UK All lights in residential on one circuit?

[Jasebds]

Good evening,

I’m looking for some advice from experienced electricians please.

Currently having some work carried out by a new sparky due to mine being on holiday. The work he is doing is to an ok standard, but the only thing which has caught my attention in he has placed all the lights, 9 in total on one circuit (16a). Is this ok? Best practice? Meet regs?

Thanks in advance

 

[DPG]

Good evening,

I’m looking for some advice from experienced electricians please.

Currently having some work carried out by a new sparky due to mine being on holiday. The work he is doing is to an ok standard, but the only thing which has caught my attention in he has placed all the lights, 9 in total on one circuit (16a). Is this ok? Best practice? Meet regs?

Thanks in advance

All the lights in the house on one circuit, or one floor? What sort of house is it?

 

[Jasebds]

All the lights in the house on one circuit, or one floor? What sort of house is it?

It’s a three bed terrace. All lights in the house, both floors, 9 in total.
Thanks

 

[DPG]

It’s a three bed terrace. All lights in the house, both floors, 9 in total.
Thanks

Doesn't sound ideal. Was it a full rewire?

 

[Andy78]

No that's not best practice, against convention, and probably not compliant with section 314.

 

[Jasebds]

Doesn't sound ideal. Was it a full rewire?

No mate, but I’ve paid him 1k for new consumer unit, lift the sockets up from skirting and everything to co inside with regs
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No that's not best practice, against convention, and probably not compliant with section 314.

That’s what I thought. Thanks for your input bud, appreciated

 

[littlespark]

Doesn't sound good at all...

The idea is that each floor has its own circuit, so if,say the downstairs goes off, theres "borrowed" light from upstairs to see your way about.

Also, placing all the lights on a 16A? You sure that's not 6A?
I ask because regular domestic light switches are only rated for 10A.
Unlikely scenario, but if there is a fault, your switch will break before the breaker does.

Is there a reason to put it all on one circuit? Number of ways in the board etc?

Sounds like this electrician is straight out of a Western. Check he doesn't turn up on a horse with a ten gallon hat and a six shooter (does he say "yeeha" a lot?)

Oh, I see hes already done some work. Can we see any photographs of the CU as an example?

 

[westward10]

If he has replaced the consumer unit and all the lights are incorporated on one circuit short of partially rewiring it there isn't much he can do about it. Doubt it needs a 16A protective device though.

 

[Andy78]

No mate, but I’ve paid him 1k for new consumer unit, lift the sockets up from skirting and everything to co inside with regs
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That’s what I thought. Thanks for your input bud, appreciated

Ah ok, I'd assumed a full rewire, sorry.

When changing a consumer unit you can only really work with what's there. It may be one existing circuit, but by the sounds of it the circuits were separate before the work commenced ?
In which case it might be that the circuits have common conductors, shared neutrals, which prevent them being put on separate RCD devices.
Rewiring the circuits to suit at extra cost to yourself would be the only way to solve this.
This should have all been explained to you though really.

16A device sounds odd.

 

[DPG]

Can you post a picture of the consumer unit with the lid up.

 

[FatAlan]

Were there two circuits before? Has he just put both circuits into one MCB?

 

[davesparks]

No mate, but I’ve paid him 1k for new consumer unit, lift the sockets up from skirting and everything to co inside with regs

So no work to the lighting then? So why do you say he put them all on to one circuit if he hasn't done any work on the lighting?

 

[DPG]

So no work to the lighting then? So why do you say he put them all on to one circuit if he hasn't done any work on the lighting?

I assume he means no obvious visual work has been done. He'll hardly know if the sparky has wired 2 circuits into 1 MCB.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Have to confess I have merged all the lights on one circuit when there has been a borrowed neutral between the floors, usually on the stairs/landing. actually discussed this on an assessment visit as I had upgraded the rewireable board to incorporate RCD protection and mcbs but customer did not want the wall chased to sort the lighting.
not best practice but it was still an improvement on what was there. assessor took view thatwhen upgrading it is not always possible to bring it to the current standard like a new install but record it on the test cert anyway as deviation

 

[westward10]

We are speculating the configuration of the existing lighting circuit.

 

[Jasebds]

Thankyou all for your replies, I will be back at the property in the next couple of days so will upload a picture of c/u.

The should be enough space on the c/u as I purchased the one with 10 MCBs from screwfix. My only worry is that he is not being honest with me and telling it meets regs an will pass checks\tests.

Somebody said about it’s not a rewire, that’s right but I gave the sparky instructions to do whatever he has so it meets the regs and is safe.

16amp MCB is definitely in the circuit for the light. Do you guys think I should challenge this an ask for a 6 or 10 to be put in?

Thanks again, it’s appreciated

 

[Andy78]

Thankyou all for your replies, I will be back at the property in the next couple of days so will upload a picture of c/u.

The should be enough space on the c/u as I purchased the one with 10 MCBs from screwfix. My only worry is that he is not being honest with me and telling it meets regs an will pass checks\tests.

Somebody said about it’s not a rewire, that’s right but I gave the sparky instructions to do whatever he has so it meets the regs and is safe.

16amp MCB is definitely in the circuit for the light. Do you guys think I should challenge this an ask for a 6 or 10 to be put in?

Thanks again, it’s appreciated

The regulations are not retrospective so do not have to be applied to existing installations where they pose no danger. Existing installations do not necesarilly have to be brought up to current regulations to be safe.
If the remit was to work on sockets and change the consumer unit then work to the lighting circuits was probably not needed to ensure safety.

I think a chat with the electrician about your concerns is needed.

 

[davesparks]

Thankyou all for your replies, I will be back at the property in the next couple of days so will upload a picture of c/u.

The should be enough space on the c/u as I purchased the one with 10 MCBs from screwfix. My only worry is that he is not being honest with me and telling it meets regs an will pass checks\tests.

Somebody said about it’s not a rewire, that’s right but I gave the sparky instructions to do whatever he has so it meets the regs and is safe.

16amp MCB is definitely in the circuit for the light. Do you guys think I should challenge this an ask for a 6 or 10 to be put in?

Thanks again, it’s appreciated

What are those 10 MCB's doing? How many circuits were there in the old fuseboard?

 

[MJPD29]

It's not ideal but if it was like that before the realistically there's nothing wrong with it

 

[Jasebds]

The regulations are not retrospective so do not have to be applied to existing installations where they pose no danger. Existing installations do not necesarilly have to be brought up to current regulations to be safe.
If the remit was to work on sockets and change the consumer unit then work to the lighting circuits was probably not needed to ensure safety.

I think a chat with the electrician about your concerns is needed.

Attempted to chat to him and he stated that it was fine and will pass all tests and inspections (which is what i want, Yearly).
It is going to be a rental property and i dint want to put in tenants unless the electrics are safe.

It was definitely on a 16Amp MCB. Would you recommend me challenging him and ask to put it on a 10Amp?

Appreciate the advice im getting on this forum!
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What are those 10 MCB's doing? How many circuits were there in the old fuseboard?

There was two old fuse boards, both with 3 MCBs on each. I have a picture of that on my phone so will upload it shortly.

Thanks again