Do we have to fit AFDD's in domestic installations?

[HappyHippyDad]

I can't find any really up to date threads on whether we have to fit AFDD's.

I am specifically talking about in a domestic premise. I can see that 421.1.7 shows where an AFDD HAS to be fitted (i.e in one of the 4 bullet points), but then it says below ( the bullet points) it is 'recommended' that AFDD's are fitted in ALL premises for socket outlets.

The Napit Webinar (02/11/2022) kind of skips lightly over this point. At 11 mins and 25 seconds he says something along the lines of 'it is up to the designer whether to use the recommendation of using AFDD's'.

It clearly is not mandatory otherwise the reg would not state the 4 examples of where it actually is mandatory. So it is actually optional, but there isn't any criteria given to help you decide whether or not you should fit one.

Does anyone have any clarification on this?

 

[pc1966]

They better hope its under 18m !! Otherwise its 5x new AFD and thats not cheap !

As @davesparks pointed out the guidance (BPG #4 page 20) codes this as C3 so not essential to change.

If they need a new CU for other reasons then you should be fitting AFDD due to the current regs requiring them, but not as an EICR-forced change.

 

[Markyd]

That's a very extreme statement, do you have much evidence for this?

Here you go Watch them all.....brilliant

 

[Simon47]

I've only watched the first of the videos, not a good showing to not detect some serious arcing.
I've seen the result of parallel arcing at church. We had a fuse blowing intermittently but couldn't find any cause. It was only when someone mentioned a socjet not working that I found a length of T&E going through a 3ft thick wall where the mice had been at it - and about 6" was burned away from arcing, just like the test the video showed the Hager device not detecting.