I've been following the threads on here regarding Part P and its effects on DIY work on-and-off since late 2002, and I thought I now understood exactly what the situation was.
But today on the Rospa site I see the following unqualified statement:
Notification will not be required if ? *.... *...
DIY work that follows the IEE guidance or that in the listed DIY manuals based on BS 7671 and IEE.
formatting link
3.2.5 )
Is this correct? This would imply that one **can** do major works as long as
7671 is followed.
Comments anyone ?
p.s. As it is a topic that has been done over and over, an I propose Part P and electrical DIY as an addition to the FAQ?
So the above two say any work as long as it is not in a kitchen or a "special installation" (whatever that is)
So if you leave 1 foot od each of the two wores comming for the 30 amp fuse from the CU you can do anything. The circuit is existing and sockets and fused spurs added.
Yep. You are right. So anything goes as long as it is not in a kitchen or "special location", whatever that is.
I can see why they homed in on kitchen. This is to prevent cowboy kitchen fitters slapping cables all around the place. That MPs daughter who died probably prompted this.
You can because they are considered to be a minor work.
Whether or not this makes any sense is another issue.
As far as I am concerned, If somebody is competent (or not) to add a spur or socket then I see no real reason why they can't add a circuit from the competence perspective.
It's just as easy to get into trouble installing a spur as it is a circuit.
For example, cable of inadequate size could be used, or people could add a spur to the end of a spur from a ring circuit.
Exempting equipotential bonding is curious as well. It's an imprtant safety mechanism and should also be tested.
The exemptions seem much more arbitrary than considered, especially when there isn't a problem to address in the first place.
"special location" means a location within the limits of the relevant zones specified for a bath, a shower, a swimming or paddling pool or a hot air sauna in the Wiring Regulations, sixteenth edition, published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2001 and incorporating amendments 1 and 2.".
No they don't. The word "and" is important here. For exemption, conditions (a), (b) *and* (c) must apply.
This would appear to meet the letter of the legislation.
We had a thread a while back where somebody suggested putting looped circuits into a CU for this reason.
It is one more reason why the whole thing, like most of this kind of legislation, is a nonsense.
Well this is good news, Part P doesn't seem so restrictive after all. I was under the impression that changing cracked socket/light/ceiling fittings was about all you could do.
DESCRIPTIONS OF WORK WHERE NO BUILDING NOTICE OR DEPOSIT OF FULL PLANS REQUIRED
Work consisting of -
(a) replacing any socket-outlet, control switch or ceiling rose;
[does not say that you cannot touch the ring main]
(b) replacing a damaged cable for a single circuit only;
[so you can replace the ring main or a radial circuit]
(c) re-fixing or replacing enclosures of existing installation components, where the circuit protective measures are unaffected;
(d) providing mechanical protection to an existing fixed installation, where the circuit protective measures and current carrying capacity of conductors are unaffected by the increased thermal insulation.
Work which -
Work which -
(a) is not in a kitchen, or a special location,
(b) does not involve work on a special installation, and
[So the above two say any work as long as it is not in a kitchen or a "special installation"]
(c) consists of -
(i) adding light fittings and switches to an existing circuit;
(ii) adding socket outlets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial circuit; or
[So if you leave 1 foot od each of the two wores comming for the 30 amp fuse from the CU you can do anything. The circuit is existing and sockets and fused spurs added.]
(iii) installing or upgrading main or supplementary equipotential bonding.
In paragraph 2 -
"special installation" means:
- an electric floor
- ceiling heating system,
- garden lighting
- electric power installation,
[what does this mean?]
- an electricity generator
- an extra-low voltage lighting system which is not a pre-assembled lighting set bearing the CE marking referred to in regulation 9 of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994[8];
[what is "extra low voltage"? So this appears to mean you can install 12v downlighters and run the cables]
"special location" means a location within the limits of the relevant zones specified for a bath, a shower, a swimming or paddling pool or a hot air sauna in the Wiring Regulations, sixteenth edition, published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2001 and incorporating amendments 1 and 2.". [so can't fix electrical equipment "near" a bath, shower, pools& sauna.]
No. You haven't read it correctly. The *and* at the end of (b) means that conditions (a) (b) *and* (c) have to apply.
The legislation would appear to leave that loophole.
It isn;t a bulletted list
"special installation" means an electric floor or ceiling heating system, a garden lighting or electric power installation, an electricity generator, or an extra-low voltage lighting system which is not a pre-assembled lighting set bearing the CE marking referred to in regulation 9 of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations
Having taken a look at this, Part P and other postings, I am now sure it is wrong.
Further, it now seems clear to me that **all** domestic electrical works are covered by Building Regs.
The exemptions appear to be about notification, not about whether it is covered by the Regs or not. The title of Schedule 2B is "DESCRIPTIONS OF WORK WHERE NO BUILDING NOTICE OR DEPOSIT OF FULL PLANS REQUIRED"
The only exempt works are described in the "Limits of Application" column of amendments to Schedule 1 - i.e.:
The requirements of this Part apply only to electrical installations that are intended to operate at low or extra-low voltage and are -
(a) in a dwelling;
(b) in the common parts of a building serving one or more dwellings, but excluding power supplies to lifts;
(c) in a building that receives its electricity from a source located within or shared with a dwelling; and
(d) in a garden or in or on land associated with a building where the electricity is from a source located within or shared with a dwelling.
Everything else is covered by the regs, but not all works require notification.
The Part P Approved Document seems to take that view. From section 0.8
When the non-notifiable work described in Table 1 [i.e Schedule 2B] is to be undertaken by a DIY worker, a way of showing compliance would be to follow the IEE guidance or guidance in other authoritative manuals that are based on this, and to have a competent person inspect and test the work and supply a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate. The competent person need not necessarily be registered with an electrical self-certification scheme but, as required by BS 7671, must be competent in respect of the inspection and testing of an installation
Note the use of the word "compliance". The regs apply even for minor DIY.So if we don't want to get a certified "professional" to check our stuff, we will have to do ourselves certificates !
You could fill all the spare breaker slots on the CU and have two 1 metre lengths going onto one socket near the CU. then that is a "circuit".
You can totally replace an existing ring main if it is defective. So you can redirect an existing ring main right back to the CU breaker as it was "defective".
Now where are the regs that say a replacement cylinder needs the BCO involved?
You are not exempted from touching the ring main as you can "replacing any socket-outlet, control switch or ceiling rose;". To do this may entail working on the ring main. Simple. Obvious.
Yes! You are exempted if the cable is damaged and needs replacing. hat may mean the whole ring main. Simple. Obvious.
No "and" at the end of (a), so (a) not joined with (b) and (c).
I streched out the commas.
So you can't plug in a low voltage garden light set to a socket on the outside of the house? Me thinks not.
So, you can't fit 12v downlighters. So, that is why Homebase do not sell
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