Any Electricians around?

[Zandana123]

We've just had an electrical inspection on our home (DPM18 - condition report) and I wanted to query the coding of one of the items that was picked up:

"No RCD protection on circuits 1-7" - code C2 given, marked down for 4.16 and 5.11c,d,e. Where C2 means potentially dangerous.

I've read that the following is C3 (not C2) "Absence of RCD protection for cables installed at a depth of less than 50 mm from a surface of a wall or partition where the cables do not incorporate an earthed metallic covering, are not enclosed in earthed metalwork, or are not mechanically protected against penetration by nails and the like."

Circuits 1-7 are for hob, imersion heater, lights kitchen, lights hall/lounge, lights up, smoke detectors, and door bell.

The other circuits 9-14 are protected by RCD.

Do you think it has been marked correctly on the report?

Latest edition of NAPITs codebreakers book now recommends a C2 for this which maybe a little harsh but its down to the inspector to decide the risk as they have seen the installation. I'd definitely C2 lights if there was a bathroom without supplementary bonding, likewise the hob if the switch incorporates a socket, or if the hob manufacturer requires it in their installation instructions.. At the end of the day a RCD is literally a life saving device, if the installation was done today all of it would need to be RCD protected. If any of those circuits were installed or modified after 2008 they should be RCD protected at the time the work was carried out. In short it is in your best interests to have those circuits RCD protected. If the consumer unit isnt from a trash manufacturer that makes their boards obselete every few years. You may be able to get away with using RCBO's to protect those circuits rather than changing the board.

Thanks for the detailed answer! Much appreciated! Think we might need a new consumer unit, which will now have to be metal too I guess! House was built in 2005 so it's not all that old but as you say, regs move on.

Any idea of expected cost to change consumer unit to one with rcds, 14 circuits. Current one is 15 years old with half rcds.

What purpose is the report? Is it for a sale or rental where you have to resolve all c1 and c2, or is it just for your own information?
No RCD complied in the past for non socket circuits so it's not objectively dangerous, it's just there is a higher level of safety given by compliance with the latest regs.
If the report is for yourself then make your own mind up whether it's worth it for presumably the lighting circuits and other fixed wiring. And if it's a rental etc probably best to go ahead and replace. With the report in hand you should be able to get an accurate quote.

Struggled to sell our home so we're now accidental landlords!

Yeh figure now it's a c2, as a landlord I'll have to fix it. If I was living in it I wouldn't change it, and just not drill holes in cables 😀

Waiting for a quote back from the chap who did the report but interested in ball park figures to compare to

Just for changing the cu if it can fit in the same space you're looking at a day plus 80 quid for the parts. I'm assuming all the circuits tested ok without faults.
But your best bet is to get 3 quotes as even if i were an electrician o don't know the prices in your area and i haven't seen any obstacles to the job.