Amendment 2 is out today

[timhoward]

Quick summary from video above:
AFDDs only required in:
-Higher risk residential buildings
-HMOs
-Purpose built student accommodation
-Care homes
Less consumer unit labelling needed, "handover pack" instead
IR tests of circuits with sensitive equipment required to be 500v with sensitive equipment disconnected, then 250v with equipment connected
RCD testing simplified to x1 on AC setting, for both waveforms. x5 test not required.
Basically don't use type AC RCDs
SPD risk assessment ditched - all installs need one unless home owner 'declares' they understand risks and don't want one.
Protected escape routes in new buildings have restrictions on services running above them
Simpler model forms
Sockets in bathrooms can be 0.5m closer bath now (3m changed to 2.5m)!!
Earth rods are now "recommended" for TNCS supplies.

 

[kropaske]

And here is the pdf version from certsure...

You can even test your knowledge with little quiz at the end

 

[Simon47]

No prizes for this one, what do people think will be done by a typical consumer with a handover pack ?
a) Read it carefully and store it safely so it can be found any time it's needed.
b) Chuck it in the nearest drawer (or other "place where stuff goes to die") and then chuck it out when tidying out the drawer because it's full.
c) Just chuck it out straight away.
d) Use it in the cat's litter tray.
e) Something else

 

[Simon47]

I recall commenting on this during the consultation. In the wider world, "prosumer" has a long established and well entrenched meaning. Now the wiring regs refer to the "prosumer".
So do we think that JPEL/64 were careful to avoid causing further confusion for Joe Public

 

[Simon47]

And here is the pdf version from certsure...

You can even test your knowledge with little quiz at the end

Ooh, interesting.
So they've solved the argument over sleeving a G/Y in a multicore - it's finally not allowed That's going to pee off a lot of plumbers when their installations fail an EICR
And in a real WTF moment, DC +ve is changing back to RED (finally some sense) except when it's blue. DC -ve becomes white except when it's blue. So DC circuits could be red/white, red/blue, blue/white, or red/blue/white

 

[timhoward]

Ooh, interesting.
So they've solved the argument over sleeving a G/Y in a multicore - it's finally not allowed That's going to pee off a lot of plumbers when their installations fail an EICR
And in a real WTF moment, DC +ve is changing back to RED (finally some sense) except when it's blue. DC -ve becomes white except when it's blue. So DC circuits could be red/white, red/blue, blue/white, or red/blue/white

There's a fair helping of common sense is quite a lot of the changes, so they had to do something 'special' somewhere....!
I'm particularly looking forward to a ceremonial bonfire for my 2 versions of BS7671 colours stickers.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I'm particularly looking forward to a ceremonial bonfire for my 2 versions of BS7671 colours stickers.

i bring the toffee apples then .

 

[buzzlightyear]

new ideas for the coming amendments ,so dont need the stickers on the cu then ,only Kilroy was here . give a customers a pack of what tea bags and sticker ,here put them on your selves I'm off.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

So AFDDs
if altering a circuit in an hmo with rcbos which as of yesterday was compliant. do we now need to upgrade the rcbo to afdd if adding a socket to the circuit or adding a light etc? we are not talking like for like but additons

 

[pc1966]

Watching the eFix video on this, with wine and chocolate.

Yes, my life is that dull!

 

[timhoward]

So AFDDs
if altering a circuit in an hmo with rcbos which as of yesterday was compliant. do we now need to upgrade the rcbo to afdd if adding a socket to the circuit or adding a light etc? we are not talking like for like but additons

I had the same thought.
As far as I can tell it's only required for sockets, "all other circuits" are a recommendation.
I'd assume that the usual principle applies that if you make an addition the entire circuit has to be up to scratch with latest and greatest regs.

My other thought was that it just got more important working out what is a HMO and what isn't. Some are very obvious, some less so, e.g. a 3 bed semi rented out to 3 different parties is deemed a HMO by some local authorities.

