Change the CU

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by David Guinane, Aug 12, 2022.

  1. David Guinane

    David Guinane Member

    Hi All,
    Im a qualified electrician and overhead lines man and recently qualified as an engineer. I've never worked as a sparky in the UK just on the overhead but have worked in Ireland where i serverd my time then moved to Australia where i got my tickets and worked.
    My cu needs changing at home but am i right in saying I cannot do it legally with out taking my 18th edition test? I keep on top of the Reg changes because of my job but the more i look in to it even if i do the test i cant sign it off. Is they a body that can come and test it and issue a cert (provided it passes obviously)

    Thanks
     
  2. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    You can legally change it yourself, but your work must conform to BS7671 (18th edition) and be notified to local authority building control to comply with Part P of the building regulations. You can do this by contacting you LABC office before you commence work, they will explain the process (which can differ a little between counties) and the fees.

    You will need calibrated test gear, which can be hired. As you are a spark from overseas (but thank heavens more or less the same voltage, anyone who plays with 115 isn't a proper spark!!) I would advise buying a copy of the On-site guide to the 18th edition and digesting it and approved document P before laying your plans.

    This only applies to England & Wales, Scotland has their own set up of which I know little (they use the same regs of course), and I'm not sure if NI has moved off gas lighting yet:)
     
  3. David Guinane

    David Guinane Member

    Thank you. Great to know.

    In Ireland we worked to the same regs as England but not sure about NI as you say .

    I Have access to the 18th edition bur5i will give it a good read to catch up on things.
    Thanks again
     
    dbm likes this.
  4. CeSparky1

    CeSparky1 Active Member

    To be totally honest by the time you have paid for the hire of the test equipment and paid LABC you might as well just get a sparky in to do it.. BS7671 is not the kind of book you can just pick up and read.. Give the sparks a hand to do the job an should save you a few quid, will probably work out cheaper..
     
    David Guinane likes this.
  5. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    In Wales, England different, it costs £100 plus vat for first £2000 worth of work, plus cost of inspection and testing if they will not accept you doing it. And the LABC select who inspects.

    So unless combined with some other work, or you are exempt due to being disabled etc. The cost is simply not worth it. England the LABC can set their own charges, so varies county to county.
     
  6. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    I recently had a spark change a plastic 10 circuit, single RCD CU to a metal full RCBO with SPD CU. It took him half a day and cost me £130 ... in the South East.
    He is not VAT registered, so I bought the kit. All I paid him for was his expertise, his equipment and his time.
    I am pretty sure it would have cost me more had I tried to do it all myself. (FWIW, I am a university degreed electrical engineer.)
     
    David Guinane likes this.
  7. Ind spark

    Ind spark Screwfix Select

    Or just change it yourself and get an eicr done afterwards

    Shock horror :D
     
    David Guinane likes this.
  8. Bazza

    Bazza Screwfix Select

    An EICR does not provide notification.
     
  9. Ind spark

    Ind spark Screwfix Select

    I know but I bet it happens.
     
  10. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    I would have said could be a problem selling the houss, but over last 4 years sold three houses. And the first one could not find the paperwork.

    So thought no problem apply to council for replacement, however told would take 4 months, and I would need to pay council workers time to find it.

    When I bought this house, came with an installion certificate, but no completion or compliance certificate, and turned out only covered the garage conversion.

    Did find missing paperwork, nothing to link installation certificate to completion certificate. So I could have written a new installation certificate to cover what ever I wanted.

    I became clear the completion and compliance certificates are a tax, had the solicitor got the paperwork direct from council it would have shown who did the work and when, but it seems if the solicitor gets the installation certifate that's enough.

    As to EICR, I was told by the LABC inspector he would get one done at my expense before issuing the completion certificate, but then he finally accepted the installation certificate from me. However the EICR would have not been passed to me, all I would get is the completion certificate, and that did not link in any way to an EICR or EIC, so rather useless anyway.

    Even the compliance and installation certificate did not arrive together, and there was little to link them.

    So as long as you have the installation certificate which you can write yourself, it seems solicitors don't ask for anything more.
     
    David Guinane likes this.
  11. David Guinane

    David Guinane Member

    Working for the board I have seen some crazy set ups that i can never work out they were certified.

    I found an old house that had been split in two and sold separately.
    The meters and CUs for both property were in one house.
    I asked the person how they didn't notice this as it can't be legal and they said.. "they said it wasn't picked up in the survey"
     
  12. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    OK my home was not sold as two separate properties, but the local authority claim they are two properties even when both have same meters for water and electric, and same central heating boiler. Because I have to go outside to go between the two sections, no internal stairs, they say they are separate properties. So pay two council taxes.
     
    David Guinane likes this.

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