work in houses with no rcd protection

[thomo27]

evening all

how do you guys approach work in domestic houses where there is no rcd protection ??

i have been asked to look at a job in a bathroom for a friend of mine he wants a heated mirror installing and a fan in the wall

do you guys push for a new board or do you change the mcb for an rcbo which in this situation isnt possible or do you protect the cables you install with steel conduit ??

[/i]

 

[flameport]

Either install an RCD or RCBO for the circuit(s) in question, or if the consumer unit can't take those, then install another one or replace the existing one.

Steel conduit is of no use in a bathroom, RCDs are required there regardless of installation method.

 

[thomo27]

Either install an RCD or RCBO for the circuit(s) in question, or if the consumer unit can't take those, then install another one or replace the existing one.

Steel conduit is of no use in a bathroom, RCDs are required there regardless of installation method.

i did mean the steel conduit would be buried in the building fabric not on show.. but as you say if its required to be rcd protected then i will mention that he will need a new board or a an rcd unit mounted alongside his existing fuseboard

thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

Wiring regulations now require that all electrical circuits in a bathroom must be RCD protected.

This includes lights, fans, heated mirrors, foot spas, jaccussis, TVs, and anything else.

 

[deadshort]

I would install a RCD, FCU on the supply or supplies into the bathroom if, i cannot fit a rcbo in the existing CU.

Regards,

DS

 

[RF Lighting]

Normally RCD FCU would be my preferred method. I don't want to get involved with taking responsibility for and repairing any existing faults on the whole circuit or installation which become apparent by RCBOing or board swapping just to wire a vanity light.

 

[JohnW2]

Wiring regulations now require that all electrical circuits in a bathroom must be RCD protected.

Indeed so. You say 'now', but hasn't that been true since the birth of the 17th ed. (i.e. 2008)?

This includes lights, fans, heated mirrors, foot spas, jaccussis, TVs, and anything else.

Again, indeed. The usual question relates to the situation in which (as in this thread) one is just installing one or two of those things (fans and heated mirrors seem the favourites!). In that situation, would you be prepared to do the work and provide protection (i.e. an RCD or RCD FCU) just for the new item(s), or would you only be prepared do do the work if you were allowed to RCD protect all the circuits in the bathroom?

Kind Regards, John

 

[thomo27]

Normally RCD FCU would be my preferred method. I don't want to get involved with taking responsibility for and repairing any existing faults on the whole circuit or installation which become apparent by RCBOing or board swapping just to wire a vanity light.

never thought of a RCD FCU i was thinking of a 2 way RCD board but the RCD FCU is a much better idea

the existing breaker is a MEM type 1 5amp 51QEB

i might be wrong but i am sure i have seen this type of breaker in an RCD format that takes up two spaces in a board sure it was in a bill tlisman board

 

[333rocky333]

Yes MEM 1 is same as the old style Bill, and as you say 2module Rcbos do exist, we buy from mem and they make a limited amount of Mem 1 stuff very occasionaly and Very expensive, i think they want over 50 quid for a STANDARD mcb

 

[Taylortwocities]

You say 'now', but hasn't that been true since the birth of the 17th ed. (i.e. 2008)?

Yes, we know that, it was for the OP's benefit, because things have changed since his "no RCD protection" house was wired.

In that situation, would you be prepared to do the work and provide protection (i.e. an RCD or RCD FCU) just for the new item(s), or would you only be prepared do do the work if you were allowed to RCD protect all the circuits in the bathroom?

The work anticipated (heated mirror + fan) would usually be powered from the lighting circuit. Usually that is the only power feed to a standard bathroom. So fitting an RCBO, or an RCD on the upstairs lighting circuit covers the requirement.

 

[JohnW2]

In that situation, would you be prepared to do the work and provide protection (i.e. an RCD or RCD FCU) just for the new item(s), or would you only be prepared do do the work if you were allowed to RCD protect all the circuits in the bathroom?

The work anticipated (heated mirror + fan) would usually be powered from the lighting circuit. Usually that is the only power feed to a standard bathroom. So fitting an RCBO, or an RCD on the upstairs lighting circuit covers the requirement.

Sure, if that's the only circuit in the bathroom, then that would bring things into compliance with current regs. However, the question gets asked when there are other circuits in the room (e.g. shower or perhaps a towel rail or heater fed from a sockets circuit). Would you then be happy to just RCD/RCBO-protect the lighting circuit (which was supplying the two new items), even though this didn't satisfy the requirement of the regs that all circuits in the room be RCD-protected?

Kind Regards, John

 

[deadshort]

The OP has not mentioned any other circuits, i generally just answer the OP's question, they tend to appreciate that It saves confusion.

Regards,

DS

 

[JohnW2]

The OP has not mentioned any other circuits, i generally just answer the OP's question, they tend to appreciate that It saves confusion.

Hmmmm. Depending on the answer to the question I posed (well my repeating of a question I have often seen asked), it might 'save confusion' but it could result in bad/incorrect advice.

To "just answer an OP's question" without first asking about issues which could be important to the answer (but which 'have not been mentioned') does not strike me as a very satisfactory approach.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Wiring regulations now require that all electrical circuits in a bathroom must be RCD protected.

This includes lights, fans, heated mirrors, foot spas, jaccussis, TVs, and anything else.

Indeed.

But if the work you are doing does not create a new circuit in the bathroom then you are not required to comply with the regulation which requires circuits to be RCD protected.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sure, if that's the only circuit in the bathroom, then that would bring things into compliance with current regs. However, the question gets asked when there are other circuits in the room (e.g. shower or perhaps a towel rail or heater fed from a sockets circuit). Would you then be happy to just RCD/RCBO-protect the lighting circuit (which was supplying the two new items), even though this didn't satisfy the requirement of the regs that all circuits in the room be RCD-protected?

The only sort of person who would not be happy would be one who is so hard of thinking that they cannot grasp what the certificate which they sign says about the work for which they have been responsible.