 

[Dartlec]

So AFDDs
if altering a circuit in an hmo with rcbos which as of yesterday was compliant. do we now need to upgrade the rcbo to afdd if adding a socket to the circuit or adding a light etc? we are not talking like for like but additons

Hopefully someone will provide some guidance in time, it won't be mandatory for the moment during the crossover period at least.

Though the original DPC mentioned a years grace, and the publicity I've seen today suggests it might be 6 months..(based on this: Amendment 2 to BS7671:2018 – the key changes explained - https://professional-electrician.com/18th-edition/amendment-2-to-bs76712018-the-key-changes-explained/)

It might come down to whether you are 'altering an existing circuit', or adding a new circuit

Or it might be like RCDs - if you replace like for like (maintenance) you may not have to upgrade protection - if you add a new socket then you must add the protection for the new work (and in this case at the board will be the only sensible option).

That will run into problems when there are companies with no available AFDDs, or everything is on a Dual RCD board...

Some landlords might in for a nice surprise, just when they thought the EICR fun was over....

 

[Dartlec]

I guess we will have to wait for the BPG to update to find out how lack of AFDDs will be coded - I guess it will start off as a 3 and eventually move to a 2.

It will add an interesting twist though, as the usage of the property may become important in determining the requirements, which isn't so much the case now. And what happens if a property with a satisfactory EICR then becomes an HMO? (presumably the council licensing might pick that up, but I doubt they look much further than the satisfactory box in many cases...)

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Hopefully someone will provide some guidance in time, it won't be mandatory for the moment during the crossover period at least.

Though the original DPC mentioned a years grace, and the publicity I've seen today suggests it might be 6 months..(based on this: Amendment 2 to BS7671:2018 – the key changes explained - https://professional-electrician.com/18th-edition/amendment-2-to-bs76712018-the-key-changes-explained/)

It might come down to whether you are 'altering an existing circuit', or adding a new circuit

Or it might be like RCDs - if you replace like for like (maintenance) you may not have to upgrade protection - if you add a new socket then you must add the protection for the new work (and in this case at the board will be the only sensible option).

That will run into problems when there are companies with no available AFDDs, or everything is on a Dual RCD board...

Some landlords might in for a nice surprise, just when they thought the EICR fun was over....

This is my thinking, I do all the electrical work for a local agent and they have 50+ HMOs so we have been discussing this. some landlords like the £60 EICR brigade and are in for some shocks when the rogues tell them the rcbo board they had fitted last year needs afdds now so must be ripped out.
I let them get the cheap eicrs as its me that gets the remedials at a sensible price rather than the cowboys.
I guess you could route the circuit through its own afdd immediately next to the consumer unit and treat the afdd like a sub board...
i am expecting to see a flash sale on swtichgear in the next few months to get rid of type ac rcds/rcbos so make use of them during the grace period.

 

[timhoward]

Watching the eFix video on this, with wine and chocolate.

Yes, my life is that dull!

I went for locally produced beer.
I'll save the wine for when the book arrives and I can feast my geeky eyes on the full version of:
"544.1.1 has been reworded to try and provide clarification of main bonding requirements at secondary buildings where PME conditions do not apply."

 

[Eric12]

 

[Pretty Mouth]

RCD sockets and FCUs to BS7288 are now back in the regs for additional protection

 

[timhoward]

RCD sockets and FCUs to BS7288 are now back in the regs for additional protection

That begs the interesting question, if adding a socket and the circuit has type AC additional protection, is adding a type A RCD socket enough or would the whole circuit need to meet new requirement for type A….I suspect the latter.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Earth rods are now "recommended" for TNCS supplies.

around these parts you got next to no chance sinking an earth rod in central bath or on some of the hills, especially northern side, 6 inches down you got solid rock, in central parts you will likely end up putting it in somebody's basement flat ceiling!

 

[loz2754]

That begs the interesting question, if adding a socket and the circuit has type AC additional protection, is adding a type A RCD socket enough or would the whole circuit need to meet new requirement for type A….I suspect the latter.

I suspect your are right, as it would be pointless having 2 RCDs in series, and the upstream RCD would still be blinded by any DC in the circuit.