RCD requirements for old install

[Ratmeister]

I'm a property owner who is needing to get an old electrical installation NICEIC certified.

One of the buildings is a small office block with 6 small offices. The offices aren't currently being used commercially, this certification is just for insurance reasons.

The main fuse box is an old type one with rewirable fuses. It also has an Economy 7 fuse box, again with rewirable fuses. These would have been installed to the guidelines at the time which was probably about 30 years ago.

The electrician is saying because there is no RCD protection on these fuse boxes, both of them need replaced at substantial cost. Is this correct?

 

[westward10]

Generally I would Code 3 the lack of additional RCD protection in most circumstances. A commercial installation having BS3036 semi-enclosed fuses (rewireable) must be of some age however this does not necessarily mean it is unsafe. Being of such an age it is doubtful it satisfies the needs for a modern office environment so has it undergone alterations.

 

[Ratmeister]

Generally I would Code 3 the lack of additional RCD protection in most circumstances. A commercial installation having BS3036 semi-enclosed fuses (rewireable) must be of some age however this does not necessarily mean it is unsafe. Being of such an age it is doubtful it satisfies the needs for a modern office environment so has it undergone alterations.

It hasn't been used commercially for nearly 20 years. It has had some DIY modifications recently as it is currently being used by us as a home office/storage of old items we don't use.

 

[littlespark]

If nothing untoward, then agree, a C3.
This will still bring a “satisfactory” outcome to the report. That’s all the insurance will be worried about.

 

[westward10]

What is the floor area of the small offices because if they are very small the existing installation may satisfy any tenant.

 

[brianmoooore]

Assuming that there's little possibility of plugged in equipment being used outdoors, then C3. The regs require that the installation was installed in accordance with the regs at the time, any alterations were done to the regs at the the time they were made, and that nothing has deteriorated to the state of being unsatisfactory.
I would, however, add a note to the EICR, recommending that the fusegear be upgraded to include RCDs.

 

[Ratmeister]

What is the floor area of the small offices because if they are very small the existing installation may satisfy any tenant.

The entire block is only about 60 m squared.

 

[Ratmeister]

Assuming that there's little possibility of plugged in equipment being used outdoors, then C3. The regs require that the installation was installed in accordance with the regs at the time, any alterations were done to the regs at the the time they were made, and that nothing has deteriorated to the state of being unsatisfactory.
I would, however, add a note to the EICR, recommending that the fusegear be upgraded to include RCDs.

If some of our DIY mods needed fixed or we needed to repair some other things, is it okay?
Or do you have to then upgrade eveything if any repair is needed?

 

[westward10]

The problem with getting an EICR done in this day and age is that the market is flooded with incompetent people who really shouldn't be undertaking them this includes members of the NICEIC and others. The chances of you finding someone who does not judge the lack of additional RCD protection as being the end of the world is slim. That said there may well be other factors which would render the installation as being unsatisfactory.

 

[Ratmeister]

The problem with getting an EICR done in this day and age is that the market is flooded with incompetent people who really shouldn't be undertaking them this includes members of the NICEIC and others. The chances of you finding someone who does not judge the lack of additional RCD protection as being the end of the world is slim. That said there may well be other factors which would render the installation as being unsatisfactory.

I don’t mind paying to fix any other areas that may need fixed if it’s unsatisfactory. It’s just that the fuse boxes are obviously a major cost and RCD was the reason given.

Why would Economy 7 sockets need RCD protection if the leads to the heaters cannot be removed?

If any sockets were added in the last 5 years or any of the diy mods were needing changed would this mean the entire installation should conform to today’s regulations?