RCD requirements for old install

[westward10]

If someone has added socket outlets in the last five years they should have put additional RCD protection in place.

 

[Risteard]

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

I'm not sure that I'd entirely agree with that statement.

 

[brianmoooore]

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?

What constitutes a repair? Common sense needs to be applied.
Changing a damaged socket for a new one is a like for like repair, and is allowed, but if the repair consists of removing something that was fitted not in accordance with the regulations, then that is allowed, but if you then reinstate what was remove, that has to be in accordance with current regs.
I've come across this conundrum many times when I've been asked to 'move' a socket. I've explained to the customer that removing a socket is one job, and fitting a socket is another, which needs to be to current regs.

 

[Ratmeister]

Upgrading the main fuse box is probably a sensible thing to do by the sounds of it. I'd imagine it will make the place easier to sell as well.

The Economy 7 fuse box is a different matter though. This installation has defintely not been touched and the sockets feeding the heaters can't be used to plug anything else in. Does everyone agree this is just a C3?

 

[davesparks]

The regs require that the installation was installed in accordance with the regs at the time,

No they don't, the current regulations don't make any such requirement of old installations.
The only requirement the current regulations make of old installations is that they be inspected and tested at appropriate intervals.

The report which is issued should identify defects, damage, deterioration and areas where our understanding, technology and the regulations have changed and safety improvements can or should be made.

 

[davesparks]

Upgrading the main fuse box is probably a sensible thing to do by the sounds of it. I'd imagine it will make the place easier to sell as well.

If you are selling a commercial building it is unlikely to make much difference as the new owners will most likely alter/adapt the building to their purposes anyway and possibly remove whatever new DB is installed.

The Economy 7 fuse box is a different matter though. This installation has defintely not been touched and the sockets feeding the heaters can't be used to plug anything else in. Does everyone agree this is just a C3?

It's very hard to give a firm judgement on a code without actually seeing the installation, there could be any number of factors involved which you may not realise are important to mention.
If the heaters are plugged into sockets then they can be unplugged and used to plug something else in, it's just a question of whether anyone would do this during the E7 hours.
Plus it is very unusual for storage heaters to he connected via a socket, this may well be a cause to look a little deeper into the installation in itself.

 

[brianmoooore]

Where the regs at the time of installation differ from those that are current, C3s, improvement recommended, will be generated on any EICR undertaken. These C3s will not normally lead to an 'unsatisfactory' report.

 

[Ratmeister]

If you are selling a commercial building it is unlikely to make much difference as the new owners will most likely alter/adapt the building to their purposes anyway and possibly remove whatever new DB is installed.


It's very hard to give a firm judgement on a code without actually seeing the installation, there could be any number of factors involved which you may not realise are important to mention.
If the heaters are plugged into sockets then they can be unplugged and used to plug something else in, it's just a question of whether anyone would do this during the E7 hours.
Plus it is very unusual for storage heaters to he connected via a socket, this may well be a cause to look a little deeper into the installation in itself.

The E7 heaters can't be unplugged. I probably mean they are E7 power switches, not sockets. We have E7 heaters in a few buildings and they're all the same, the power lead from the heater is fixed and comes out the front of the switch.

 

[davesparks]

Where the regs at the time of installation differ from those that are current, C3s, improvement recommended, will be generated on any EICR undertaken.

Not necessarily, if there is no safety improvement to be made then no code should be given (eg pre-harmonisation colours) but if it is potentially dangerous then it will be reported as a C2 (eg unlinked fuse or circuit breaker in the neutral)

 

[brianmoooore]

Testing and allocation of coding should not be entirely a 'tick box' exercise. There will occasionally be things where the tester's expertise is used to declare a particular item as unsatisfactory.
This is a thread in DIY, not a deep intellectual discussion hidden in 'the Arms'.