Ordered my MX and Andersen A2 at the same time... and the Andersen arrived first even with the 12 weeks delay! Charger is getting installed the weekend of 14 December and I was hoping there's an owner in the Basingstoke area who wouldn't mind swinging by and plugging in to see if the charger works?
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Basingstoke owner wanted to test wall charger
- Thread starter simon79
- Start date
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
The charge point should have been functionally tested as a part of the installation, as functional testing is a mandatory requirement. The installer "signs" the EIC to confirm that this, along with the other requirements that apply. If the installer has not done this, then call them back and get them to do it. Plugging in the test box and doing the required checks takes all of two or three minutes. The test box is a vehicle simulator, so as far as the charge point is concerned it looks just like a vehicle, but it allows the functionality of, and safety protection systems within, the charge point to be properly tested. Plugging a car in doesn't do the required safety tests.
Pull the plug out and give it a lick. If you wake up 10 minutes later wondering why you are lying where you are, then everything is working.
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
That would be an interesting way to prove that the charge point WASN'T working !
The connector, or socket, on any charge point should be dead when not plugged in to either a car or test box. It's why a test box is needed when doing any charge point installation, as without it there's no way to test that the charge point will provide power to a car, or that the required safety and protection systems are working properly.
If push comes to shove and anyone ever needs a charge point tested, I have both a charge point test box and an MFT, so can do all the required tests. I do this on a voluntary basis (no charge), but only around my local area as a rule (~10 miles West of Salisbury). I can't do a new installation, as that needs someone who's a member of one of the Part P cartels, and none of them will allow retired people to be members (plain and simple protectionism, and nothing at all to do with competence, IMHO, and no different in many ways to the way some trade unions operated a "closed shop" system years ago).
DanTW_GB
Member
Hi Jeremy - super useful, as always with your posts sir!
quick one though - I know very little about the actual technical work electricians do, but I have to be clued up on the regs side for my work.
As far as I’m aware, in England and Wales it’s not a legal requirement that all notifiable work (e.g. a new install like this) is undertaken and completed by an individual who is registered on a Competent Person Scheme (as some call Part P registered). The legal requirement is simply that all works completed meet the requirements of Part P of the building regulations.
Therefore you are able to undertake notifiable work - by informing the Building Control Department of your local authority before the work commences, and paying them a fee to inspect the work on completion. If you’re sure you’re understanding of the regs is watertight, and you’re up to date with new additions found in the 18th edition etc, you shouldn’t have a problem. The key here is that they will need to see proof and evidence that all works meet the requirements of Part P.
A lot of electricians I work with aren’t aware that this route exists for customers - it’s a rare route to take really, since most people want a fully qualified and up to date electrician working on their new installations, and why not go down the route of hiring a CPS registered one who can sign the work off themselves and not need to involve building control at all. Still, I have known extremely knowledgeable and up to date self builders (like yourself by the sounds of it) who opt to go down this route when installing notifiable electrical work themselves - all signed off as compliant and legal by LABC at the end of the work.
Worth mentioning (you probably already know this) that local building control’s means and methods vary slightly from location to location, so worth checking everything with them and being fully transparent throughout to make sure everything is above board in their opinion.... as ultimately, it’s their opinion and findings that matters here in the long run!
You can read more about what I’ve said here:
The Regulations Explained
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
In the case of a charge point installation, it's notifiable work under Part P, almost always, as it will most probably be a new outdoor circuit. If a charge point were to be connected to an existing outdoor circuit (of the right spec) then it would not be notifiable work under Part P, as work on existing circuits can be done by any competent person.
When I built our house, I included several spare outdoor circuits, just runs of SWA terminated in wiska boxes. All these circuits formed a part of the original installation, so were all inspected and tested and included in the Part P EIC lodged with building control. This means that, as a competent person I can add equipment to these circuits without needing additional Part P stuff, all I need to do is inspect, test and issue myself with an EIC.
In a perfect world LABC would have someone competent to undertake third party inspection and test to Part P, but in practice finding anyone with a ticket to do such work is not easy. The Part P cartels don't encourage third party inspection and test, either. Frankly I can understand that - I would refuse point blank to sign off a completed installation as being compliant, as the chances are there will be hidden areas of the installation that cannot be inspected. Unlike an EICR, where it's OK to sign on the basis that some areas could not be inspected or tested, for accessibility (or other) reasons, no such option exists for an EIC; you are signing to say that the whole of the installation described is compliant, not just with Part P, but with BS7671 and any other regulation that may apply.
As an example, when I built our house I was retired, and so not eligible to be a member of one of the Part P cartels. Being a competent person (I used to teach apprentice electricians C&G and ONC years ago) I'd planned to wire the house myself, and get our LABC to sign it off, as they are required to. The snag is that they had no one qualified to undertake the inspection and test, and didn't know of anyone locally that held a third party ticket. As a consequence, I had to employ a young Part P chap, and then work as his labourer, as that was the only practical way to get the job done.
When I built our house, I included several spare outdoor circuits, just runs of SWA terminated in wiska boxes. All these circuits formed a part of the original installation, so were all inspected and tested and included in the Part P EIC lodged with building control. This means that, as a competent person I can add equipment to these circuits without needing additional Part P stuff, all I need to do is inspect, test and issue myself with an EIC.
In a perfect world LABC would have someone competent to undertake third party inspection and test to Part P, but in practice finding anyone with a ticket to do such work is not easy. The Part P cartels don't encourage third party inspection and test, either. Frankly I can understand that - I would refuse point blank to sign off a completed installation as being compliant, as the chances are there will be hidden areas of the installation that cannot be inspected. Unlike an EICR, where it's OK to sign on the basis that some areas could not be inspected or tested, for accessibility (or other) reasons, no such option exists for an EIC; you are signing to say that the whole of the installation described is compliant, not just with Part P, but with BS7671 and any other regulation that may apply.
As an example, when I built our house I was retired, and so not eligible to be a member of one of the Part P cartels. Being a competent person (I used to teach apprentice electricians C&G and ONC years ago) I'd planned to wire the house myself, and get our LABC to sign it off, as they are required to. The snag is that they had no one qualified to undertake the inspection and test, and didn't know of anyone locally that held a third party ticket. As a consequence, I had to employ a young Part P chap, and then work as his labourer, as that was the only practical way to get the job done.
MrBadger
Badger out
Get a quote from BC before trying that. Ours want £297 so long as it is not deemed a "new installation in a dwelling", in which case, it would be £393. I didn't even bother having the conversation with them about which one they would deem it to be.
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