Just out of interest, when taking a feed for the fused spur unit from a local socket, ring  main or even run back to the consumer unit on a dedicated circuit how many carry out electrical testing and issue either a minor works or installation certificate.

As approved electrical contractors this is something we always do however I’m convinced that attending existing alarm installations they have just banged the spur off what ever they can find and given no consideration to the testing.

The best one I’ve ever seen was when the installers had taken the supply from a bedroom socket and lifted the carpet and just cut a section out the underlay and dropped the carpet back down.

4 hours ago, Ppatrick said:

Just out of interest, when taking a feed for the fused spur unit from a local socket, ring  main or even run back to the consumer unit on a dedicated circuit how many carry out electrical testing and issue either a minor works or installation certificate.

As approved electrical contractors this is something we always do however I’m convinced that attending existing alarm installations they have just banged the spur off what ever they can find and given no consideration to the testing.

The best one I’ve ever seen was when the installers had taken the supply from a bedroom socket and lifted the carpet and just cut a section out the underlay and dropped the carpet back down.

The spur was already there.......?

Hi Patrick: Big problem is that a large proportion of installers don't know how to fit the spur correctly, never mind how to test when they're finished and probably don't have the equipment either. Don't know if it's still being done but a few of the installers around here used to just hang a length of 1mm t/e or 3 core flex off the nearest light, socket, cooker box etc to feed the panel. If you actually got a spur you were lucky & a 3 amp fuse was a luxury.

Poor installation of the cable doesn't mean that it wasn't tested tho.

There is a big difference between wiring eight core or flex straight off the back of a socket (both I have seen) and a well installed 3A spur without a MWC IMO.

I would agree that few do provide one

as per BS7671 all new installs require a minor work or installation certificate and if the install is in a special location then it has to be Part P certified 

8 hours ago, graeme stringer said:

as per BS7671 all new installs require a minor work or installation certificate and if the install is in a special location then it has to be Part P certified 

Yes mate we know this and ideally it would happen on every job, but unfortunately in the real world that's rarely the case. An awful lot of installers have never had any Training or Instruction on Safe isolation, Spur installation etc & I doubt they've ever seen the regs never mind opened them.

The other thing is: They don't have the test equipment or knowledge of it's use to be able to do the tests & provide certificates.