We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler....
new regulations, apparently, it has not been a problem in the past.

It seems we need an isolator by the consumer unit (under the stairs) or
by the boiler (in the utility room).

I could probably fit something in the utility room. Any idea what sort
of isolator would be needed to be compliant with the regs?

The consumer unit is an old-style fused unit, so I might get an
electrician in to replace it with a modern unit and ensure appropriate
isolation for the CH supply. What happens if the existing cables are not
long enough for the new unit? Would this require a significant rewiring
or can cables be extended? After it has been fitted, would this require
access to sockets in all the rooms for testing? A simple swap would be
great, but I don't want any unexpected complications right now.

--Alan

"kiloran" wrote in message ...
We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do
the job because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler.... new regulations, apparently, it has not been a
problem in the past.

It seems we need an isolator by the consumer unit (under the stairs) or by the boiler (in the utility room).

I could probably fit something in the utility room. Any idea what sort of isolator would be needed to be compliant with the regs?

The consumer unit is an old-style fused unit, so I might get an electrician in to replace it with a modern unit and ensure
appropriate isolation for the CH supply. What happens if the existing cables are not long enough for the new unit? Would this
require a significant rewiring or can cables be extended? After it has been fitted, would this require access to sockets in all
the rooms for testing? A simple swap would be great, but I don't want any unexpected complications right now.

Seems a bit drastic if the only reason for doing it is to provide boiler isolation.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Nov 11, 9:13*pm, kiloran wrote:
We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler....
new regulations, apparently, it has not been a problem in the past.

It seems we need an isolator by the consumer unit (under the stairs) or
by the boiler (in the utility room).

I could probably fit something in the utility room. Any idea what sort
of isolator would be needed to be compliant with the regs?

The consumer unit is an old-style fused unit, so I might get an
electrician in to replace it with a modern unit and ensure appropriate
isolation for the CH supply. What happens if the existing cables are not
long enough for the new unit? Would this require a significant rewiring
or can cables be extended? After it has been fitted, would this require
access to sockets in all the rooms for testing? A simple swap would be
great, but I don't want any unexpected complications right now.

--Alan

Let me guess - they will send you a quote to do the work?

kiloran wrote:

We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler....
new regulations, apparently, it has not been a problem in the past.

It seems we need an isolator by the consumer unit (under the stairs) or
by the boiler (in the utility room).

Easily done.
Find where the electric goes into the boiler.
Isolate properly, cut the cable in a suitable place, and fit a fused
connector unit;
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/82736
If you are not sure about where to put it, or how to do it, then get
someone in who knows how to do it.

Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

The consumer unit is an old-style fused unit, so I might get an
electrician in to replace it with a modern unit and
xxx
I think that if an electrician fitted a new consumer unit
he's have to test and verify that all the electrics are up to modern
regs, and may have to rewire the whole house even if its perfectly safe!
[g]

On Nov 11, 9:13*pm, kiloran wrote:

We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler....
new regulations, apparently, it has not been a problem in the past.

It seems we need an isolator by the consumer unit (under the stairs) or
by the boiler (in the utility room).

There's no requirement to bring existing installs up to the latet regs


I could probably fit something in the utility room. Any idea what sort
of isolator would be needed to be compliant with the regs?

One that keeps british gas engineers out. This is the perfect
opportunity to get rid of them.


The consumer unit is an old-style fused unit, so I might get an
electrician in to replace it with a modern unit and ensure appropriate
isolation for the CH supply.

why?


What happens if the existing cables are not
long enough for the new unit? Would this require a significant rewiring
or can cables be extended? After it has been fitted, would this require
access to sockets in all the rooms for testing? A simple swap would be
great, but I don't want any unexpected complications right now.

So why replace the CU?


NT

kiloran wrote:

We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler....
new regulations, apparently, it has not been a problem in the past.

IMHO BG verge on being crooks.

Had a back boiler/gas fire based CH system installed 30 years ago. It
wasn't long before BG started: "No flue plate, not up to modern
standards", then "can't get the spares for this", then "ventilation
too low". ITMT the service technicians use a smoke candle to test the
draught by holding it next to the gas fire heat outlet grille rather
than the boiler inlet (which was just above floor level).

ISTM that they are trying it on with the electrics. I wouldn't mind
betting they'll offer to do a rewire for you at only twice the price
you'd pay for a specialist.

My advice is the same as the others have suggested: dump BG and get a
better service technician/company.

This house is a BG-free zone: YKIMS.

TF

"Huge" wrote in message
...
On 2010-11-13, Terry Fields wrote:

kiloran wrote:

We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler....
new regulations, apparently, it has not been a problem in the past.

IMHO BG verge on being crooks.

There's no "verge" about it. They're crooks, liars and thieves and
I will have nothing to do with them.


--
Today is Boomtime, the 25th day of The Aftermath in the YOLD 3176
"Always mount a scratch monkey."


Not wishing to promote BG - but if you were an employer, with all the legal
obligations to keep your workers safe - or risk being sued, wouldn't you
make some rule about not working on an item of electrical equipment (in all
types of standards of home) without a really perfect method of isolation
that is 100% constant and reliable in all circumstances.

On Nov 11, 9:13*pm, kiloran wrote:
We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the boiler....


Could they not have turned off the main switch?

Robert

RobertL wrote:
On Nov 11, 9:13 pm, kiloran wrote:
We had the British Gas serviceman round yesterday to do the yearly
service for the gas CH boiler. My wife said they could not do the job
because they could not isolate the electricity supply to the
boiler....


Could they not have turned off the main switch?

They could but they should not have to.

--
Adam