RCD 's and Ground Floor Sockets Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[griffo]

Hi
I was asked to cast an eye over some electrical work carried out by kitchen fitters and certified by an electrician. There is no rcd fitted to the consumer unit or before it and the kitchen ring has been extended / altered, on the electrical cert it just states no rcd fitted/not to current standards? I thought if such work had been carried out recently the installation would have needed to be upgraded to include an rcd as the kitchen is a special location?
Also under cabinet lighting has been installed of a fused spur(3A) the twin and earth cable used to connect from the spur to the tranny is not in trunking and only stapled to the undersides of the cabinets and the connections to the trannys made by terminal blocks not even in chock blocks, your recomendations please

Griffo.

[sparx]

Hi Griffo, No specifice requirement to have RCD protection just because its a kitchen BUT there is a requirement for any socket 'likely to power equipment out of doors' to be RCD protected so if kitchen has outlet near to a back door then it's reasonable to suppose it could be used for such a purpose, & probably was by your kitchen fitters for there power tools!!!
Again wiring does not have to be in mini-trunking, it just looks better than if clipped, presume it is clipped with insulated cable clips & not 'staples'?
Wiring must be double insulated so where stripped of sheath for connection it must be wholly enclosed in connector box of some approved kind.
As for Cert. prob. for electrician is he was most likely called in by kitchen fitter whilst owner not in & pressured into doing work but unable to get go ahead to upgrade circuit. His options then to walk away until owner agrees to extra work or do what he's asked & report status as he has done, it's now up to owner to decide on upgrade. We come across this a lot when job is costed by large stores, Homebase B&Q, MFI etc all price 'per point' (very low rates!), & never look at state of system in place

regards SPARX

[griffo]

Cheers sparx
Regarding the socket outlets likely to power equipment out of doors, for future reference if someone was making alterations to circuits supplying power to ground floor sockets, is it recomended to incorporate an rcd into the system or is it essential to comply with the regs, or does this only come into effect if u replace the cons unit?
Another general point i would appreciate info on, if a circuit board is replaced should the main bonding (gas, water, etc) be upgraded at the same time? I have seen on certs a few times- Main bonding undersised or even no bonding present on an installation cert? I was under the impression that if you changed the cons unit you would have to upgrade the bonding and make sure earthing readings were within the required parameters.
Thanx griffo.

[sparx]

Hi agn GRIFFO,
On TT system it's a must to have all circuits on RCD protection as very rare to get low enough reading for disconnection times to be achieved, other systems 'strongly recommend' downstairs circuits be on RCD or have designated RCD sockets fitted by outside doors etc which is more costly /unsightly/not foolproof.
Personally always fit RCD to sockets when possible, do prefere to use individual RCBO's in con. unit if customer can be persuaded as less likely to trip than one overall one.
As for bonding, if not done at board change, when will it get done?
I'm fully with you on this, if board change reqd. then for reletively small extra cost bonding should be brought up to standard, test sheets will be full of 'exceptions' otherwise. Again if customer not to pay for a proper job I walk away, see no point in doing 1/2 job, if later wants to sell or let property will have to have report done and first thing inspecting leckie will ask is 'who the hell did this!'...Reputation shot...
B.W. SPARX

[griffo]

Cheers Sparx
I agree with you entirely on your work ethic, I have allways stck to the adage that If a jobs worth doing, Its worth doing it right!

Thanks again, Griffo.

[misterg]

Hi

Been reading this with curiosity as I will need to get an electrician to change the CU and from the looks of it I should get the bonding done as well.

Currently have an old style fusebox. I know the probably the lights need redoing, some upstairs have newish wire with earthing, no sleeve on earth tho, while others are individual red and black wires and look quite old, but not decayed.

Is the above dodgey, or can you have a circuit wired in different styles?

Cheers

G

[sparx]

Hi mrG
most older properties will have different standards due to mods over the years, up to late 1960's no earth sleeving, then green untill early 1980,s then green/yellow, helps to 'date' wiring!!!
As for bonding I would be wary of any 'electrician' prepared to do board change without updating it!
regards SPARX