no RCDs.

 

[dormermike]

Sorry for confusion.. it's an old consumer unit. A crab tree starbreaker. if spark can't get RCBO for it they are going to fit a separate mini CU. I just meant 3 total RCD. If that makes sense.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

3 RCBOs, not RCDs?

 

[dormermike]

Depends what's available as it's an old CU.

As the electrician is NICEIC I'll let him decide the detail of the actual solution. Although ive come to realise that label is not really much assurance that the job will be done correctly hence posting here for a objective view. All I want is the circuit to meet whatever regs it must meet *and* be safe (these two requirements are not necessarily the same thing).

Bedrooms I'm not so concerned about. On the other hand a 240v light 10 inches above my head inside the shower cubicle is quite a different matter (even if installed by a pro)!

 

[Risteard]

3 RCBOs, not RCDs?

To be technical an RCBO is an RCD. So "3 RCBOs, not RCCBs?" would have been more accurate.