Condition of enclosures in terms of fire rating

[LVSparks]

My understanding is that a plastic consumer unit need only be coded a C3 if its mounted under a wooden staircase or in the sole means of escape in a domestic property.
A C2 would be given for the above situations if thermal damage, poor connections etc within the unit is found to be present.
Otherwise its not mentioned in the observation section.

Correct me if im wrong, but ive read this on the electrical safety first website and given advice by NICEIC help line.

So when it comes to the tick sheet and you have a plastic consumer unit which does not require a code, what do you put in the tick box under consumer unit section - for condition of enclosures in terms of fire rating. Bearing in mind it may not of required coding.
Tick, X, NA ???

 

[davesparks]

If there is no observation to be made and it is satisfactory then rock the box.
I'd be interested to know which regulation you are referencing when you say that under a staircase it would be a C3? As far as I can remember the regulations make no distinction as to the location of a CU.

 

[rich.250]

It doesn't comply with current regulations which you will be testing it too, so needs to be a
code 3. That doesn't by any means mean it is unsatisfactory.
This has nothing to do with staircases!


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[LVSparks]

If there is no observation to be made and it is satisfactory then rock the box.
I'd be interested to know which regulation you are referencing when you say that under a staircase it would be a C3? As far as I can remember the regulations make no distinction as to the location of a CU.

I knew the right answer, I guess I was just after some confirmation.
I couldn't tell you which regs they were quoting.

 

[LVSparks]

It doesn't comply with current regulations which you will be testing it too, so needs to be a
code 3. That doesn't by any means mean it is unsatisfactory.
This has nothing to do with staircases!


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So why have you given a C3.

 

[Octopus]

If there is no observation to be made and it is satisfactory then rock the box.
I'd be interested to know which regulation you are referencing when you say that under a staircase it would be a C3? As far as I can remember the regulations make no distinction as to the location of a CU.

Spot on.

But..... :

http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100404922/Best-Practice-Guide-4-Issue-4.pdf

Page 15 suggests the C3

but as you correctly sum up its not in the regs......

 

[rich.250]

So why have you given a C3.

Because anything that doesn't comply with the latest standard should be recorded as a code 3.....


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[davesparks]

Because anything that doesn't comply with the latest standard should be recorded as a code 3.....


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No they shouldn't, a C3 is only to be given where an improvement is recommended for safety rather than just blind compliance.

If you were to code everything which does not comply with the current bs7671 then you would have to code things like old wiring colours, solid green earth sleeving, unsleeved switch lines, imperial cable sizes, installations without an original installation certificate, etc etc

 

[Risteard]

Because anything that doesn't comply with the latest standard should be recorded as a code 3.....

Not strictly true. Where you do not believe that it could give rise to any danger then no observation should be made. Just because it is non-compliant does not require it to be coded.

However, given the very real risk of fire (with obvious potential for death) from these distribution boards - which has led to the new Regulation - it would be pretty foolish to state that there is no potential for danger with a combustible distribution board in a domestic dwelling.

 

[gutterball]

The regulations are not retrospective. Therefore if it complied with a previous edition of the regulations, and is not unsafe for continued use it is not coded. This is why an in depth understanding of previous editions of the regulations is essential for anyone carrying out EICR's.