Replacing Sockets / Light Switches - Part P?

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Replacing Sockets / Light Switches – Part P?

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April 10, 2009 at 5:54 pm

#695260
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General Lighting

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I want to replace the ageing 1980s vintage light switches in my house and the sockets with some decent ones (probably brass fronted). I am not planning on rewiring anything – just replacing the fittings.

Most of the sockets/switches are in the main part of the house but there are some in the kitchen I might change to silver brushed aluminium.

is any of this a part P job? the way I read it is the rest of the house isn’t but the kitchen may be but I’m not 100% sure…
April 10, 2009 at 8:37 pm

#920827
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Angel

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If you’re not sure you don’t do it 😉
April 10, 2009 at 9:33 pm

#920822
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General Lighting

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oh, I’m sure exactly how to change the light switches and sockets – been doing this for 10 years now 🙂

what has happened in the UK is that now you need a license to do some electrical work in your own house (the Part P); (and to get this you need to pass an exam; even if you have been competent to do this work for ages) – we didn’t need this in 2005…
April 10, 2009 at 9:40 pm

#920828
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Angel

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very strict rules in Denmark when working with electricity
you can put up lamps and change bulbs and that’s about it.. :crazy:
April 13, 2009 at 3:31 pm

#920825
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leveret

@leveret

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Under Part P you are still allowed to do “like for like” replacement, I don’t think it mentions any limit on what you are replacing.

As far as I am concerned (not an electrician but been doing my own mains wiring for over 20 years), as long as the result is something “like” the original then that qualifies. I have seen so many horrific jobs done by supposed professionals which I then have to bring up to an acceptable standard that I think Part P is just a “jobs for the boys” measure.

If it comes down to it, all the regs are online anyway so you can look up the codes and make sure you’re doing a conformant job.
April 13, 2009 at 3:48 pm

#920823
6

General Lighting

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It will all be “like for like” replacement but the only grey area is the kitchen as its a “special area” now…

I think the problem with Part P in this country is it comes from a EU regulation that all nations are legally bound to implement, but in this country regulations are now introduced half heartedly and with bad grace whilst the private sector hipocritically berates “excessive regulation” whilst at the same time looking for a market opportunity and lobbying the govt accordingly to facilitate this as much as possible…

I think in other EU nations such as the Teutonic and Scandinavian ones a more pragmatic approach is taken to regulations; whilst in France and the Mediterranean they need a boot up the arse every so often for the publics own good – until the EU tightened things up it was not uncommon for kitchens in mainland Europe to have 400V three phase provided to a cooker – but no earth connections on the water pipes so touching the oven and tap gave people a tingle!
April 13, 2009 at 4:05 pm

#920826
1

leveret

@leveret

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I found a couple of “part P” guides online, one is at http://www.teagueelectrical.co.uk/userimages/niceic_partp_factsheet.pdf

Replacing damaged cables, sockets or accessories is allowed even in kitchens. Just not adding a new one. So if you’re in doubt, give it a good clout with a hammer beforehand to make sure it’s damaged.

Amongst other lunacies, you can:
connect up a cooker in a bathroom: :laugh_at:
whereas you cannot:
add low voltage lighting anywhere in the building :you_crazy

As I read the factsheet, it isn’t illegal to do your own work in contravention of part P, only if you break part P (or even don’t break part P) but the resulting job is not up to building regs.

The only thing that might happen if you contravene Part P is the council – if they find out – might “require” you to have the work re-done, but if it was to standards in the first place then I think you’d have a pretty good case for reclaiming any un-necessary costs you incurred.

If still worried, ask around where more informed people hang out – uk.d-i-y seemed to have a fairly healthy attitude last time I read it.
April 13, 2009 at 4:21 pm

#920824
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

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thanks. The patress boxes are loose on the sockets and some sockets are missing a fixing screw, which is of course dangerous anyway…

Not surprised there are anomalies ; with (then) 12 countries all throwing their opinions and vested interests into the Euro-chapeau things like this were bound to happen. Then again the EU had been arguing over some of the points since 1972 (when the first attempts at harmonisation were made, and we were supposed to change over our wiring colours for cable as well as flex but didn’t do so)

The low voltage lighting restriction is there because of the increased risk of fire due to the high current and to be fair the health and safety lobby have a good point – badly installed LV halogen lamps now rank alongside deliberate arson as being a major cause of fire in both domestic and industrial premises, although at the time the legislation was introduced it wasn’t apparent that LEDs would eventually take over (AFAIK these do not get hot at all).
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