PIR registration and CU replacement

[clavaspark]

Hi All,

I am an Electrician with 15 years' experience of installation and testing; I have my 2391 and can call myself a competent person. I am planning to go self-employed and there are a couple of things I am unsure of as follows.

To carry our PIRs on domestic properties is it a requirement that I should be registered with one of the electrical body's?

Also if a customer asks for a consumer unit change but doesn't want to pay for a PIR for their domestic dwelling would I be breaking any rules by doing this?

Cheers
Si

 

[SparkyChick]

Welcome to the forums.

Was going to answer, but I notice you're in Scotland so I'm not sure on the first query.

The second one, I doubt it but they should be made aware that if issues are found during the changeover additional works might be required which would adversely affect their bill

But as I say, I'm not in Scotland so I'm not sure about the specific rules etc. that apply up there.

 

[Octopus]

Whats a PIR? Do you mean EICR?

 

[clavaspark]

Whats a PIR? Do you mean EICR?

Yes, should of said EICR

 

[cprfenom]

Whats a PIR? Do you mean EICR?

Is someone being Pedantic so early on a Sunday Morning?

 

[suffolkspark]

You dont need to be registered with a scheme to carry out EICRS no.

When you change a ccu you need to be sure that the circuits you are putting back into service are safe for continued use.... In my opinion an EICR is the only way this can truely be confirmed.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

There are two ways to approach a CU change, by the book an EICR is carried out first and any faults rectified before the CU change. But in the real world most CU changes are the result of a request for a quote, and nobody is going to carry out a full EICR as part of an estimate for a CU change they may not even get. Normally I carry out a few basic tests and inspections which with experience is a pretty good guide to whether a CU change is viable when I site visit for the quote. The client is also made aware that full tests will be carried out during the CU change which may result in extra costs should there be any hidden problems.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

In my opinion an EICR is the only way this can truely be confirmed.

The problem is people expect free estimates, if you suggest spending a couple of hundred quid before they even get an estimate.....well good luck with that. Or are you doing free EICR's?

 

[Octopus]

In my opinion an EICR is the only way this can truely be confirmed.

This is what I disagree with ..............

ALL my cu replacement quotes include a caveat about unexpected faults and these adding time and money ............. never had it challenged

But there are rare occasions, where my site visit to discuss a quote will mean I would insist on an EICR or worse I would decline to quote for anything.

 

[Pete999]

Hi All,

I am an Electrician with 15 years' experience of installation and testing; I have my 2391 and can call myself a competent person. I am planning to go self-employed and there are a couple of things I am unsure of as follows.

To carry our PIRs on domestic properties is it a requirement that I should be registered with one of the electrical body's?

Also if a customer asks for a consumer unit change but doesn't want to pay for a PIR for their domestic dwelling would I be breaking any rules by doing this?

Cheers
Si

No but you could be in all sorts of difficulties, if you didn't carry out some basic tests prior to changing the CU, IMO

 

[Octopus]

Is someone being Pedantic so early on a Sunday Morning?

Referring to EICR's as PIR's simply suggests the person isn't up to date with the regs ............ they stopped being PIR's about 5 years ago

 

[suffolkspark]

I always do a full EICR with a board change, never had it challenged either. I dont do fixed quotations.

 

[Pete999]

Hi All,

I am an Electrician with 15 years' experience of installation and testing; I have my 2391 and can call myself a competent person. I am planning to go self-employed and there are a couple of things I am unsure of as follows.

To carry our PIRs on domestic properties is it a requirement that I should be registered with one of the electrical body's?

Also if a customer asks for a consumer unit change but doesn't want to pay for a PIR for their domestic dwelling would I be breaking any rules by doing this?

Cheers
Si

Read Electrical Safety First Best Practice Guide Number 1
https://www.----------------------------/mediafile/100423440/Best-Practice-Guide-1-Issue-3-.pdf

 

[cprfenom]

Referring to EICR's as PIR's simply suggests the person isn't up to date with the regs ............ they stopped being PIR's about 5 years ago

I cannot disagree with that.

 

[JOURNEYMAN]

As Pete suggests, read Best Practice Guide Number 1 in which section 6.2.1 and 6.2.2, which basically says that the customer should be encouraged to have an EICR undertaken, however if they refuse then a pre-work survey should be undertaken to ascertain if there are any immediate or potential dangers or if there's a condition that would cause unwanted tripping of the rcd in the existing installation affected by the change.
As other have said, in the real world, customers often don't wish to spend the money on the EICR and prefer to pay the minimum and just go for the board change.
I think it's a judgement call on the electrician and not the customer to ascertain whether or not an existing installation is 'up to' a simple board change or whether or not the installation requires extensive repair or replacement so in my opinion a thorough visual inspection and testing prior would be vital.
Interestingly, on one of my assessment a couple of years ago, the assessor asked me if I had copies of the EICRS carried out prior to the board changes that I'd undertaken and encouraged me to keep a record of them or any pre work surveys.