EICR - PLASTIC CONSUMER UNIT CODE C2 or C3

[CHRIS GINNAW]

After your thoughts on EICR coding for an existing plastic consumer unit in an under stairs cupboard, firstly in a standard domestic dwelling and secondly in a house of multiple occupancy.
After discussing this others and with tech helplines seems to be a bit of a split as to what code!

 

[The Ghost]

C3

 

[Octopus]

Is it even a code?

Tin hat on

 

[mattg4321]

An insulated consumer unit in good condition is never ever a C2. Anyone who codes it as such is a chancer IMO.

I generally don't code them unless they are in an understairs cupboard. Begrudgingly I would normally the code it C3 in line with guidance

 

[MDJ]

A nothing, there are 100s of thousands all over the UK, lets be serious here.

 

[CHRIS GINNAW]

Is this an EICR you are doing or one that has been passed to you. If the former then may be you should consider that after discussing it with others, using tech helpline and now a forum you should find another aspect of your trade.

And your thoughts on this? That was all I was asking for!

 

[MJPD29]

No code at all

 

[westward10]

An insulated consumer unit in good condition is never ever a C2. Anyone who codes it as such is a chancer IMO.

I generally don't code them unless they are in an understairs cupboard. Begrudgingly I would normally the code it C3 in line with guidance

What guidance.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Supposed to be a C3 if under the stairs?

 

[Octopus]

What guidance.

Best practice guide No 4

 

[westward10]

Supposed to be a C3 if under the stairs?

Where does it state that in BS7671.

 

[Octopus]

Best practice guide No 4

Why is that funny Westward 10 ?

 

[westward10]

Why is that funny Westward 10 ?

It just is, I have visions of all these incompetent people carrying out Periodics whilst at the same time flicking through a Guide telling them how to do it. Imagine being at the dentist for a root canal and they have the Best Practice Guide for root canal methods propped up on the side.

 

[Octopus]

It just is, I have visions of all these incompetent people carrying out Periodics whilst at the same time flicking through a Guide telling them how to do it. Imagine being at the dentist for a root canal and they have the Best Practice Guide for root canal methods propped up on the side.

The people that write this guide should be allowed to write BS 7671 as its to the point and includes decent examples.

I suggest end users read it .....

 

[The Ghost]

All you are saying with a C3 is that a significant improvement to safety can be acheived by in this case making the surrounds or consumer unit fireproof. Personally I feel if it is under a stairs an important escape route could be compromised if a fire started under it. I don't know about you but I would not be happy with that potential risk in my home especially with kids about, being serious for a moment!

 

[Spoon]

Best practice guide No 4

What does it say in the Best Practice Guide No 4 about plastic CU's?
Are we not working to BS7671?
I can't find anywhere in BS7671 that states we should refer to Best Practice Guides.
As stated above, there are thousands of plastic CU's. To code them for just being plastic is wrong IMO.
If you are going to code plastic CU's then you have to code surface mounted cables that don't have adequate support against a fire.

 

[westward10]

I do Code cables on escape routes without suitable support.

 

[CHRIS GINNAW]

It just is, I have visions of all these incompetent people carrying out Periodics whilst at the same time flicking through a Guide telling them how to do it. Imagine being at the dentist for a root canal and they have the Best Practice Guide for root canal methods propped up on the side.

Mr Westward10,
I had a discussion with some friends (all experienced electricians) on this and there were different views. So we called 2 different tech lines to ask theirs, again there were different views. So thought that I would register again (after about 5 years away) with The Electricians Forum just to see what other tradesmen views were. Just to start a discussion!
So I just wondered what your opinion actually was and maybe why?

 

[Andy78]

What does it say in the Best Practice Guide No 4 about plastic CU's?
Are we not working to BS7671?
I can't find anywhere in BS7671 that states we should refer to Best Practice Guides.
As stated above, there are thousands of plastic CU's. To code them for just being plastic is wrong IMO.
If you are going to code plastic CU's then you have to code surface mounted cables that don't have adequate support against a fire.

The guide recommends C3 in individual dwellings and C2 in communal areas of larger shared dwellings for this issue.

This guide is contributed to and endorsed by the IET and BSI among others.

 

[westward10]

These Guides can lead to narrow minded thinking as opposed to using your knowledge to judge each scenario on its own merits.