Partial home rewire?

[motopsycho87]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum so I'll give a background first.

I've been a mechanical engineer for years, qualified to HND level so numerous electrical science modules completed. Come COVID the factory I worked at was penned for closure so I decided to retrain in electrical as the jobs market was scarce at the time of me leaving.

I am currently undertaking the following qualifications (typical domestic installer route,

EAL Level 2 Award in Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial verification

EAL Level 3 Award in the Building Regulations for Electrical Installations in Dwellings

EAL Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671:2018

But alas I'm back at work in engineering, but would still like to lay the foundation for becoming self employed should I decide that's the way to go.

Anyhow!

We bought our house a couple years ago, and only now I truly appreciate the fact that we did not get an electrical inspection report. I am planning on testing everything myself once the course is complete (2 months), but there are quite a few aspects of the wiring that scream "hobbyist", and DANGER!

The main spur that concerns me is the wiring to the shed, this comes from the upstairs ring, into a 2 way socket, across the wall, into a junction box, through the bricks, down the wall, into some plastic conduit that runs underground (at unknown depth), travels some 15 metres, then up into an old shed fuse box separating into lighting and socket circuits.

I would like to rewire this spur, using a fused/RCD switch connection, into SWA buried at the correct depth and into the shed. I assume this would not be notifyable?

Also, id eventually like to test and rewire the house in time. As there is only upstairs ring, downstairs ring, likewise lighting, and kitchen. It's it possible to rewire all spurs without being notifiable, then when I want to do CU, rings and lighting I can disconnect spurs, replace said items, reconnect and test under 3rd party approval?

Bit much in one go, but I appreciate your time and any advice.

 

[telectrix]

my take on this would be for youto get a local spark to give you a quote, hoefully one that will let you assist by doing all the donkey work.this would allow him to quote lower than the normal cost, and give you valuable practical experience.

 

[pc1966]

If you have an outside feed that is not on RCD protection then you have very good reason to be concerned. Simply moving its feed point to an RCD FCU would be a major improvement even before you consider changing cables, etc, and in the short-term that is what I would do. As far as I know that is not under Part P as it is not a new circuit, etc.

But as said above, it would be a good idea to use the rewire as experience and if you get someone local who is willing to do this it would be your best plan. There may be someone on this forum local to you who would be willing to use you as, in effect, an apprentice for the job and go over your design calculations, check up on each phase of the installations work, support you on the testing, etc.

 

[Soi disant]

Please note - this is absolutely not an attempt to be argumentative, but is genuinely in keeping with

EAL Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671:2018

and I hope useful...

a fused/RCD

Have a look to see what the regulations have to say about that when RCD protection is required

 

[pc1966]

Out of curiosity, do you have (or have ready access to) any test equipment like a MFT or even a "Megger" IR tester / low R meter?

If you don't, or even just to have it handy, one of the better socket testers (the ones that give an indication of fault loop impedance) such as this would be worth getting:

TIS Socket Tester With Loop & RCD Check

A pocket sized checker for indicating loop impedance, socket polarity and RCD 30mA are all ok. Indication is by LED's and buzzer. An ideal unit for initial "checking out" of a 13A socket and will advise if the circuit is ok, needs attention, or needs urgent attention. An ideal product for...

www.toolstation.com

Go round all of the house sockets and the shed to quickly verify they look correct in both polarity and having a vaguely tolerable Zs, and that any switch action feels OK.

Note such socket testers can't detect N-E swap unless the supply is RCD protected (and you would know very quickly anyway in that case as practically any load would trip it) but they would give you some confidence that the outlets were OK-ish (L on fused path, some sort of E present) and therefor the shed's #1 problem is down to the lack of RCD protection for shock.

The cheap socket testers tell you nothing useful about E condition as they will report "OK" for hundreds of ohms or even higher, only needing enough to light the LED

 

[timhoward]

Short term I absolutely agree with sticking an RCD spur in. As long as it doesn't end up in the kitchen it wouldn't be notifiable.
I think what @Soi disant is getting at is that using a RCD socket/spur is a departure from BS7671 as BS7288 wasn't added to the list of devices providing additional protection in the 1st amendment of the 18th in spite of rumours they would be. I'd LOVE to be wrong so please don't hold back if I am!

But I do think this is a case where common sense has to prevail over fine print. It can be demonstrated that they meet the same disconnection standards. Shops still sell the things. Anyone doing DIY can choose to fit one in many situations without it being notifiable. And in this case it will unquestionably make things safer until such time a board change is possible.

 

[loz2754]

Short term I absolutely agree with sticking an RCD spur in. As long as it doesn't end up in the kitchen it wouldn't be notifiable.

Why would it be notifiable if it was in a kitchen?

 

[timhoward]

Why would it be notifiable if it was in a kitchen?

For the sole reason that I'm an idiot. My brain was thinking bathroom/special location and he implied the cable was leaving the house on the 1st floor and my fingers typed "kitchen"....

 

[Soi disant]

I think what @Soi disant is getting at is that using a RCD socket/spur is a departure from BS7671 as BS7288 wasn't added to the list of devices providing additional protection in the 1st amendment of the 18th in spite of rumours they would be. I'd LOVE to be wrong so please don't hold back if I am!

It would have been better for moto to have researched that himself....

 

[loz2754]

Just got the latest NICEIC Connections magazine through the door, and funnily enough, there's a two page article on the use of BS7288 RCD sockets and FCUs.
The article has a lot of waffle, but the conclusion is that they can be used in certain applications, as long as they're documented as a departure on the certificate.