ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades some silly electrician

im in the process of renovating a chip shop. im not actually doing the electrics at the moment but i am about to take the job on if it comes to it. The electrician on the job has put both a lighting circuit and a power/socket circuit in the same 32Amp MCB. ive have told him that is wrong and dangerous - but he persists that it is correct. Can anybody verify my opinion? If I am correct, which I am sure I am, what is my next step? shall i take the job and change the problem? Shall I notify the NEC as this electrician is supposed to be a tester and issue certificates? Or should I leave him to it which is a danger to those using the appliances? I would like alot of feedback please because I will be using these replies in a site meeting to try and correct the problem.

Thanks
Adam

Hi Adam,
Welcome to ECN!,
Boy is that guy gonna come back down to earth with a thud!!.
I'm assuming that this is a Ring circuit that you are referring to, for the power sockets?.

Hi Adam,



I assume we're talking about a regular lighting circuit wired in 1.0 or 1.5 sq. mm cable? If so, then connecting that to a 32A MCB is most definitely wrong, no question about it.

yes trumpy, this is or the ring circuit for the power sockets, it is in the same breaker as a lighting circuit.
Yes Pauluk the lighting circuit is wired with 1.0sq mm cable and the ring ciruit is wired with 2.5sq mm cable - this is correct.
but with the lighting circuit being on a 32A MCB this is definatly wrong, but he still tells me that you can put BOTH a RING CIRCUIT and a LIGHTING circuit on the SAME breaker!! Back me up people.

up n coming sparky.

with well over 20 years in this trade in england,

i have NEVER heard such utter rubbish!!!!

in no instance should a lighting circuit (domestic in 1.00mm TW/E) be placed on the same circuit as a ring main and be protected? by a 32 MCB.

point that man in our direction and we will tell him!!

or even better contact the NICEIC on 0800 013 0900 or www.niceic.org.uk!!!

they will put him right.

another question, to all of us out there,

how can that `electrician` sign off that job correctly?

Britspark

my point exactly, he says the work is all correct and he is going to issue a certificate for the work

Ask him to tell you the current ratings for 1.0 T&E cable, even in free air.

Then ask him if he still believes it's O.K. to "protect" it with a 32A MCB.

should i report him for being so dangerous?

i thought this guy was a bit strange wen i first met him - he is travelling from nottingham to gainsborough to do this work because he cant get any work round there - is this a coincidence? he said he is having to take on a site job to get more money and never turns up to our job wen he says he would. and when he does come he never really has anything to show for it, nothing is really done. there are switches that dont do anything and a fused spur that is perminently live.

If he's NICEIC registered, then I'm sure they'd like to know about this.

Have you made the shop's owner aware of your concerns too?