immersion on a non dedicated radial

[cprfenom]

I went to a job that the owner felt was a bodged job. It was basically a radial circuit wired at the start in 4.0mm T&E, and then it goes to a few sockets that is supplying a washing machine and tumble drier. From there it goes upstairs to the airing cupboard where it feeds a single switched socket that the owner has to swap either the immersion or his shower pump, and then the circuit goes up to the loft where it feeds the boiler. All the wiring apart from the first leg of the radial is 2.5 T&E and fed from a 16amp MCB 60898

I was always under the impression that from the 60's immersions were on dedicated circuits and in most cases fed off of a DP isolator.

I rang Napit and they have said that although its bad design its doesn't breach any regs and that in an EICR it could only be coded a 3 as it is on a radial and not a RFC.

This doesn't sit well with me as it goes against everything I have been taught and told to date.

Opinions please

 

[Welchyboy1]

As said bit rough but not dangerous, surprised its doesnt overload, must have to use each appliance on its own

immersion circuits usually start out 'dedicated' but often end up with shower pumps and all sorts of other things connected to it

not really a big issue

 

[Lucien Nunes]

16A circuit too small for the job though - immersion and either of the large appliances exceed 16A for starters. It'll probably work but bad design.

 

[Octopus]

Many, many Immersions are on plug tops off socket circuits - and that was OK back then.

Sure we wouldn't do it that way now, nor would we fit air bags to the Mk 1 Mini (the original version)

 

[7029 dave]

Back in the 14th ed you could have 1 fixed appliance fed off RFC, normally the IH. Always better to have on own circuit.

 

[7029 dave]

That does not include cooker or shower circuits.

 

[Engineer54]

I went to a job that the owner felt was a bodged job. It was basically a radial circuit wired at the start in 4.0mm T&E, and then it goes to a few sockets that is supplying a washing machine and tumble drier. From there it goes upstairs to the airing cupboard where it feeds a single switched socket that the owner has to swap either the immersion or his shower pump, and then the circuit goes up to the loft where it feeds the boiler. All the wiring apart from the first leg of the radial is 2.5 T&E and fed from a 16amp MCB 60898

I was always under the impression that from the 60's immersions were on dedicated circuits and in most cases fed off of a DP isolator.

I rang Napit and they have said that although its bad design its doesn't breach any regs and that in an EICR it could only be coded a 3 as it is on a radial and not a RFC.

This doesn't sit well with me as it goes against everything I have been taught and told to date.

Opinions please

The customer is clearly not happy with the situation as it stands.... So more to the point, what are YOU now intending to DO with this radial circuit??

 

[Farmelectrics]

all you can do is code 3 it its up to the customer to act on your recomendations

 

[cprfenom]

The customer is clearly not happy with the situation as it stands.... So more to the point, what are YOU now intending to DO with this radial circuit??

This is the problem, as its not a dangerous situation, but bad design in my opinion. I have stated this and left it with the customer as bringing the circuit in line with good practice will require carpets up etc.

If this was a C1/C2 then it would be an entirely different conversation.

 

[davesparks]

Why were you at the property?
Were you there to carry out an EICR?
Or
Were you there because your client wants this bodge improved?