Working on Electrical Circuits

WORKING ON ELECTRICAL CURCITS


Many electrical jobs and projects involve working on the house’s electrical circuits – either extending an existing circuit in some way, or adding an entirely new one. Whatever the task, the most important skill required for safety and success is the ability to plan the job carefully and carry out the work methodically.

WIRING REGUALTIONS

It has been a compulsory from 1 January 2005, for electrical installation work to meet the requirements of a new section of the Building Regulations called Part P. It is now a legal requirement for homeowners to be able to prove that all new fixed installation and alteration work has been carried out and certified by a competent electrician.
- All work that involves adding a new circuit must either be notified to your local Building Control department, who will then inspect the work, or must be carried out by a competent person, registered with a Part P Self – Certification Scheme.
- Minor jobs, such as adding new lights or socket outlets to existing circuits and replacing existing wiring accessories are exempt from control. However they should still be checked by a competent electrician, particularly in a kitchen, bathroom or shower room.
- If you are in any doubt as to whether a job you intend to carry out is exempt, ask your local Building Control department.


CABLE CORE COLOUR CHANGE

New amendments to the British Standard BS 7671 – Requirements for Electrical Installations came into force in March 2004. This change is for the colours used to identify the conductors (cores) in cable. Cables with the new core colours are available now, and may be used for new wiring work. There is no requirement for existing wiring to be changed.
- In two-core-and earth cable, the red core will change to brown, and the black core to blue. The earth core will remain a bare conductor, to be covered with green and yellow sleeving whenever it is exposed. The cable core colours will therefore be identical to the colours used on flex cores, which were changed from red and black in 1968.
- In three-core-and-earth cable, used for two way switching arrangements, the three cores will be brown, black and grey instead of the present red, yellow and blue. The earth core remains a bare conductor.