what are the electrical requirements for my extension?

[pete47]

Hello all,

I am having an extension built and was wondering what I will need for the electrician to approve the work.

Basically we have earth in the sockets but not the lighting and we have an old fuse board. Will the electrician just test the work in the extension or examine the whole house/fuseboard.

If so, what will we have to have done?

Many thanks

Pete

 

[sparkyspike]

What sort of extension is it and what are you putting in there electrics-wise? Will it be new circuits, or an extension of the existing sockets and lights?

 

[pete47]

What sort of extension is it and what are you putting in there electrics-wise? Will it be new circuits, or an extension of the existing sockets and lights?

a single storey extension, we just need one socket and a normal plastic light and switch as its only small

 

[Spark123]

Does it involve work in a kitchen or a bath/shower room?

 

[sparkyspike]

Whatever work is done, the sparky will test the fuse box. Your biggest problem is the fact that you have no earth in your lighting circuit. You'll need to have an electrician round to assess how to deal with this. Is this what you're worried about? The notification part is easy - as long as the spark is doing the work. If you want to do the work yourself, get a spark in FIRST to arrange how to do this. Bear in mind that he will advise you how to (or whether to) deal with your lighting circuit and he will also want to look at fitting an RCD for the new circuits if there is not already one. Not easy with an old fusebox and the new regs!

 

[pete47]

Whatever work is done, the sparky will test the fuse box. Your biggest problem is the fact that you have no earth in your lighting circuit. You'll need to have an electrician round to assess how to deal with this. Is this what you're worried about? The notification part is easy - as long as the spark is doing the work. If you want to do the work yourself, get a spark in FIRST to arrange how to do this. Bear in mind that he will advise you how to (or whether to) deal with your lighting circuit and he will also want to look at fitting an RCD for the new circuits if there is not already one. Not easy with an old fusebox and the new regs!

Thanks for the advice mate, I see you're from sussex. Any where near seaford?

 

[sparkyspike]

Not really - nearer Portsmouth!

 

[pete47]

Not really - nearer Portsmouth!

bummer, might have had some work for you. Cheers for you advice, I'll get someone in to look at what we have and go from there.

All the best

Pete

 

[ericmark]

The ESC Best Practice Guide No.1 refers to how to deal with no earths on lights. I would read what they say as an electrician is suppose to first try A and if you will not agree he can then try B etc.
For you own safety at some point you should consider a re-wire on the lights at least.

There is nothing to stop the electrician wiring extension lights from the power using a

switched fused unit but it will mean you have a fuse next to switch.

Again if you have no RCD on the ring main he could use a

taking power to it with ali-tube cable but not really suitable as a light switch and if not supplying lights he could use

as long as he uses ali-tube cable.

As you can see there are many options some which may not be appropriate in your house. The first thing is what is the Earth loop Impedance on existing sockets as if existing wiring is not up to scratch then you have a problem. If existing protection is not up to scratch then normally there is a way around it.

 

[rebuke]

The other thing that often needs doing in houses that are still using old style rewireable fuses, is the main equipotential bonding might need upgrading. These are the 'earth' cables that go from your main earth terminal to incoming gas and water pipes - current requirements are that they are in at least 10mm^2 cable, which they often weren't (sometimes weren't installed at all) - so don't be surprised if the electrician tells you he needs to sort that (it's not normally that big a job, especially if a cable already exists and just needs replacing...)