Who actually bothers with PIRs? Also earth bonding

[NewOrder]

Was just thinking I don't know of a single person who has ever paid for one, my parents where told when they bought the house to get the electrics checked (this was in 1980) so they got their electrician friend to have a look at it.

He took one look and said most the cables are rubber apart from the kitchen light so everything but the kitchen light will need rewiring. So they got the house rewired with PVC and a new fuse box, but it was all done on the very cheap and even by 1980 standards the amount of sockets was low.

Since then the electrics have never been checked, I've checked voltage outputs and put gromits in the back boxes and sleeved the earth where required but apart but no proper checks have been done.

No fuses have ever blown etc, but the consumer unit will need an RCD due to where the cables are burried, (my dad actually drilled through one knocking out the main supply fuse and an resulting in a visit from an angry electricity board spark having to replace it).

Apart from that what are the chances of earth bonding being not up to scratch? I am trying to convince my parents to get a PIR and a new consumer fitted, but they are worried about the costs getting out of hand, and to them if isn't broke then don't fix it.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Well normally it would be a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it.
There are no requirements that state your parents should have the consumer unit/ fuse box changed.
The change is only needed if lots of circuits are being altered, which means that the alteration requires RCD protection.
It usually ends up cheaper to replace the old unit for new with RCD protection.
If if the old consumer unit was totally knackered and the wiring not suitable to have RCD protection, due to trip nuisances, some scheme providers will allow a distress a change, which will mean the RCD can be omitted.
As far as PIRs a concerned again as far as domestic are concerned they are no hard set laws requiring them just recommendations.
It may change soon!
The chances of earth bonding not being up to current requirements, if it's still original from 1980's is high.
But updating earth bonding is not usually that difficult.

 

[mbga9pgf]

Well normally it would be a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it.
There are no requirements that state your parents should have the consumer unit/ fuse box changed.
The change is only needed if lots of circuits are being altered, which means that the alteration requires RCD protection.
It usually ends up cheaper to replace the old unit for new with RCD protection.
If if the old consumer unit was totally knackered and the wiring not suitable to have RCD protection, due to trip nuisances, some scheme providers will allow a distress a change, which will mean the RCD can be omitted.
As far as PIRs a concerned again as far as domestic are concerned they are no hard set laws requiring them just recommendations.
It may change soon!
The chances of earth bonding not being up to current requirements, if it's still original from 1980's is high.
But updating earth bonding is not usually that difficult.

Had one done just after I did a DIY rewire. Spark asked which local electrician I had used, said he had done a fantastic job.

 

[sparkybird]

If they are having a fuse board upgrade, they should be getting a PIR done first anyway to establish if there are any major problems that would need rectification first.

I always do a PIR in advance of any board upgrade for my clients