Consumer unit not 17th edition edition

[intamixx]

Hello,

I have just had an Eicr done as I'm letting out the house.

The electrician has stated the following points as c2. My consumer unit apparently is an old Wylex one.

- consumer unit not 17th edition.

- consumer unit main switch is 100ma

- cooker switches wall socket outlet only on 100ma

- circuit 1-3 on 100ma rcd

Do I really need to get a new consumer unit?  Will the old consumer have a high risk to catch fire easily?  

Thanks.

 

[steptoe]

There is NO such thing as a 17th edition consumer unit.

 

[binky]

If the property is for your own use it is perfectly legal to have a 14th edition board, and no, the old boards don't catch fire easily if they are a reasonable make like Wylex. If your current board isn't wood backed, which is considered a fire risk, then what you currently have isn't about to spontaneously combust. If you do get the board changed then chances are it will be steel to be complaint with Amendment 3 of BS7671 17th edition.

As for RCDs, you should have 30mA for a shower and any socket that is likely to be used for power tools outdoors eg the lawnmower, which can easily be achieved with a plug-in RCD, normally known as 'power breakers' in the case of the lawn mower. Don't understand the cooker bit, I usually keep these off RCDs unless there is very good reason for putting them on one.

What else has your sparky said?

 

[ProDave]

Can you post a picture of your consumer unit?

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

 Don't understand the cooker bit, I usually keep these off RCDs unless there is very good reason for putting them on one.

It is correct to mention  that any  socket  that anyone could use, such as one on a  cooker  switch should have Rcd protection. It is being tested to todays regs although the code number it gets will be argued

Since the house is being let out you have a duty of care to the tenants , it does not meet the standards. You could add rcd's to the existing wiring but that will cost almost as much and would be messy

 

[Tony S]

Do I really need to get a new consumer unit?  Will the old consumer have a high risk to catch fire easily?  

It looks like someone is trying scare tactics to part you with your hard earned.

Post your location and a photograph.

PS, if you manage to set fire to the Wylex board I’ll buy you a pint.

 

[Murdoch]

Hello,

I have just had an Eicr done as I'm letting out the house.

The electrician has stated the following points as c2. My consumer unit apparently is an old Wylex one.

- consumer unit not 17th edition.

- consumer unit main switch is 100ma

- cooker switches wall socket outlet only on 100ma

- circuit 1-3 on 100ma rcd

Do I really need to get a new consumer unit?  Will the old consumer have a high risk to catch fire easily?  

Thanks.

Out of interest how much did you pay for the EICR and how long was the sparky in your property?

I don't think its worth the paper its written on!

 

[Andy™]

Hello,

I have just had an Eicr done as I'm letting out the house.

The electrician has stated the following points as c2. My consumer unit apparently is an old Wylex one.

- consumer unit not 17th edition.

- consumer unit main switch is 100ma

- cooker switches wall socket outlet only on 100ma

- circuit 1-3 on 100ma rcd

Do I really need to get a new consumer unit?  Will the old consumer have a high risk to catch fire easily?  

Thanks.

there is no such thing as a 17th edition consumer unit, as already pointed out. the fact its not '17th edition' cannot be given any code as its irrelevant

but either way, as it stands is doesnt comply with current regulations. for a start, all sockets that could be used outdoors have required an RCD since 16th edition. 17th edition requires RCD on all sockets. ESC best practice guide does list this as C2 which would be unsatisfactory. this would also apply to cooker switch if it has a socket. other than that the others may only be C3 at worst

some stuff does require a 30mA RCD too, but sometimes 100mA is suitable. still a lot of information lacking. you could always post up the entire report (personal details removed), some of them are that bad it gives us a bit of entertainment

 

[binky]

It is correct to mention  that any  socket  that anyone could use, such as one on a  cooker  switch should have Rcd protection. It is being tested to todays regs although the code number it gets will be argued

Since the house is being let out you have a duty of care to the tenants , it does not meet the standards. You could add rcd's to the existing wiring but that will cost almost as much and would be messy

i missed the bit about letting, in which case updating is highly recommended. However as pointed out above, the 'tester' does seem to be a pillock.

Out of interest intermixx, was this electrician recommended by a letting agency? many, not all, pay backhanders to the agency and are worth avoiding. Have they given a price?

 

[Evans Electric]

Its a constant problem , your installation sounds possibly to be a 15th or 16th edition one  and of course at the time , were deemed to be "to the latest Regulations"  .

Time moves on and to be honest I havn't read any guidance "from above"  on doing EICR,s on previous Reg. editions .   On saying that I have been told by my trade body that EICR,s should be inspected to the 17th edition . 

To cut through all the cr*p and given the fact that the property is to be rented out ,  I would , most certainly , upgrade the consumer unit .

