EICR: rewiring recommended on 1930s house!

chris9871

AdrianC said:

G3ralt said:

1. Shower circuit is tap off in a 2.5 cable that feeds spur switch which does the shaver point C2 
2. fuse board no RCD protection C2 
3. fuse board (DB1) requires replacement not fire rated. (under the stairs) C2 
4. No power is present at the immersion switch further investigation required FI 
5. Kitchen light is on the kitchen sockets FI 
6. Utility light and the light under the stairs is on kitchen sockets FI 
7. Gas meter is not earthed C2 
8. Main earth is a 6mm earth C3 
9. Light fitting in utility has a burning smell when turned on C2 
10. x9 spot lights in the kitchen are not fire rated C2 
11. Socket in back bedroom the screws are corroded C2 
12. Water is not earthed C2

Going through that list in order...
1. What power is the shower? 2.5mm2 cable is a bit measly for anything but a lukewarm dribbler.
2. Old fusebox, you knew that when you viewed, right?
3. The regs change all the times. They used to require metal, but then they required plastic because metal was a shock risk. Now they require metal because plastic is a fire risk.
4. Might just be a blown fuse or the immersion is switched off somewhere else.
5. Far from ideal, but not dangerous - just means that if the toaster blows the kitchen fuse, you're in the dark.
6. ...then you can't see in the cupboard either...
7. Five minute job.
8. That's one big thick beefy earth cable...
9. So change that light fitting...
10. Recessed? If you have a kitchen fire, it might spread into the ceiling a bit more easily.
11. Changing the screws takes seconds, assuming they aren't SO corroded to not come out.
12. Five minute job.

AdrianC I suggest you stop with your poor advice on Electrical installations as you clearly don’t know what your talking about and bad advice could cause harm to someone. 

 Gas and water bond five minute job!! What if electrics are and back of property and gas and water at front? You could run a new cable front to back of a house and connect in five minutes?

10 wrong, having Downlights in a plasterboard ceiling you have to cut them in, therefore you’ve now taken away the fire protection from the plasterboard unless Downlights are Fire rated or fire hoods fitted on non fire rated lights.

8 wrong again, 6mm isn’t big enough currents regs state 16mm.

5 guess what wrong again! If a light has been taken off the socket circuit it hasn’t been Done by a qualified electrician, lights are wired in 1mm or 1.5mm cable. Sockets are in 2.5mm but are also wired as a ring so potentially 5mm cable to keep it simple so you understand, sockets circuits are installed onto a 32 a MCB which is far to high for a 1.5mm cable and could cause a fire.

9 would indicate to someone who actually knows about electrics that there’s more likely to a fault on the cable to the light, most likely a poorly terminated neutral. So not just a case of changing the light.

I suggest if your going to try and offer people advice you actually know what your talking about as wrong advice on electrics could cause serious problems.

No Earth bond to gas and water is  C2
Non fire rated lights are C3

Lights wired of sockets unless 4mm cable or 2.5mm cable with a FCU fitted before lights is a C2

Plastic fuseboard under stairs is a C3 unless there are signs of thermal damage anywhere and then it’s a C2.

I suggest that if you need a clarification on the coding for EICR then you speak to NICEIC or Napit, don’t take advice from idiots like AdrianC as he clearly doesn’t know what he’s taking about. 

GDB2222

Whilst I would not be as forthright as Chris, he is right. Unless the kitchen lights have been wired in 2.5 T+E, which is very unlikely, you’ll have lighter weight cables hanging off a 32 amp mcb. That’s a fire risk. 

Replacing the kitchen down lights with fireproof ones is a morning’s work, if that, and the fittings themselves are £10-20 each. 

Lots of 40 year old wiring is absolutely fine, but if you are going to replace it all now is the time to do it as it’s a pretty messy job.

I would not worry too much about a plastic fuse box and would look to replace the rcbs with rcbos if possible. Or maybe a new box if that’s roughly the same cost.

The electrician's report and quote are very useful, and I would give them to the vendor with a request for a few £££ off the price.