Air conditioning

[sparks1234]

As many sparks do we install supplies to air con units which we test, certify and move on.
We never get involved in an6 of the interconnection wiring as the AC companies do this themselves but my question is, should they be issuing certification for this, possibly a minor works as they are altering a circuit

 

[pirate]

Are they genuinely altering, or adding, to a circuit...pedantry, I know, but I am genuinely interested to know the views on this. After all, if you have done your job, does it matter?

 

[sparks1234]

Are they genuinely altering, or adding, to a circuit...pedantry, I know, but I am genuinely interested to know the views on this. After all, if you have done your job, does it matter?

Nope, doesn’t matter to me but I know most ac companies dont and was interested in others opinions

 

[Pete999]

As many sparks do we install supplies to air con units which we test, certify and move on.
We never get involved in an6 of the interconnection wiring as the AC companies do this themselves but my question is, should they be issuing certification for this, possibly a minor works as they are altering a circuit

Why don't you get involved with the interconnecting cables?

 

[radiohead]

Why don't you get involved with the interconnecting cables?

Most AC installations are carried out by AC specialists who simply ask their client for the appropriate supply to be in place in an isolator for final connection of the equipment by themselves. The client then arranges for an electrician to install that supply. Electricians don't get involved with interconnecting cables in these circumstances because they are not asked to.
I always note on the EIC that final connection of the equipment is by others, but yes, technically I suppose the AC installers should provide a MW cert for their part of the installation.

 

[Pete999]

Most AC installations are carried out by AC specialists who simply ask their client for the appropriate supply to be in place in an isolator for final connection of the equipment by themselves. The client then arranges for an electrician to install that supply. Electricians don't get involved with interconnecting cables in these circumstances because they are not asked to.
I always note on the EIC that final connection of the equipment is by others, but yes, technically I suppose the AC installers should provide a MW cert for their part of the installation.

Thanks was forgetting when I did A/C install I did the lot plus pressure testing as well, suppose it's different in the contracting world, thanks again Mate, see your point now.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - my thought is it should be MWC.

 

[Pete999]

Hi - my thought is it should be MWC.

To be honest the installation, less the interconnecting bit isn't a finished install, the supply and the interconnection should be completed together and documented on the EIC issued for the supply the A/C Compressor, after all, would you issue an EIC on an unfinished ibstallation?

 

[James]

It would be good to see it added to the fgas certification.
That way it would be a legal requirement to fill it in.

I got a mild shock from an air con pipe when I touched it in conjunction with a ceiling grid.
Was only quoting a job, lifted a ceiling panel and had a look see , just caught a pipe with my hand and my forearm was restringing on the grid.

After a swear word leaked out of my mouth, I came down and told the boss what I had “found”

Half an hour later I had found that the unit wasn’t earthed, it went into the isolator but the earth lead to the unit had been terminated in an unused terminal on the isolator not the earth terminal.

 

[Wilko]

To be honest the installation, less the interconnecting bit isn't a finished install, the supply and the interconnection should be completed together and documented on the EIC issued for the supply the A/C Compressor, after all, would you issue an EIC on an unfinished ibstallation?

You are right .

 

[Midwest]

We’ve had (workplace) individual ac fitted by company, who used spark for supply and not received EIC for the new supply, nor anything else for electrical connection between inside & outside units, which includes the use of sy cable.

 

[plugsandsparks]

I install a/c but not clear where an EIC would finish. On the simple split systems where an electrician provides an isolater for the outdoor unit. This is easy to de-mark, test and certify to BS7671. However the supply to the indoor unit, power and comms is often derived from the PCB of the outdoor unit and as such is derived supply. YY cable is often used for this as it is ideal having the extra core(s) and is small enough to terminate in the indoor unit.
The indoor units i have come across have all been 240V supply and you get defintely get a belt off this YY cable.
On the installation checklist there is an area when you certify all electrical connections are done to Mis (usually specifying ferruled terminals) but thats it, you certainly would not IR test the cable when connected and your EFI tests are i think impossible to ascertain as the supply is derived off the PCB with protection systems for overload and short cct.
In the MIs there are no electrical tests as we would know it, you basically terminate the cable correctly and thats it.

On VRF / multi systems, it is different as an FSU is needed for each indoor unit and there is just a comms cable similar to ethernet that connects them together, so its easier to do an EIC for the outdoor unit and each indoor unit to the FSU.

 

[Pete999]

I install a/c but not clear where an EIC would finish. On the simple split systems where an electrician provides an isolater for the outdoor unit. This is easy to de-mark, test and certify to BS7671. However the supply to the indoor unit, power and comms is often derived from the PCB of the outdoor unit and as such is derived supply. YY cable is often used for this as it is ideal having the extra core(s) and is small enough to terminate in the indoor unit.
The indoor units i have come across have all been 240V supply and you get defintely get a belt off this YY cable.
On the installation checklist there is an area when you certify all electrical connections are done to Mis (usually specifying ferruled terminals) but thats it, you certainly would not IR test the cable when connected and your EFI tests are i think impossible to ascertain as the supply is derived off the PCB with protection systems for overload and short cct.
In the MIs there are no electrical tests as we would know it, you basically terminate the cable correctly and thats it.

On VRF / multi systems, it is different as an FSU is needed for each indoor unit and there is just a comms cable similar to ethernet that connects them together, so its easier to do an EIC for the outdoor unit and each indoor unit to the FSU.

The Indoor unit or Condenser unit on a simple Split System IS part of the installation of the A/C system and should be treated as such when installing and testing. As this supply usually consists of a L.N and cpc fed directly from the outside unit (Compressor ) along with maybe some control wiring (been a while), to treat the condenser electrical install on simple systems as a separate system is ludicrous, a waste of time, nothing a competent Electrician couldn't install and test, to say otherwise seems stupid.
If aN Electrician couldn't complete the entire installation , he or she ought to hang up theit screwdrivers and take up plumbing.

 

[Midwest]

Thing is Pete, these AC units are installed by the fgas bods, who are the only ones that can install them, and think as they are perfectly qualified to install these nasty gases, are perfectly qualified to install these nasty electrical stuff.

Nought gonna change, the phrase ‘horses for courses’ gets skrewed .

 

[plugsandsparks]

Quite frankly the interconnect cable is just a length of cable terminated using crimped connectors, its not exactly hard... A suspect most a/c installers dont WANT an electrician to connect the interconnect cable because if they uck it up thats quite an expensive system to repair / replace.. "Electricians know your limits"... leave it to the a/c guys its their risk if it goes pear shaped.