The fact that it will be a metal one is neither here nor there ...... you have a duty of care and a modern board containing 30mA  RCDs will go a long way in providing that , and your rear end will be suitably covered if ever the brown stuff meets the rotating cooling device.

With a 100mA  RCD main switch ...just wondering if the earthing is OK there  also.

For the safety of your tenants and for your peace of mind , upgrade it .

 

[Sidewinder]

Possibly a TT install, hence the 100mA RCD?

 

[Essex1]

there is no such thing as a 17th edition consumer unit, as already pointed out. the fact its not '17th edition' cannot be given any code as its irrelevant

but either way, as it stands is doesnt comply with current regulations. for a start, all sockets that could be used outdoors have required an RCD since 16th edition. 17th edition requires RCD on all sockets. ESC best practice guide does list this as C2 which would be unsatisfactory. this would also apply to cooker switch if it has a socket. other than that the others may only be C3 at worst

some stuff does require a 30mA RCD too, but sometimes 100mA is suitable. still a lot of information lacking. you could always post up the entire report (personal details removed), some of them are that bad it gives us a bit of entertainment

No it does not.   Sockets that are unlikely to feed portable equipment outside is a C3 and always has been. The cooker socket will only be a C2 if that socket is likely to feed outside equipment. 

 

[Essex1]

Its a constant problem , your installation sounds possibly to be a 15th or 16th edition one  and of course at the time , were deemed to be "to the latest Regulations"  .

Time moves on and to be honest I havn't read any guidance "from above"  on doing EICR,s on previous Reg. editions .   On saying that I have been told by my trade body that EICR,s should be inspected to the 17th edition . 

To cut through all the cr*p and given the fact that the property is to be rented out ,  I would , most certainly , upgrade the consumer unit .

The fact that it will be a metal one is neither here nor there ...... you have a duty of care and a modern board containing 30mA  RCDs will go a long way in providing that , and your rear end will be suitably covered if ever the brown stuff meets the rotating cooling device.

With a 100mA  RCD main switch ...just wondering if the earthing is OK there  also.

For the safety of your tenants and for your peace of mind , upgrade it .

I do think you are correct but why would a property owner want to protect strangers more than their own family?  Seems very odd that anyone would care more about prosecution by being responsible for killing or injuring tenants than the heartache and guilt from doing the same to their own family. 

 

[ProDave]

The rules for rental properties are more strict than the rules for owner occupied. E.g requirements for smoke alarme etc in a rental property are much more strict for rental than owner occupied.

Owner occupied you dion't even need to get an eicr. If you are happy living in an old house wired to 14th, then that's your look out.  If you let it, then you have a duty to ensure it is "safe"

 

[Essex1]

The rules for rental properties are more strict than the rules for owner occupied. E.g requirements for smoke alarme etc in a rental property are much more strict for rental than owner occupied.

Owner occupied you dion't even need to get an eicr. If you are happy living in an old house wired to 14th, then that's your look out.  If you let it, then you have a duty to ensure it is "safe"

I know that but I am talking more from an ethical point of view than a legal one. 

 

[binky]

the general public are allowed to have an opinion on their own safety. I've always found those that have had an electrical 'incident' are far more interested in their own/ family safety than those that haven't.

 

[intamixx]

The electrician was Part P and in there for an hour.  I have paid 95 plus VAT.  The house is a 3 bedroom end of terrace.
I found the electrician online via his professional looking website as he was local to the area.
There is no outside socket.
See attached image of report listing issues and consumer unit..
Report summary was "Original wiring is in good condition however upgrade works are required and other remedial works."

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I worked on one of those this week, horrible boards as the terminals are all exposed. Proteus breakers fit by the way.

Back to the OP, i cant quite read the writing under the breakers, that is a 'split load' board with the correct RCD protection but it appears the original installer has wired the RCD & Non RCD sides back to front.

Also from your post this might be a TT , Is your electric fed from overhead wires ? Could we see the rest of the cert (with your details blanked out)

The observations list is a bit over the top, probably accurate but many things not necessary for that list.

 

[Murdoch]

The electrician was Part P and in there for an hour.  I have paid 95 plus VAT.  The house is a 3 bedroom end of terrace.
I found the electrician online via his professional looking website as he was local to the area.
There is no outside socket.
See attached image of report listing issues and consumer unit..
Report summary was "Original wiring is in good condition however upgrade works are required and other remedial works."

View attachment 6904

View attachment 6905

So £95 for max 2 hours work!

What about the test results pages? They could make interesting reading.

Where are you based as I think you need a 2nd opinion

 

[intamixx]

I will try and post the masked full report later on with a better picture of the consumer unit when I go there later today to put in the gas / water earth bonding.

There is also an earth rod on the outside of the wall behind the consumer unit.  See picture, what is it? and what is it there for?  The earth wire is attached to the consumer unit, so should I still do the gas / water bonding?

Thanks.