Wiring in france

johnnymacc · Apr 4, 2011

Quick question has anybody done any work in france and if so what problems did you encounter,thinking wiring regs, different gear to install, power tools etc.

Regards,
John.

Spudnik · Apr 4, 2011

They are slghtly different.

AFAIK...

All their cables are singles run in copex.

RCBO for power in each room.

Couple more but im not sure

Sintra · Apr 4, 2011

All RCBO's, MCB's etc are double pole.

rocker · Apr 4, 2011

The problem with working in France is that you spend all your time drinking wine and eating mussels, you're too ----ed and stuffed to work.

That and everything's in bloody French.

RWJ · Apr 4, 2011

Mangetout my son

oldtimer · Apr 5, 2011

Ok I will have a stab at this cos I went over at the end of the buying boom with a view to buy so I did a bit of studying basically went on to a French DIY sit and got google translate to work.
1. 90% of French electricity is Nuclear
2. They have RCD and RCBO but here is the clever bit their MCBs are double pole so easy peasy for neutral fault finding
3. All power circuits are radials I think you are allowed 3 on a circuit but washing machines (big load) have their own circuit.
4.Forget 2 way switching they have a pulse / latch relay module fitted in the DB the lights are wired into it and you can put as many pulse switches wired in parallel
we use the same switches on security doors ie push to make then it springs back to open .
5. Also they buy there electricity as a max load ie 20kw 30kw 40kw
6. They also run single cables in flexible copex type tubing
7. The supplier fits a 100mA RCD on the supply

and thats my understanding plus I will be happy to be corrected