regulation opinions.

[billy10]

Hi all,

I basically Wanted to see if anybody knew of any regulation which eludes to having 1 lighting circuit in a single storey dwelling being non compliant in any way.

I personally do not know of one and can not find one nor can my scheme providers tech support so wondered if anybody here knew of one.

many thanks,
Billy

 

[DPG]

See 314.1 Division of circuits. Daz

 

[Pete999]

The building regulations might have something to say on the matter

 

[billy10]

That's the only one which could fit but the way i see it is it's no different to having 1 lighting circuit downstairs/upstairs in a 2 storey dwelling. If you are on the floor where the lighting circuit trips you are going to be in darkness no matter what you do.

It seems to be argueable both ways.

 

[Andy78]

It might help if we knew the circumstances and details of the installation in question as that may help add context and relevance.

 

[snowhead]

It might help if we knew the circumstances and details of the installation in question as that may help add context and relevance.

Like is it a 1 Bed studio flat or a 5 Bed Bungalow with 2 bathrooms 2 reception, playroom etc.

Size matters.

 

[Simonslimline]

That's the only one which could fit but the way i see it is it's no different to having 1 lighting circuit downstairs/upstairs in a 2 storey dwelling. If you are on the floor where the lighting circuit trips you are going to be in darkness no matter what you do.

It seems to be argueable both ways.

Unless you plug a lamp in.

 

[billy10]

Ok fair point, Details of installtion are,

small single storey maisonette, 5 rooms overall, 6 lights in whole house, 4 circuits, shower and house ring on one RCD, Kitchen ring and lighting on another, fuseboard in cupboard in corner of the kitchen with no door.

 

[billy10]

Unless you plug a lamp in.

The simple, logical approach haha You'll go far with a thought process like that!

 

[telectrix]

be a bloody overkill to split 6 lights into 2 separate circuits.

 

[Andy78]

Ok fair point, Details of installtion are,

small single storey maisonette, 5 rooms overall, 6 lights in whole house, 4 circuits, shower and house ring on one RCD, Kitchen ring and lighting on another, fuseboard in cupboard in corner of the kitchen with no door.

what is the situation that has brought this issue up ? is it a rewire job, alterations, new build, or is an EICR being performed ?

 

[billy10]

be a bloody overkill to split 6 lights into 2 separate circuits.

Exactly Mr Telectrix, seems stupid to have 2 lighting circuits for a place so small but apparently adolf from the council (god knows what it's got to do with him) wants to reject a certificate based on that fact without even seeing the property or infact even knowing what type of property it is.

 

[billy10]

what is the situation that has brought this issue up ? is it a rewire job, alterations, new build, or is an EICR being performed ?

It's a rewire carried out a couple of months back now, all ok until an email landed in my inbox yesterday saying the council have rejected my installation certificate which the client had to send them as part of some agreement to have works done.

Spoke to the guy and he seems to think it's uncompliant due to 1 lighting cicuit in the house as it doesn't meet segregation, god knows how many circuits he'd have in a job with 3 floors on it. By the sounds of it he'd like 2 per floor.

 

[DPG]

Would be better split, but as above it seems a bit OTT in this case. Daz

 

[Andy78]

It's a rewire carried out a couple of months back now, all ok until an email landed in my inbox yesterday saying the council have rejected my installation certificate which the client had to send them as part of some agreement to have works done.

Spoke to the guy and he seems to think it's uncompliant due to 1 lighting cicuit in the house as it doesn't meet segregation, god knows how many circuits he'd have in a job with 3 floors on it. By the sounds of it he'd like 2 per floor.

I'd respond asking exactly which regulations it breaches and what specific remedial action, relevant to the property in question, he proposes.
I would assume his involvement would be as the building control officer as this is notifiable work.

 

[DPG]

Put another light in somewhere that's fed from an FCU off the ring. Daz

 

[billy10]

I'd respond asking exactly which regulations it breaches and what specific remedial action, relevant to the property in question, he proposes.
I would assume his involvement would be as the building control officer as this is notifiable work.

I asked him which reg it contravened and he said 314.2 - in my opinion it's very open to both views but he's making an argument based on assumptions and when i mentioned it was a 1 floor maisonette he sounded suprised.

He has proposed to pull a new cable to the first point of the lighting circuit and split into 2 from there - farsical solution but some can't be reasoned with.

He's not the building control officer, i mentioned the Part P cert to him and he said he doesn't care about that as he doesn't see it so sounds to me like he's some kind of QS for the council. To be honest it's a bit of a strange situation, never really heard of it before.

 

[billy10]

Originally to get him to shut up i said ok no problem i'll stick a maintained emergency light within the fuseboard cupboard but he rekons that wouldn't help the situation. After that i just gave up trying to reason with the man.

I think this is a case of someone trying to justify a job as it seemed a bit heavy handed and an overreaction to reject a certificate based on something this ridiculous.

 

[stevethesparks]

Don't sound like you will get him to budge, and it might just be easier to keep him happy. Have you tried talking to your scheme provider?

 

[Andy78]

I asked him which reg it contravened and he said 314.2 - in my opinion it's very open to both views but he's making an argument based on assumptions and when i mentioned it was a 1 floor maisonette he sounded suprised.

He has proposed to pull a new cable to the first point of the lighting circuit and split into 2 from there - farsical solution but some can't be reasoned with.

He's not the building control officer, i mentioned the Part P cert to him and he said he doesn't care about that as he doesn't see it so sounds to me like he's some kind of QS for the council. To be honest it's a bit of a strange situation, never really heard of it before.

If he has quoted 314.2 then that doesn't really cover the issue he has raised. That would be more relevant to 314.1 (i) and (iii).
As said, ask what remedial action he proposes as your previous suggestions to him have been declined.