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Fused Spurs


Kate Scorey

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  • 1 year later...

We made the decision to certificate all of our spur installs only so that it covers us and proves to the client we have done our bit properly so there's no come-back down the track.

 

However, what we found the biggest issue to be is locating the breaker on the dist. board.

 

Then sometimes not being sure what else that breaker is hooked up to.

 

All this then takes time because if we are in the Comms Room, we don't want to take down critical servers while we are installing a spur - so need to consider works being done out of hours.

 

I have heard of guys working live but I don't want to waste my life in jail so don't want the risk.

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The local electrician near to me said adding a fuse connection unit is ok as long as you do all the tests and paperwork. He also said he would show me what needed doing.

Which is also what i was told on the tavcom mains compliance training.

I was also told being competant is about showing you have done training and been shown and can show you can do all the tests.

You do need a meggar tester (thats a brand name) fluke also do one :shy:

If the site failed the earth test for instance you would need to abort untill a sparky had fixed any faults you found before your install

Adding a new circuit is also sparky land i.e fitting new cable to a new mcb

Also you cannot add to a circuit without a RCD

you have to test the RCD, which you have to test trip's correctly using your slighty expensive new toy (meggar or Fluke others are available)

 

This is all i have been told on a course or in person, I like to listen and make sure what i am going to do i do correctly. I now have a part p tester which is great, I checked my earth and RCD and they work fine so my flat should burn down yet unless i cook something

I suspect sparky's would like to keep doing even minor works as it's money in their pockets not yours

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Working live isn't illegal, but for the sake of not turning off a server may be frowned upon. Best way imo is leave the spur to the customer.

 

As far as I understand from a 'justifiable' point of view, the HSE regard live working as acceptable only in the absence of any realistic alternative.

 

So if you are live working on a fuseboard that is fitted with multiple means of safe isolation, but you don't want to use them 'to avoid pissing off the client' and work live, this would not sit well.

 

For suppliers who have no alternative but to cut into live cables, then of course there isn't a practical alternative.

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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Re modifying a circuit without an rcd, are you sure about that?

 

I am sure thats what i got told, ?? am i wrong ??

 

I was told I was not allowed to add a fuse connection unit to a circuit with not RCD.

 

I can see if i can find the info

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Probably in case any part of the circuit is buried beneath plaster.

Originally said by Charles Babbage
On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.

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I am sure thats what i got told, ?? am i wrong ??

 

I was told I was not allowed to add a fuse connection unit to a circuit with not RCD.

 

I can see if i can find the info

 

There is no need to 'retrospectively' work to the 17th if, say, you are in a house done to the 15th, 16th etc...

 

A case in point is fusewire type consumer units. The Electrical Safety Council (formerly part of NICEIC) are at pains

to point out in a dedicated leaflet that this does NOT mean an installation fails a PITS / EICR just for having one.

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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There is no need to 'retrospectively' work to the 17th if, say, you are in a house done to the 15th, 16th etc...

 

A case in point is fusewire type consumer units. The Electrical Safety Council (formerly part of NICEIC) are at pains

to point out in a dedicated leaflet that this does NOT mean an installation fails a PITS / EICR just for having one.

 

Oh ok

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BUT it must still be compliant. So if the existing installation is unsafe, you can't add to it.

 

A classic example is a house with rubber cabling still (very unlikely to see these days)

but there were a few still around when Part P first came in and although we probably would

have offered a rewire or walked anyway, with Part P you had to say 'no' even if it was just a spur etc...

 

Another good example would be the one I found the other day with everything quite tidy but NO main earth!

Edited by datadiffusion

So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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