FEATURE FIRE SAFETY SAFETY COMES FIRST
New reforms to the Wiring Regulations look set to reduce the danger of fires related to plastic consumer units. With the support of the London Fire Brigade, the consensus is that there will be significant changes to the specification of consumer units. Here, Deepak Sharad at Schneider Electric tells you what you need to know
igures from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) have revealed that consumer units are currently responsible for around five house fires a week in the capital. This is a five-fold rise in just five years and it is a problem which is reflected throughout the country. An increased use of moulded plastics for the casing of consumer units is one of the primary reasons for this. The once traditional metal or ‘bakelite’ options are generally better at containing fires, should they be initiated. In the case of a poor installation or faulty components within the consumer unit, the risk of a fire spreading could increase with some of the newer designs of consumer units.
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RAISING THE STANDARDS Not surprisingly then, recent years have seen major lobbying by the London Fire Brigade and other fire investigators, to raise legislative standards to reduce the increasing number of fires associated with faulty or poorly installed consumer units. As a consequence the
IET announced new regulations in July which will be published in January 2015. These are expected to state that all consumer units fitted in residential properties will have to be made of non-combustible material or be enclosed in a non-combustible box. The change will form part of the electrical installation regulations (BS 7671) which are reviewed every three years under the BSI committee JPEL64. As a result, today’s contractors must be extremely careful, not just in terms of choosing the right type of consumer unit for the application, but to also be vigilant about the quality of the product. However, with so many different products on the market, some of which are distinctly lesser quality than others, it can be all too difficult to understand whether a consumer unit meets the standards it claims.
10 SEPTEMBER 2014 | ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Right and below: with a wide range of switch disconnectors, RCDs and MCBs, complimented by a single pole class A RCBO, Resi9 from Schneider Electric can provide continuity of supply by means of individual RCBOs for each circuit, thus limiting down-time to a single circuit in the event of fault
NEW ON THE MARKET One option is the new Resi9 range of consumer units from Schneider Electric. Set to ease how contractors install circuit protection products, Resi9 is a plug-on range which removes the need to cable one of the terminals. As such,
all outgoing devices can be connected in seconds and, with no incoming terminal to tighten, the correct mechanical connection force is guaranteed every time. The
result is reduced installation and commissioning time, meaning one less terminal to torque test. More so, the busbar
assembly is fully encapsulated, providing complete finger safety and increasing the overall safety of the product. Installers can save time when individually disconnecting or applying devices to the DIN-rail. With a wide range of
switch disconnectors, RCDs and MCBs, complimented by a single pole class A RCBO, Resi9 can provide continuity of supply by means of individual RCBOs for
each circuit, thus limiting down-time to a single circuit in the event of fault. To ensure that cables cannot be incorrectly inserted, the Resi9’s terminals have been fitted with insulated pull up safety shutters. It also features redesigned, curved colour coded toggles and a clearly marked front face, making it easier to use. Looking more
holistically, Resi9 can also accept a wide range of control devices, making it suitable to be used in conjunction with a range of devices as part of a cohesive energy
management strategy. This will come as a key benefit as
more and more homeowners gravitate towards sustainable solutions. These are testing times for the installer, tasked with a challenging marketplace and now impending new legislation to get to grips with. However, the good news is that leading manufacturers are continuing to develop new innovations to make easier work of the job in hand.
Schneider Electric T: 0870 608 8608
www.schneider-electric.com Enter 202
/ ELECTRICALENGINEERING
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