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The last remaining domestic circuits without RCD protection.

Sparkingchip
I prepared an EICR this morning for a two bed flat.


The peak installation has a 30 mA RCD main switch, which surprisingly despite being more than ten years old is a type A, so no RCD issues there.


The off-peak supplies two storage heater circuits run in surface mounted plastic mini trunking without RCD protection, so again no RCD issues. If I were installing the storage heaters with new circuits I would install RCD protection, but there’s no reason to condemn an existing installation.


I am just pondering exactly what can be installed in a domestic installation now without any RCD protection with the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations making them a requirement on lighting circuits there cannot be much left on the list.


 Andy B.
  • 0
    I just wondering how long it will be before RCD protection is required to every circuit within a domestic electrical installation, including distribution circuits?


    Andy
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    There's definitely not a lot left now, maybe just sockets that are out of reach,

    Risk assessments and paper trails are now required if you do for some reason have a circuit with no RCD protection?
  • 0
    Provided you can avoid the soft-sheathed cabled shallow concealed in a wall requirement for 30mA RCDs then there's still quite a bit - immersion heaters, submains, dedicated circuits to boilers, intruder alarms and smoke detectors, electric boilers & heatpumps, cookers, ovens & hobs and solar PV circuits come to mind for starters.


      - Andy.
  • 0
    Heat pumps could fall under the category of outdoor equipment, hobs, ovens and cookers my have a socket outlet built into the switch, so we might be knocking those of the list.


    Andy B.
  • 0
    Outdoor heat pumps would hardly be mobile equipment (nor fed from a socket) - so I don't see any RCD requirement there still.

       - Andy.
  • 0

    Nathan Jones:

    There's definitely not a lot left now, maybe just sockets that are out of reach,

    Risk assessments and paper trails are now required if you do for some reason have a circuit with no RCD protection?




    I wouldn't think that a risk assessment for socket-outlets out of reach in a dwelling would come out well, based on the fact that domestic lighting requires them (presumably because "ordinary persons" will change lamps) and therefore this would apply to all socket-outlets.

  • 0
    I have put a single non-RCD light on its own circuit actually over the consumer unit for some of my customers in the past, so that there is a light to allow them to sort out any trip issues that is unaffected by issues elsewhere in the house due to shated RCDs.

    From now on that requires a RCBO or the like, even if all insulated. 


    Andy B .
  • 0
    What about a split-load board, so the light above the consumer unit is on the other RCD from the light in the room or hallway that the cubpoard, alcove etc is in, so there's always some light even with a fault causing the tripping of one RCD?
  • 0
    There are ways of adding a light, though the simple route of using a spare non-RCD way and a spare B6 MCB is no longer available anymore. Now you actually have to add another thirty quid or so on for an RCBO if one is available.


    Things just keep moving on quietly.


     Andy B.
  • 0

    Now you actually have to add another thirty quid or so on for an RCBO if one is available.






    Apologies, I dispute the statement. That is one solution, there are others as I have illustrated.


    Split-load boards are commonplace.


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