Notify council of consumer unit change

[amateurSparky]

Hi
I'm very confused as to what the heck the council want me to do. I spoke to the officer he said that I'm better of submitting full plans which is cheaper apparently. He said he wants a schematic of what it is am doing.

So does he mean something like this
http://ask-the-electrician.com/Pics_Drawings/Elect_Plan_325W.JPG

I'm notifying to Manchester City Council

 

[^woody^]

You just use their specific form for Part P work - its a building notice form for electrics and no other work.

No plans or schematics required

 

[sparkiemike]

That probably becuase it cheaper with the full plans procedure. The manachester city council website has all the info. Fees seem to start at £350 for Builing Notices


this link for the fees http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/2404/building_control_charges

A quote from their website

Building Notice for Domestic Electrical Work and/or provision of replacement Windows and Glazed Doors

For this type of work, when there are no other Building Regulation works being carried out you may submit our simplified Building Notice for Electrical Work or the Building Notice for Windows as an alternative to the Standard Building Notice Form.

You will still be required to submit the appropriate charge.

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/2...1900/obtaining_building_regulation_approval/5

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://ask-the-electrician.com

That's a US website - no use to you whatsoever.

"Full Plans" really means "enough information in the form of drawings and written details to describe your proposed work fully so that we can understand it and decide whether what you are proposing to do will comply with the Building Regulations".

So for actual "building work" in its everyday meaning you would indeed need drawings.

For the life of me I cannot see how a drawing of a CU will help them to decide whether the things you plan to do will comply with Part P or not.

Or even if you were doing a complete rewire, I can't see how knowing where you plan to put accessories, luminaires etc would be of use to them.

If they insist on a schematic for the CU, knock one up using the PC drawing package of your choice - I guess you should show for each position the type and rating of breaker, the circuit it's for and the cable size.

If they get picky, remember that their basic desire is for you not to DIY. They cannot forbid you, but they will put in place administrative rules and charges which they hope will put you off.

Do not go down the Building Notice route - it's more expensive and you get less for your money.

 

[amateurSparky]

1) Any fully qualified electrician want to supervise me on this project of mine? It's in Whalley Range Greater Manchester

2)I spoke to a building controll officer. he basically said he want a wiring diagram including breaker/ cable sizes. I specifically gave him that example and he said "yes". Have I distributed these circuits evenly then? I have relised I've missed out the cable sizes. I need to measure up and check for volt drop.

The spareway is for an extension which may or may not be built. But definately not now due to cost.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

2)I spoke to a building controll officer. he basically said he want a wiring diagram including breaker/ cable sizes. I specifically gave him that example and he said "yes".

You gave him what example, though?

He said "yes" to this?:

Have I distributed these circuits evenly then? I have relised I've missed out the cable sizes ... The spareway is for an extension which may or may not be built

I've no idea what you are talking about...

 

[amateurSparky]

Ah sorry forgot to mension the image in my album. Just noticed how attach it lol.

Untitled

• amateurSparky
• 17 Oct 2012
• 1

So is this how you would distribute the circuit.

This is what the building control officier said he wanted. I asked him "so you want a picture of the consumer unit, breaker sizes, cable sizes" He said yes.

 

[Click4]

ideally things like burglar alarm, and smoke alarms should not be protected by an RCD covering other circuits but to meet the regulations they still need RCD protection (if cables are buried less than 50mm and not mechanically protected) so you should consider the use RCBOs for them instead.

Reason being is there are situations where if an RCD trips you dont want it taking things like fridge/freezer, burglar alarm, or smoke alarms with it.

Especially if you are on holiday.

 

[amateurSparky]

Yes I was thinking about that as am currently doing my 17th edition. Am conviently on chapter 4 Protection for Safety!!

My consumer unit doesn't have a terminal strip for non rcd protected.

It has a terminal for each RCD and then strip for CPC. THere is an empty spot at the top in the middle (where arrow is in
picture). Can I just add an extra terminal there to form extra neutral bar then give the cable mechanical protection? I dont have any more spareway. The spareway in the diagram might be used for an extension in the future. So I can't add an rcbo can I?

How can I give twin & earth mechanic protection ? Does mini trunking count as mechanical protection? The ones I've seen are plastic though.
Trouble is I need to be able to easily bury by plastering over it. my brother in law and sister are both stuborn perfectionists. Understandable it's their pride joy. But pain in the ass.

Also do you still need it the cable is running underneath the floor boards then into a cupboard directly under the stairs. Who the heck is going to put a nail there? The smoke alarm supply cable will be clipped to the ceiling joist.

Untitled

• amateurSparky
• 17 Oct 2012
• 1

Sorry I've never fitted an RCBO! Barely mensioned on the courses I have done. How do you do it? All I know is it's an RCD with overload protection. They're absolute must on TT systems with bad earthing.

 

[flameport]

Dual RCD consumer units are a poor solution, and only exist because manufacturers decided that was a suitable way to comply with BS7671, and so they could stuff DIY sheds full of the things at implausibly low prices.
A main switch unit fitted with as many RCBOs as required is a far better choice, and in terms of a full rewire, the additional cost is minimal.

Smoke detectors on their own circuit is a poor choice.
A 40A circuit for a cooker is not necessary, 99% or more of cookers and hob/oven combinations are suitable for a 32A circuit.

Ring circuits are not necessary either, and are generally installed because 'that's the way it's always been done' rather than because of any specific requirement for them.

Unless your house is vast, 1.5mm cable for lighting is totally unnecessary, will cost more, and be more difficult to terminate in switches and light fittings.

1 spare way is rather mean, particularly when a larger box will cost virtually nothing extra.

 

[Iggifer]

Sorry I've never fitted an RCBO! Barely mensioned on the courses I have done. How do you do it?

Line + Neutral from the circuit both come to the RCBO, then a Neutral pigtail from the RCBO goes to an unprotected Neutral bar in the CU and if the RCBO in question, an Functional Earth pigtail goes to the CPC bar (not all have them and manufacturers seem to argue if they are needed or not)

 

[Taylortwocities]

I agree with Flameport.
In addition. I would put the smoke alarm together on one of the lighting circuits. Better than on a separate circuit of its own.

 

[Click4]

just out of curiousity, why put smoke alarms on a lighting circuit?

ive had situations before where a bulb has blown which has caused the MCB to trip... tends to be the Halogen bulbs which can do it.

so hypothetically, regardless of the probability, In which case, if I was away on holiday when this happened, or in the house asleep and for whatever reason, the backups quickly lost their charge, then the house would be without smoke alarms and if a fire occured no warning would happen all because a blown bulb tripped the circuit.

 

[securespark]

You notice if the circuit is dead much more quickly, but you could put it on its own circuit and attach a warning light in a prominent position to alert the user to a power failure.

 

[EFLImpudence]

just out of curiousity, why put smoke alarms on a lighting circuit?

In case they catch fire.

ive had situations before where a bulb has blown while ive been on holiday, which has caused the MCB to trip

Don't leave the lights on.



Seriously, so that people notice if the circuit fails.