Plumbers messing with electricity

Risteard81

Starting a rewire of a cottage and was told the plumber had wired the central heating controls (!) - I'll admit that this certainly didn't inspire me with confidence.

Looked at the job and this is what I found...

What would you do about it? I guess if he connects it into a spur then it doesn't come within the remit of Restricted Works, and I certainly wouldn't want to take ownership of his so-called wiring. Needless to say it doesn't remotely comply with the ET101 National Wiring Rules.

Risteard81

Sleeper12

Risteard81 wrote:

What would you do about it? I guess if he connects it into a spur then it doesn't come within the remit of Restricted Works, and I certainly wouldn't want to take ownership of his so-called wiring. Needless to say it doesn't remotely comply with the ET101 National Wiring Rules.

If you are rewiring the cottage what's the problem? You'll be rewiring this too I assume?

Risteard81

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Risteard81 wrote:

What would you do about it? I guess if he connects it into a spur then it doesn't come within the remit of Restricted Works, and I certainly wouldn't want to take ownership of his so-called wiring. Needless to say it doesn't remotely comply with the ET101 National Wiring Rules.

If you are rewiring the cottage what's the problem? You'll be rewiring this too I assume?

I had presumed so - however the cottage was being replumbed too and this is brand new wiring which presumably I was expected to connect to. Apologies if that was unclear.

I mean what exactly was he thinking when he did this?

2011

I have seen far worse. The good news:

1) The stats and the heads (I think) on the motorised valves are double insulated, thus minimising the risk of a shock.

2) Provide the plumber with a spur outlet and anything downstream of that is not your responsibility.

3) Any blame for future electrical issues relating to the plumbing system will not be directed at you. Rewire it and you own it.

I would be tempted to point out the issues to the end user and simply leave it.

Risteard81

2011 wrote: »

1) The stats and the heads (I think) on the motorised valves are double insulated, thus minimising the risk of a shock.

Yes indeed, although it still leaves cores which ought reasonably to be assumed to be protective conductors (by virtue of use of the bi-colour combination of green/yellow) which are in fact phase conductors.

Although, as you suggest, the safest option seems to be to take nothing to do with it.

thecribber

Plumbers are allowed carry out the wiring of control systems associated with heating systems as this work is considered "minor works" by the CRU. However as with all electrical work, the plumbers work should comply fully with ET 101 2008.
As the work carried out by the plumber on your job, clearly does not comply with ET 101 you should refuse to connect it to your electrical installation. Let the home owner know that the plumbers electrical work is substandard and cannot be used. This can be difficult to explain as most people think that if it works it must be correct.
Contact your Safe Electric inspector and email him your photos. He will back you up for free.

agusta

if the plumber is also a registered gas installer, he is qualified and is allowed to do the wiring as far as the spur

Risteard81

agusta wrote: »

if the plumber is also a registered gas installer, he is qualified and is allowed to do the wiring as far as the spur

It's oil heating. However the issue wasn't so much about what he is allowed to do, but the manner in which he has done it.

2011

agusta wrote: »

if the plumber is also a registered gas installer, he is qualified and is allowed to do the wiring as far as the spur

The official position is that no qualification is required, so whether the individual is a gas installer or not makes no difference.

There is also no requirement on the individual to carry out the electrical tests that a REC is expected to do, such as an insulation resistance test or earth fault loop impedance tests.

Strange, but true.

My gas boiler is wired on 1.5mm² taken spurred from a downstairs 32A bloody stoopid ring main.
This feeder was installed by a gas fitter and certified by a qualified sparks.

It's shambolic. I'd tail it back to the CU on it's own breaker and turn the ring into two radials but that'd be "illegal".

The gas service "engineer" assured me this was normal, correct and an acceptable standard.

agusta

2011 wrote: »

The official position is that no qualification is required, so whether the individual is a gas installer or not makes no difference.

There is also no requirement on the individual to carry out the electrical tests that a REC is expected to do, such as an insulation resistance test or earth fault loop impedance tests.

Strange, but true.

So just wondering here..,who is allowed wire the motorised valves,thermostats,time clock

2011

agusta wrote: »

So just wondering here..,who is allowed wire the motorised valves,thermostats,time clock

Once it is downstream of a spur outlet, anyone.

antoinolachtnai

The whole way that the switching of central heating is done results in a lot of these problems. The 'logic' of the wiring ends up being spread all over the house and a lot of the work ends up being done by people who aren't really that experienced or capable at electrical wiring. The surprising thing is that so much of it actually works at all.

Jameswhalley

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

The whole way that the switching of central heating is done results in a lot of these problems. The 'logic' of the wiring ends up being spread all over the house and a lot of the work ends up being done by people who aren't really that experienced or capable at electrical wiring. The surprising thing is that so much of it actually works at all.

It's not that complicated

Plumber is using 3 cores instead of 5 is the problem. CPC as a live conductor.