What the hell is this main fuse?

[JohnS888]

Hi All

On a job this morning doing an EICR. As you will see from photos main live conductor showing signs of burning out at termination. Checked tightness of termination and main switch all seemed fine. I thought I would check main fuse rating to see rating of this. Supply is tncs with 16mm live conductors and 10mm main earth. On checking main fuse I come across what you can see in photo. A hollow round tube in fuse link terminals. This surely isn't legit? The fuse was sealed so I assume it was supplier that put it in

 

[davesparks]

One thing that surprised me was no isolator for shower hardwired in. What's your take on that?

What is your take on that? Do you think this is non-compliant with BS7671 and if so do you think it is something which affects safety and therfore needs to be coded?

As a person carrying out EICRs you obviously have a greater than average knowledge of the regulations.

 

[hasel5]

You are carrying out the EICR and should know what needs be done to bring the installation up to a condition to comply with when the regulations when installed

 

[ipf]

You are carrying out the EICR and should know what needs be done to bring the installation up to a condition to comply with when the regulations when installed

Any work now to current standards...18th.

 

[hasel5]

Agreed but only test and inspect to when installed

 

[JohnS888]

My initial reaction is that is wrong, there ought to be an accessible means of isolation, but off-hand I don't know if that is actually required.

Any idea why? Was there an old wall or pull switch that had been bypassed to save upgrading it to match current rating, or simply none ever fitted at all?

No, no signs of any pc. Think it was just initially hardwired without an isolator

 

[freddo]

Well at least it's one less thing to have burnt out terminals.

 

[radiohead]

Agreed but only test and inspect to when installed

Partly, but judgement needs to be applied. There are still plenty of (1970's) installations wired at a time when no RCD protection was installed even to external socket outlets. Lack of RCD protection to an external socket would now be a code 2.

 

[JohnS888]

What is your take on that? Do you think this is non-compliant with BS7671 and if so do you think it is something which affects safety and therfore needs to be coded?

As a person carrying out EICRs you obviously have a greater than average knowledge of the regulations.

My understanding of regs is that there is no actual regulation that specifies need for local isolation? The mcb is adequate to provide the isolation. Although that said shower should be installed to manufacturers instruction but as cannot gain access to this at the most I should note this on report but in terms of a regulation to back up a coding I am not aware of this. I may be wrong and hear others takes on it that is why I ask to be sure.

 

[radiohead]

My understanding of regs is that there is no actual regulation that specifies need for local isolation? The mcb is adequate to provide the isolation. Although that said shower should be installed to manufacturers instruction but as cannot gain access to this at the most I should note this on report but in terms of a regulation to back up a coding I am not aware of this. I may be wrong and hear others takes on it that is why I ask to be sure.

Note that not all MCB's are deemed adequate as a means of safe isolation for maintenance and repair, 3871's for example.

 

[davesparks]

Agreed but only test and inspect to when installed

No you don't, EICRs are carried out to the current edition of BS7671, as is made plainly clear in BS7671.

It is also made plainly clear that compliance with a previous edition of BS7671 does not necessarily mean that something should be recorded as an observation or altered. A lot of people misread or misunderstand the statement made, it clearly says 'not necessarily' but a lot of people incorrectly read it as 'does not'.
'not necessarily' means that it may or may not be non compliant, but that it cannot be judged as non compliant on the sole grounds of a change having been made to BS7671, it means that the item in question must affect safety or be of provable benefit to the installation to be recorded as an observation.

A good example is the change of conductor colours, red and black conductors do not comply with the current edition of BS7671 but this does not affect safety so there is nothing to report on.
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My understanding of regs is that there is no actual regulation that specifies need for local isolation? The mcb is adequate to provide the isolation. Although that said shower should be installed to manufacturers instruction but as cannot gain access to this at the most I should note this on report but in terms of a regulation to back up a coding I am not aware of this. I may be wrong and hear others takes on it that is why I ask to be sure.

That's my understanding too Regards local Isolators for a shower.

The installation must take account of manufacturers instructions, this was changed from 'must comply with' a few years ago as a lot of manufacturers instructions do not correctly reflect the requirements of bs7671 or were written based on older versions of it.

 

[richy3333]

Yikes! You’re not one of those now doing English EICRs for £50 are you? Sorry, I know this will sound harsh but the level of knowledge displayed by the OP in the thread is worrying.

 

[R-fur]

Whats an English EICR?

 

[Julie.]

Whats an English EICR?

Drive by

i.e. low quality!




(btw I am actually English - I just live amongst the heathens!)

 

[pc1966]

Drive by

i.e. low quality!

The "landlord special"?

 

[7029 dave]

Listening to these comments just tells me that IMO , these reports are not worth the paper their written on.

 

[freddo]

*They're

 

[7029 dave]

*They're

Spelling and grammar is not my bag, will try and do better next time.

 

[freddo]

I couldn't resist!