socket under sink

[UKMICKY]

Bought a new house and had New boiler installed and electrics performed by part p electrician.

During the installation he noticed the house wasn't earthed to outside world and wouldn't wire up the boiler without it so i had to pay to have an isolation switch added by fuse box and some earth wire and spike placed in the ground.

He finished the installation and then said he had to turn supply off and couldnt turn it on as he noticed there was a socket under the kitchen sink in the wall.

I had a look and was amazed to see a double socket located directly under the sink.

Yes i know the socket will have to be moved ASAP but was he right to turn off the supply and refuse to turn it back on . He said i could turn the power on so boiler man could continue but said he was prohibited .

Was he right.

 

[londonboy]

He was certainly cautious. Which I wouldn't ever knock someone for.

However I wouldn't refuse to turn the power back on for that, a socket underneath a sink isn't ideal, but I wouldnt say its dangerous. If you think about it, its the same as having a socket in the room directly below the airing cupboard!

I also (maybe incorrectly) thought electricians didn't have the power to disconnect someones supply, unlike gas safe engineers who can condemn anything.

 

[cumbriahandyman]

Yes i know the socket will have to be moved ASAP but was he right to turn off the supply and refuse to turn it back on . He said i could turn the power on so boiler man could continue but said he was prohibited .
Was he right.

Absolute b o l l o c k s

 

[riveralt]

Bought a new house and had New boiler installed and electrics performed by part p electrician.

During the installation he noticed the house wasn't earthed to outside world and wouldn't wire up the boiler without it so i had to pay to have an isolation switch added by fuse box and some earth wire and spike placed in the ground.

I hope your Consumer Unit has RCD protection or is that what the isolation switch is?

 

[denso13]

unlike gas safe engineers who can condemn anything.

Gas appliances can only be disconnected with home owners permission. It can't be done forcibly, this would be reported to the gas supplier for them to do.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i had to pay to have an isolation switch added by fuse box.

Not to install and connect an earth rod, you didn't.

Can you describe the isolation switch, or post a photo?

 

[UKMICKY]

Bought a new house and had New boiler installed and electrics performed by part p electrician.

During the installation he noticed the house wasn't earthed to outside world and wouldn't wire up the boiler without it so i had to pay to have an isolation switch added by fuse box and some earth wire and spike placed in the ground.

I hope your Consumer Unit has RCD protection or is that what the isolation switch is?

No old fuse box ,new CSU will soon be fitted.

i had to pay to have an isolation switch added by fuse box.

Not to install and connect an earth rod, you didn't.

Can you describe the isolation switch, or post a photo?

Isolation switch had to be fitted by by electricity company so he could turn off supply before fuse box and install the earth bonding( i think he called it)

 

[echoes]

Isolation switch had to be fitted by by electricity company so he could turn off supply before fuse box and install the earth bonding...

Seems extreme and unnecessary if for that sole purpose, unless it was to permit an easy future CU change with no fuse-pulling (kosher or otherwise), or an RCD to be installed for the TT system, or it WAS the RCD as riveralt suggests.

 

[londonboy]

I would imagine this switch is a RCD in an enclosure.

OP, does this switch have a 'T' or TEST button on it?

 

[UKMICKY]

Just had a look an the electricity company have put a 100 A basic manual isolation switch between meter and fuse box that looks like it works on both live and neutral.

The boiler electrician has then between the isolation switch and fuse box placed a 80 A RCD that has the test button.

Seems wierd that one is rated at 100 A and one at 80 A

As it seems i now have a RCD does that mean the consumer unit upgrade can be held off for a while.

 

[MalcofArabia]

The switch is rated at 100amps which means it can be used on a circuit rated from 1-100 amps. Lot like your 13amp socket outlet. You plug something into it like a TV which will be less than 1 amp. Your supply fuse could be 60, 80 or 100 amps the switch will cover them all.

The 80amp RCD. Again the 80amp part is just what the RCD is capable of taking as a load. It really does not do anything apart from being like your 100amp switch. The important bit is another part of it which will be the mA part. Check on yours to see if it's in fact a 30mA one.

If it is 30ma then the electrician as given you the correct protection for a TT system. The only downside to this is that if you develop a fault on any circuit be it lighting, cooker, socket outlets, the power will trip to the whole house, which obviously isn't ideal. That is why the new modern CU have "split loads" which means 2 RCDs. The house is split onto each RCD and if a fault develops then only half the house will loose power, so the theory goes.

It would seem that he as given you the best option available without changing the entire board. If you have arranged for him to do a board change, then he may have fitted this as a temporary protection and will remove it once the new CU is in place. IMO opinion if money is tight and you don't mind the inconvenience of the whole house tripping off then you can leave the board change until later, that is as long as the 80amp RCD is rated 30mA What I would do if you decide that is get a couple of emergency lights, the type that charge into sockets in case the RCD does trip.