Is my wiring legal?

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

He has found the two sockets that have the the earth coming from the consumer unit, one of which is correctly connected to the consumer unit, one of which is not.

In what way is it not correctly connected?

Most of the wiring from the new consumer unit is using the old wiring (so they didn't replace it) however on one of the sockets that it runs to there is new wiring. As a result the new electrician said that they have obviously used a hidden junction box somewhere to join the old wiring and the new wiring.{/quote]
It is possible that connection if not made at the consumer unit that a socket outlet was used, without doing extensive inspection and testing this could only be an assumption.

He said that this is against regulations as they have to be accessible.

this has already been covered and is not if compliant methods are used.

The original company were not very good but given it seems as though it's going to be reasonably expensive to fix it i want to get them to come and sort it out.

You do right, have you got anything in writting by the second electrician regarding their findings, because if I has called back for unnecessary/unrequired remedial work, I would not be to pleased!

i wanted to see if the hidden connection of old to new wiring was illegal so i have at least one claim against them?

Well it is not if done in a method considered maintenance free!

I'm sure they'll claim it happened after they left but it seems amazing that the connections for 4 different sections of hidden earth wiring has been damaged or disconnected within about a year of installation?

have you had any other alterations done since the original work was done, have you had anybody drilling holes, screwing or nailing into walls/floors/ceilings since?

 

[ericmark]

First the question is "Is my wiring legal?" in England and Wales Part P of the building regulations (the legal bit) refer to BS7671 as being one document that if followed make the wiring legal but it does not have to follow that document it could follow any of the other European regulations and what is required is a warranty of skill. In real terms it's down to courts to decide so unless some one is killed then the legal bit does not really help.

The regulations are the same for shop, factory, or domestic although there are slight differences where a skilled person is in charge because it covers all it is rather vague.

132.12 Accessibility of electrical equipment
Electrical equipment shall be arranged so as to afford as may be necessary:
(i) Sufficient space for the initial installation and later replacement of individual items of electrical equipment
(ii) accessibility for operation, inspection, testing, fault detection, maintenance and repair.

Building void, accessible. A space within the structure or the components of a building accessible only at certain points. Such voids include the space within partitions, suspended floors, ceilings and certain types of window frame, door frame and architrave.
Building void, non-accessible. A space within the structure or the components of a building which has no ready means of access.

526.3 Every connection shall be accessible for inspection, testing and maintenance, except for the following:
(i) A joint designed to be buried in the ground
(ii) A compound-filled or encapsulated joint
(iii) A connection between a cold tail and the heating element as in ceiling heating, floor heating or a trace heating system
(iv) A joint made by welding, soldering, brazing or appropriate compression tool
(v) A joint forming part of the equipment complying with the appropriate product standard.

543.3.3 Every connection and joint shall be accessible for inspection, testing and maintenance as provided by Regulation 526.3.

I am sure with my daughters house there is a junction box somewhere which I will guess was installed when the garage was made into a room and likely the position of the consumer unit changed at that time. I am sure it is assessable by using a jabsaw but without knowing where to cut it does not really help.

Loss of earth is serious but more due to electric shock risk than fire although a RCD will disconnect the supply with earth leakage what we want is that earth leakage to go via earth wires rather than your body so it trips before you touch it not as you touch it.

When installing new cables or accessories we have two ways to test the earth. While dead we can use a low ohm meter using at least 200ma to preform the test and when live we use an earth loop impedance meter. Although the latter is a very useful tool they do fail from time to time and I have seen where an electrician has condemned an installation and then on the next job started to get suspicious with the readings and realised the meter was faulty. To have so many earth faults one does wonder if down to faulty test equipment rather than faulty work by either electrician.

I would before leaving house always test a socket in garage which I had written on the earth loop impedance and again tested same socket on return after being caught out with a faulty meter. However I think this is rare often meter only tested once a year.

As to what step next I would first ask the original electrician to re-test and correct any faults found as if there is a hidden box he will know where it is. And you need to find where it is and record the fact. Based on what he finds then decide if you need to go further.

Please report on what is found it will help others. But do remember neither electrician is really at fault if meters are found to be faulty. So careful how you ask until you know what has really happened.