Poll - Is BS7671 updated to frequently - you can vote

[UNG]

The IET have set a precedence, and the regs will be updated every 3 years. The next edition/version or whatever they come up with will be introduced in 2018. Guess who is behind it all.......no surprise, its the NICEIC. They may not write the regs, but they tell the IET what to put in it.

Cheers..............Howard

Since the days of the 15th edition the modification and updating of the regs has become a money spinning cash cow and the two culprits you mention are not the only ones who have an interest in regs being changed every few years

Page inserts could be a cheaper option, but this wouldn't make the IET any money.
I do like Flanders idea of a downloadable version.

The loose leaf format of the 16th edition was a good idea where an update pack costing £20 was available when changes occurred

I think every 5 years for a new book with free updates in between.

Technology is changing fast in the domestic sector, but it has largely been in place in the commercial/industrial sectors for many years as far as BMS and Ethernet is concerned.

The regs don't specifically mention this technology, but leave us to interpret a "one size fits all" set of rules depending on where we are working. It's better than a book for each type of installation!

We've not had to buy a new book since 2008, but it's annoying knowing that the 18th edition is probably not too far away - even though its probably another four years yet.

Most of the technology has it's own regulations or is covered by an EN or BS standard of it's own so why does the regs have to change with it


Any changes to the regs has a knock on effect that all the other associated books become outdated from the days of the 14th edition costing £30 - £35 and containing everything we now have the regs with parts split out into the Guidance notes etc and a regs change now could cost an electrician £300 - £400 if not more should you buy all the books
Is it any wonder that the fakers are latching on to this as they see plenty of money to be made. I have never understood why the electronic versions of the regs are so expensive and the regular updates it offers clearly indicate that the paper books on the bookshelf are probably out of date before they are purchased

 

[Octopus]

I think im going to skip this additon and wait for the the brown one I have only just finished highlighting my green one and putting page markers in it !!!

Which would suggest that you are not scheme member

 

[ferg]

I would agree with spin on the as and when required.

It's not going to be too long before printed versions are obsolete.

Pay for your copy of the regs, ammendments free and when an entire new version needs to be issued, so be it.

Although I think we are heading towards a subscription based model.

 

[Knobhead]

I think im going to skip this additon and wait for the the brown one I have only just finished highlighting my green one and putting page markers in it !!!

Which would suggest that you are not a scheme member

Why would anyone need to be in a scam?

 

[Octopus]

Why would anyone need to be in a scam?

I was purely speculating that as a scheme member I have to have the lates regs books but if you aren't in a scheme you can stop buying them.

That said there are a couple of sparks around me that still appear to be installing to the 16th edition.

 

[Flanders]

Which would suggest that you are not scheme member

Yes I'm Afraid I am I will get myself on a course with includes the new Book and get some fresh Highlighters and start colouring it in

 

[ipf]

Yes I'm Afraid I am I will get myself on a course with includes the new Book and get some fresh Highlighters and start colouring it in

A course of medication, I take it....

 

[ackbarthestar]

BS 7671 comes under the remit of the BSI organization which means loads of Money as its publications have a limited specific readership.
If we follow the present amendment updates every three years then we'll have a new edition every 15 years which is about right

 

[Adam W]

I don't see why it needs updating any more often than 5 years, and even then if they haven't got anything worth changing then it should stay as it is.

I'm not a scam member so I didn't bother buying the green book and I won't be buying the yellow book. I might buy the 18th edition when it comes out, if I 'need' to do the course.

Something which annoyed me when they brought the red book out was they allocated reg numbers for certain things but didn't publish anything about it until the update - could they not have just waited until they knew what they were going to write about before publishing the book? I don't know of a single case where someone was electrocuted because their house was wired to 16th edition and not 17th, and even then the new editions aren't retrospective, so I don't understand the rush to get the book out before it was ready.