new home electrics

[Steve]

Went to view a couple of show homes the other day. A few things struck me as odd.

1. CU in downstairs loo. (one would think in a new build they could find better place for it???)

2. CU in kitchen cupboard.

3. Gridswitches used extensively, including for bathroom fan control, where outside the bathroom door a 3-gang grid was used, with a fuse, "fan" switch, and lightswitch. Didn't feel right to me, that the fan is so easily isolated.

4. Scarce provision for low energy lights. Though one home did have a few CFL downlights. Is the reg still only one fitting required?

5. 500w PIR floodlight out back.

 

[flameport]

Loos and kitchen cupboards are not prohibited locations, but are a very poor choice on a new build.

A fan which can be switched off separately is also poor, and might not comply with building regulations either (usually would have a timed overrun or humidity sensor)

Low energy lights is 1 in 4 fittings, soon to be increased. On a new build they really should have put in 100% low energy types instead of wasting money on expensive gridswitches.

500w floodlights should be banned, along with a fair number of other items.

 

[RF Lighting]

I thought the maximum permitted for an external light was 150W these days?

Was it a brand new house, built by a 'reputable' house builder?

Why on earth would you want to buy one of those anyway?

 

[ColJack]

just because it looks like a 500W TH fitting doesn't mean it's a 500W lamp in it.. could be one of those low energy ones..?

 

[oharaf]

Where are these 'new' builds Steve? Not the ones on the old light bulb factory is it?

 

[RF Lighting]

Steve is quite a bit further south than us

Have they actually got any houses built on the cromptons site yet?

 

[timtheenchanter]

nope, according to the wharfe valley times they are keeping alot of it as car parking for the train station and guiseley.

I just wish they would finish converting littlemoor school, it looks a right state at the minute (makes me all sad!!)

 

[Steve]

Its in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire (Listed as Rotherham, but in reality its actually halfway between Doncaster and Barnsley). The builder is Gladedale. The electricals were subbied to a local firm. Lucky them.

 

[oharaf]

All ways thought Steve was a 'Proper' Yorkshire lad, not an over spill from the North Midlands like me' sen!!!!

Gladale, mmmm, haven't they built some sh 1 te around here recently Rob????

 

[RF Lighting]

Wouldn't be suprised. Everyone else has

 

[Steve]

All ways thought Steve was a 'Proper' Yorkshire lad,

I am!

 

[Steve]

Wouldn't be suprised. Everyone else has

Aye, they just throw em up these days dont they! When I were a lad . . .

 

[Paul_C]

Gridswitches used extensively, including for bathroom fan control, where outside the bathroom door a 3-gang grid was used, with a fuse, "fan" switch, and lightswitch. Didn't feel right to me, that the fan is so easily isolated.

It seems a rather sensible approach to me to allow the fan to be switched on as and when required, instead of forcing it to run every time the light is switched on as seems to be becoming the norm these days. And if a fuse is needed for the feed to the fan, putting it in a grid alongside the light & fan switches sounds like a neat solution which avoids the need to fit a separate box and fused spur unit elsewhere.

might not comply with building regulations either (usually would have a timed overrun or humidity sensor)

Where is there anything in the Building Regs. which says that a bathroom exhaust fan has to turn on with the light?

 

[plugwash]

I dunno about you but my most likely response to a difficult to access fan isolator would be to turn it off and leave it off.

 

[Adam_151]

I must admit plugwash, that, that aspect had not occured to me... I very often fit them at ceiling level, or near to ceiling level, perhaps the fact that I'm 6'4" and can reach it anyway plays a part in this, but I think my main line of thinking is that I consider it normal to leave it on all the time, and only switch it off when you are removing dust bunnies from the fan... and a short person would not be able to reach the fan itself without a set of steps either