BT & Part P

Why would telephone wiring need to conform to part P?

According to the NICEIC's part P do's & don'ts, telephone cabling in a special location comes under Part P...

SFAIUI it is all part of the fixed wiring in the house - ELV wiring such as telephony is regulated by BS7671 (the IEE wiring regs) just as much as any other at a higher voltage.. Nor is it covered by any of the exemptions to Part P SFAIUI.

To quote from message by Peter Parry in the recent (Oct 05) thread "Any DIYer's here done Part P course ? Is it worth it ?"

You can be as competent as you like - it has nothing to do with Part P. Indeed the man who wrote the British Standard on electrical installations is now unable to legally install a telephone socket in his kitchen -

Because the ringing voltage exceeds 50V and therefore isn't extra low voltage and therefore falls under Part (P)rescots stupidity. A BT technician who fits telephones every day of his life cannot put one in his own kitchen (Indeed it's a bit doubtful if he can install one in a kitchen anyway as BT doesn't appear to have paid the NICEIC tax).

He can however employ a brain deficient hoody who wouldn't know how to wire a telephone if you paid him in Herrings to do the job as long the shysters the hoody works for has paid PrescotTax.

All hail Blur, saviour of Blur family values (in cash please).

Stop fudging the issue - what do you really think about Part P? ;-

LOL! He's got a bloody good point, though. An electrician friend of mine who handles all the electrical work in a electro-plating factory from fitting and wiring cyanide flow control valves to rewinding three phase electric motors is not now considered competent to add an extra socket in his own kitchen. If anybody can explain the logic behind that, I'd love to hear it.

One reason. Tax. And red tape

Two reasons. Tax and red tape. And a nanny state

Three reasons - I'm sorry, I'll come in again

Because competence has nothing to do with it. It is not a requirement to be competent in order to self certify.

Because it carries an unsafe voltage?

Bugger me. I didn't realise phone wiring was covered. The question is, do I rip out my recently installed extension, or do I call the BCO? Hmmm...

Do you see the black helicopters circling your house yet ?? :-))

Is there now a date stamp on phone cable?

Telephone wiring has a specific exemption to still be considered ELV despite the ringing voltage.

Christian.

But telephone wiring is classed as high voltage afaik.

sponix

It's in the new colours. :-)

Well, ordinary mains is classed as low voltage, AFAICR. Telephones *may* be the same...but I'd expect them to be classed as ELV.

On 30 Nov 2005 12:53:22 GMT someone who may be "Bob Eager" wrote this:-

Sensibly so.

From memory ringing voltage is 55volts DC, which is extra low voltage.

There is a difference between common perceptions and definitions by those "in the know". Conductor rails on railways are low voltage, but three times the voltage one finds in most houses.

It's AC, not DC, but not 50 Hz. And it can be up to 90 volts or so.

IIRC, 'safe' voltage these days is < 30 volts.

From Approved Document P: (now available at

Work not in a special location on:

Telephone or extra-low voltage wiring and equipment for the purposes of communications, information technology, signalling, control and similar purposes

... and (definition)...

Special locations:

Locations containing a bath tub or shower basin Swimming pools or paddling pools Hot air saunas

A kitchen is not a special location. The provisions relating to mains voltage work are for "Work that is not in a kitchen or special location and does not involve a special installation ..."

IOW, telephone & ELV work can be be done without breaking the rules in all areas that wouldn't be subject to the shower/bathroom (& similar) sections of the wiring regs.