Originally posted by: Zoro
There is nothing wrong with Plastic Consumer units that are compliant with BS/EN 60439-3 or BS/EN61439, they do not burst into flames, they are safe,independent testing has proved this.
Certain Manufacturers are blaming ALL plastic consumer units and stating that CU's should be steel, in an attempt to cover up the fact that they did not bother to make them non combustible as required in the BS/EN standard.
Obviously there are millions of these things that should be recalled, changes to Equipment Specifications should not be made in Installation regulations.
This has only been done, because the bodies that set Equipment Regulations would never agree to the changes now in BS7671, as there is nothing wrong with the specification of BS/EN 60439-3 and BS/EN61439-3.
This is verging on fraud.
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Verging on fraid?
Most definitely - but from which side of the legal fence?
How on earth can a consumer unit enclosure be "certified" as compliant with a standard yet fail (spectacularly) when tested independently?
Both Electrical Safety First and BEAMA appear to have stated that poor workmanship is causing the "loose connections" within the consumer units - yet some manufacturers only refer to loose connections as the root-cause of the fires ....
Interesting that, in the consumer electrical sector, recalls have been initiated for far,far less .... perhaps it would be appropriate for Electrical Safety First to comment as they are desperate to take on the role of product recall champions?
I am sure that the fact that both ESF and BEAMA are industry funded in no way causes any conflict of interest.
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B. Eng (Hons) MIET
Edited: 02 March 2015
at 10:34 am
by napitprofessional