Replace outside light from new FCU - Part P notifiable?
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Jimbobjuf
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Replace outside light from new FCU - Part P notifiable?

by Jimbobjuf » Wed May 02, 2012 12:01 pm

Sorry if this has been covered hundreds of times before.
Can anyone please advise if the following is notifiable under Part P?

Scenario:
Previously there was an external light connected to a switch on the lighting circuit in the living room.
This was disconnected and removed and the switch used instead to connect a second light for better coverage in the living room.
I'd like to leave the lights as they are in the living room but also power a new external light (PIR 60W bulkhead).
If I use a 5A (or even 3A) switched FCU off a 13A ring socket in an upstairs bedroom to power the external PIR light via the original cable, is this allowed without notifying due to Part P regulations?

I think it might be ok (according to https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/partp.htm, but others opinions' would help.)

Thanks.

ericmark
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Re: Replace outside light from new FCU - Part P notifiable?

by ericmark » Thu May 03, 2012 12:17 am

I think your asking the wrong questions.
1) Can you do the work safely.
2) Will I get problems latter from lack of a completion certificate.
As to lack of completion certificate it is unlikely to cause problems. Only if you do something clearly breaching regulations like exceeding the 150W limit is there likely a problem.

But doing the work safely is something else. Clearly you should test your work to ensure earths are sound etc. However the equipment required to do the testing is not cheap. Hiring will likely cost £75 and 10 times that to buy.

In real terms most DIY work is done with little regard to safety cost is the only consideration. Otherwise people would not DIY electrics. The LABC inspections have done little to stop DIY in most cases people don't think they are going to sell house so having completion certificates is not really high on list of priorities. And from my parents who did get completion certificates I realise they are not worth the paper they are written on with many major faults being missed by building inspectors.

Clearly most people want some one on the forum to say "Yes go ahead no problem" but in real terms there is very likely a problem very few houses comply with the latest regulations and when adding anything to existing normally some work is required to bring it up to standard before anything is added. In the main that is a RCD.

So it's a case of reducing the risk. If not already RCD protected then a RCD FCU would seem the way forward.

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