Underfloor heating that plugs in - Part P??

[grrinc]

A customer has requested the installation of an under tile heating mat that comes with a transformer that plugs in via regular 3 pin plug.

This one....

http://www.enerfoil.com/enerfoil/index.htm

How does this kind of installation sit with the current regs? I usually use a sparky when I fit Devimat, but this one seems to plug in and stays on.

 

[plugwash]

my understanding is that if you don't have to do any wiring at all then it isn't notifiable but if you do then it is notifiable even if it is powered through a plug and socket connection.

 

[grrinc]

Then I guess it is down to the definition of 'wiring' - am I right? I have read up a bit more on the product. It is a flat mat (a foil that is laminated between two plastic sheets) that needs to be stuck down prior to tiling. The wires would then - in my case - drop under the floor and be bought up into the airing cupboard and plugged into the transformer. The transfomer is then plugged into the existing socket. Is that regarded as 'wiring'?

 

[Pensdown]

You're OK and PP does not apply (at the moment)

 

[Taylortwocities]

Hmm. I must look out a 100A CEEform connector.

I could then wire a house and just plug the consumer unit into the supply and not have to notify

 

[plugwash]

Hmm. I must look out a 100A CEEform connector.

I could then wire a house and just plug the consumer unit into the supply and not have to notify

Afaict if you prefabricated all the wiring and CE marked it (most CE marks can be self certified) and brought it in and plugged it together onsite that would be non notifiable, you would still have to notify for putting in the CEEFORM socket though.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

FGS people, what's wrong with you all?

Can you not read?

Look at Schedule 2B - underfloor heating is a special installation, so no matter where it is installed, and no matter how it is supplied, and no matter what voltage it runs at (assuming under 1kV AC / 1.5kV DC), it is notifiable.

And from the maker's website:

"Enerfoil underfloor heating is a low voltage electric underfloor heating system. Enerfoil is ideal for smaller arear such as Bathrooms and utility rooms, it can be laid directly beneath tiles, stone , marble, slate, wood, laminate, Vinyl* and even Carpets *!! "

Isn't that a bit like lagging your radiators?

Also: "Economical to run - 80 watts per m² at 24 volts or 110 watts per m² at 28 volts ". Has anybody told Herr Ohm about this? Or have they really made a heating product with a negative temperature coefficient of resistance? I don't claim any particular knowledge of heating systems, but that sounds like a very bad idea...

 

[plugwash]

Look at Schedule 2B - underfloor heating is a special installation, so no matter where it is installed, and no matter how it is supplied, and no matter what voltage it runs at (assuming under 1kV AC / 1.5kV DC), it is notifiable.

Afaict 2A and 2B are only preconditions for stuff in 2C, the prefabricated plug and socket sets bit is in part 3 which is totally seperate.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I Must Not Post When Pi55ed.

 

[grrinc]

Ok guys - thanks for your input. But I'm still kinda confused. Can I go ahead with laying this - including tiling over - with out the need for a sparky?

Thanks.

 

[Space cat]

80 watts per m² at 24 volts or 110 watts per m² at 28 volts

80W / 24V = 3.33A.
24V / 3.33A = 7.2 ohms.
110W / 28V = 3.93A
28V / 3.93A = 7.12 ohms.

Ok, that's slightly lower than 7.2 but I suspect that the difference is simply lost in rounding errors because ---

28V x 28V / 7.2 ohms = 109W.

There's nothing seriously wrong with ohm's law. It's just Enerfoil rounding up.

 

[grrinc]

Ok. The customer has arranged for a sparky of their own to check it out for me. He says it can be installed as non notifiable work, and also says that I can change the single socket in the airing cupboard to a double socket to accomadate the product without needing it to be notified too.

I'll get stuck in then.