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Hello

If i carry out a full electrical inspection and test on a domestic property, and then replace the consumer immediately after, do i then have to re do a full electrical inspection after the board change ? i have been told i need to do a full electrical check before and after a consumer unit change.
 
If you’ve done full testing before then I would skip IR testing, ring final r1, r2 & rn and the R1 + R2 so basically the dead tests. I would however do all the live tests and fill in the existing readings for dead tests.
 
Hello

If i carry out a full electrical inspection and test on a domestic property, and then replace the consumer immediately after, do i then have to re do a full electrical inspection after the board change ? i have been told i need to do a full electrical check before and after a consumer unit change.
No, you have to test the work you’ve conducted.
 
Hello

If i carry out a full electrical inspection and test on a domestic property, and then replace the consumer immediately after, do i then have to re do a full electrical inspection after the board change ? i have been told i need to do a full electrical check before and after a consumer unit change.
Also to 45140s post read Best Practice Guide for replacing a consumers unit.
 
Hello

If i carry out a full electrical inspection and test on a domestic property, and then replace the consumer immediately after, do i then have to re do a full electrical inspection after the board change ? i have been told i need to do a full electrical check before and after a consumer unit change.

Depends how long after, 'immediately after' is. :)

I think I know what your thinking? There have been a couple of threads, on a similar subject. As normal I can't find them.

Some say a full EICR should be carried out on an install, before a CU replacement. Some say a series of suitable testing should be carried out, to ensure you will not encounter problems, when subsequently replacing a CU.

If you can justify the additional cost of a EICR, and the customer is willing to pay, then that would be appropriate.

In my experience, I've mostly done the latter. So depends on how much testing you've done beforehand, and delay in time between the two?
 
What I find quite strange is the whole debate on here about what in effect is plain simple English. Debate that is as irrelevant and boring as the number of angels on a pin head. The Law in its interpretation of the detail tries to use the embodiment of the "man on the Clapham omnibus", e.g what an ordinary person would deduce. Hence the simplicity of the requirement to test before working on a circuit, and immediately afterwards.

My lifetime experience of the debates that end up trying to argue that "No actually means Yes" are all based upon someone wanting to worm out of doing something that should be done, and you would not believe some of the convoluted arguments to be had on when is a lifting operation a lifting operation, etc, etc.

Sorry if this offends but the process is that you need to undertake sufficient prior testing as is reasonable to ensure that you can actually carry out the work without something unexpected appearing. Whilst there will always be that potential for surprise, you should go into the job as best informed as possible and not end up unable to re-connect because of having identified part way through something that a little pre-inspection would have identified.

I would always explain to a customer that it is necessary to ensure that the work can be carried out or that if not then the customer can be given a clear indication of what the alternatives may be and at what price these alternatives may be achieved.


This should also remove the ongoing thorny problem of the customer feeling that the electrician is taking the P having started a job that cannot be finished in the budget price. Oh and by the way a quotation is exactly that. You find something out part way that means for example a re-wire, and there is no legal obligation on the customer to pay unless it is a demonstrably demonstrated that the matter could not reasonably have been foreseen by a skilled and competent person...and the more experienced you are the higher this bar !
 
@ 45150, please use a font size that any members larger than spiders can read.
 
always a test prior to changeover. Ive just changed a board and a global test showed faults in three circuits. Changing from a fuse board to dual rcd. As a result of several screws through insulation in sockets and light switches that needed fixed. Just about every fixture was affected. The board wasn't changed over till the following day.
 
always a test prior to changeover. Ive just changed a board and a global test showed faults in three circuits. Changing from a fuse board to dual rcd. As a result of several screws through insulation in sockets and light switches that needed fixed. Just about every fixture was affected. The board wasn't changed over till the following day.
you could have just cut the earth wires off. :D:D:D.
 
I would do a full EICR to ensure when you upgrade the fuse board to RCD (if it didn’t already have RCDs) that it won’t trip out and you don’t end up with additional costs of putting it right. Then I’d agree with the above just redo your “live tests”.
 
Hello

If i carry out a full electrical inspection and test on a domestic property, and then replace the consumer immediately after, do i then have to re do a full electrical inspection after the board change ? i have been told i need to do a full electrical check before and after a consumer unit change.
Yes
 

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