new light and socket circuits for new porch

[garyo]

Hi,

I've just built a new porch, 2M x 4M, and I'm now looking at getting an electrician to fit lights and sockets. They need to be certified for Regs.

It was in the back of my mind that current regs state that if you have a new circuit fitted, then the age of the consumer unit is taken into account (with regard to RCD's, perhaps), and that if that needs to be replaced, then the bonding for the whole house needs looking at, and it can become expensive.

My CU is a 40 year old tin/bakerlite looking thing with 6 trip switches. I happened to sell something on eBay to an electrician, so asked him to ballpark price the job while we were chatting.

Surprisingly, he was on the fence initially, saying something about taking a spur from an upstairs bedroom, and RCD protecting it at the point of spurring it, presumably with a FCU.

By the end of the conversation we'd got to a new Consumer unit, and upgraded bonding (he saw the earth wire on the gas meter and said it was too small) So - all in all, lots of invasive floorboard-up action, and a large bill!

I'm just wondering about whether I should press him into the direction of RCD-FCU protected spurs - how often is this approach taken on old houses?

My gut feeling is that it's tacky having an FCU/RCD in an upstairs bedroom.

Cheers

Gary

 

[pjcomp]

This is always the problem for an electrician who does the job properly and follows the rules - what seems to be a small job turns into something big and expensive because all aspects of the electrical installation have to be brought up to spec. So the customer turns to someone who'll sidestep the rules but do the work for a lot less.

PJ

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I'm just wondering about whether I should press him into the direction of RCD-FCU protected spurs - how often is this approach taken on old houses?

It's the alternative that is used most often.

You can install a rcd protected FCU, this will meet requirements, it does not have to be from the upstairs bedroom, but the location of the porch to an accessible and suitable circuit is helpful.
The bonding can always be upgraded.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Which means RCD for the socket and any new concealed cables.

 

[sparkwright]

He may be able to fit one or two inline RCDs at the consumer unit position, which can protect only the circuits which will be worked on.

It may be more cost effective to replace that old CU though.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Or he could use BS 8436 cable, for example, and an RCD socket.

 

[garyo]

Thanks guys.

I think I'll go for a replacement CU. It's overdue a replacement and I do a lot of metal work in the garage so it'll give me some peace of mind in that respect too.

Gary