fuse box in my shed upgrade

Irish Steve

At the risk of poking the bear with a stick, and yes I am in savage humour today because of other unrelated issues, when is a distribution board not a distribution board?

What I mean is that a board in a shed, protected by one or more device in the main house board can be completely and utterly isolated from all potentials by switching it off, unlike the main board in the house, which still has unswitched potential in it even if the main switch is off. So, technically, while it has circuit breakers and the like in it, from a safety point of view, it is no more dangerous than a multi gang light switch, in that if it is isolated, it has no potentials that could be hazardous.

Yes, I'm probably hair splitting, but I am getting increasingly tired of vested interests making it impossible for anyone other than their club members to do certain things, and I know all the arguments about dangerous things being done by people who don't know what they are doing, we see them here on a regular basis, but the same could be said about some of the people working in the industry, I've seen things that never should have been certified and connected, but they were, and no one said a thing, even on recent work.

It would be much easier if the relevant regulations were readily available for all to see, but of course, that would then mean that the same clubs were open to challenge, and of course, the last thing they want is for the great unwashed to be aware of what the rules really are, as it would also open their members up to being challenged on some of the things that are done.

Cynical? Maybe, but in over 50 years of working very closely with electrics and electronics across a wide range of areas, I've seen a lot of changes, and not all of those changes have been in the best interest of the end users and consumers.

Bruthal

Irish Steve wrote: »

Yes, I'm probably hair splitting, but I am getting increasingly tired of vested interests making it impossible for anyone other than their club members to do certain things, and I know all the arguments about dangerous things being done by people who don't know what they are doing, we see them here on a regular basis, but the same could be said about some of the people working in the industry, I've seen things that never should have been certified and connected, but they were, and no one said a thing, even on recent work.

It would be much easier if the relevant regulations were readily available for all to see, but of course, that would then mean that the same clubs were open to challenge, and of course, the last thing they want is for the great unwashed to be aware of what the rules really are, as it would also open their members up to being challenged on some of the things that are done.

Cynical? Maybe, but in over 50 years of working very closely with electrics and electronics across a wide range of areas, I've seen a lot of changes, and not all of those changes have been in the best interest of the end users and consumers.

Vested interests pure and simple.

When a person advises to ignore gardai instructions, but to dis-obey reci/safe-electric etc is unacceptable, vested interest seems an understatement.

2011

Wearb wrote: »

I now understand the issues involved.

Great.

Here is a pic of the meter box. I'll check the resistance later.

Now that you know that you are TNCS you can remove the sticker form your board warning you not to connect to a TNCS system

Wearb

2011 wrote: »

Great.



Now that you know that you are TNCS you can remove the sticker form your board warning you not to connect to a TNCS system

If only I'd known it was so simple from the start

Bruthal

Well If it was me i would still be checking the shed DB.

If it was originally connected to a generator, they may have linked the N and E bars in it. Probably not, but i would be checking.

If it was a double pole switch to it from the house DB, it would be simple enough to test.

I wouldnt want to be accused of being a criminal though:)

2011

The shed sub-board may even be neutralized. It could even have a common earth and neutral bar.

dathi

Risteard81 wrote: »

Removing the cover is illegal.

would depend on whether the shed was for domestic or commercial use

Hintel

dathi wrote: »

would depend on whether the shed was for domestic or commercial use

Would it though

Wouldn't it still be a domestic installation

2011

Hintel wrote: »

Would it though

Wouldn't it still be a domestic installation

I would think that we could only know for sure if this was tested in court (which in reality is only a very remote possibility).

Wearb

Here are some pics of my shed DB. Got a sparks working next door to check it's safety.

Bruthal

Looks ok there anyway.

2011

+1

The incoming supply cable is not an SWA and it looks like it is smaller than 10 mm sq.

Clearly the earth in the incoming supply cable is terminated in this board. Obviously we can’t say if the other end is terminated.

This board is not neutralized which is good news.

Wearb

As far as I remember the swa and the t+e are joined in that denso covered box that I mentioned earlier. The shed was pre wired to that box when I got it.

Hintel

Has to be said


What are the test results