New edition of the Regs question

[flyingsparks]

Am I right in thinking that in the new edition of the regs they are doing away with the need for supplementary bonding in bathrooms as long as all circuits in the bathroom are on 30mA RCD??

 

[Cremeegg]

Yes. All circuits. According to ECA last week - although they did recommend waiting until the Regs were published rather than relying on the old consultation version.

 

[wired]

How will this work in practice with bathroom lights? Will the whole lighting circuit be put on a time delay RCD?

 

[RF Lighting]

No it will either mean the whole lighting circuit will be put on a 30mA RCD, or the bathroom light will be wired on its own circuit on a 30mA RCD


Where did you get time delay from?

 

[Norv]

What about if you go to a job (relating to the bathroom) & there is no Supp bonding present ?

Do you just carry out the supp bonding ?

I assume this means for new builds or re-wires.

 

[RF Lighting]

Currently if you do work in a bathroom, and there is no supplementary bonding present YOU MUST install it.


It will be the same with whatever new regulations come out in the 17th edition.

 

[DESL]

Currently if you do work in a bathroom, and there is no supplementary bonding present YOU MUST install it.


It will be the same with whatever new regulations come out in the 17th edition.

Are you sure?

My understanding of supp bonding in 17th ed was that it was not necessary as long as ALL ccts in a special location were protected by an RCD.

However I've only read the draft not the final version.

 

[wired]

Isn't it a backward step to use a 30mA RCD on ALL of the lights as you'll be left in darkness if something on the ring trips. I thought they'd maybe recommend a time delay for the lighting circuit - discrimination and all that!

Isn't supplementary bonding in bathrooms being scrapped altogether then??

 

[RF Lighting]

the point I was making is that if you work on part of an installation, you have to leave it complying with the latest regs.

If it happens that the regs call for supplementary bonding then you must install it.

If it calls for 30mA RCD protection you must install it.

I am not going to try and second guess what will be in the new regs. We only have to wait 7 weeks now to see for certain.

 

[Spark123]

The point of a providing a 30mA device is to minimise the effect of electric shock. 30mA is the maximum size device which can be used for this. It must trip within 300mS (BSEN61008/9) at 1 x I and within 40mS at 5 x I.
A time delayed one will hopefully not trip within 40mS @ 5 x I and hence is useless for shock protection.
SELV gets my vote for lighting!!

 

[RF Lighting]

Isn't it a backward step to use a 30mA RCD on ALL of the lights as you'll be left in darkness if something on the ring trips. I thought they'd maybe recommend a time delay for the lighting circuit - discrimination and all that!

Isn't supplementary bonding in bathrooms being scrapped altogether then??

Not if you keep each circuit seperate by either installing an RCBO for each circuit, or having an RCD for just lights, and an RCD for other stuff, rather than a traditional TT split load type arrangement, the RCD would be completely independant from one another

 

[securespark]

My take on this would be to wire the lighting loop to an RCD spur, then from there to the bathroom(s) as usual. You coulf fit a dual box outside the bathroom with an RCD spur on one side and the room's switch on the other.

Then a fault will only kill a couple of lights. If you want to be more strict, fit an RCD spur for each bathroom.

 

[Dippy]

I got a couple of questions on this:

1) What's the schedule for the release of the 17th Ed? I know it has finished its public consultation, but is the next step formal release or does it go through some other stage first?

2) If all lighting in a bathroom is SELV and there is no shaver socket, does that mean that supplementary bonding is not required?

 

[securespark]

1. It goes live in January. But, nobody knows the final version until then, Implemented fully by June.



2. Shower, Imm Htr?

 

[Pensdown]

Like others on here, I was taught the 14th edition at college, learnt the 15th & 16 running and was hoping to retire before the 17th.

Ho Hum, I just hope I never have to read the 18th on the toilet