Jake Green, Head of Technical Engagement with Scolmore Group, considers the general requirements of Regulation 521.10.202.

After several tragedies, Regulation 521.11.201 (AMD 3 BS 7671: 2008) was introduced; its purpose being to limit the risk to firefighters from entanglement by cables when they entered or exited a premises.

This regulation has now been renumbered as 521.10.202 but remains essentially the same except for the removal of any reference to escape routes. It now reads: “Wiring systems shall be supported such that they will not be liable to premature collapse in the event of a fire.”

This requirement should not be confused with the recommendations of standards like BS5266-1 (emergency lighting) and BS5839-1 (fire detection and fire alarm systems), which recommend methods of cable support to maintain circuit integrity during a fire.

Escape routes and BS 7671

The original regulation referred to escape routes, and this generated a level of confusion: ‘How should escape route be defined?’

BS7671 defined escape routes differently to that used in other guides, regulations and legislation. For example:

• BS 7671 – ‘Path to follow for access to a safe area in the event of an emergency’.
• Building standards technical handbook – ‘…means a route by which a person may reach a place of safety…’.
• Approved Document B in England and Wales – ‘…that part which a person has to traverse before reaching either the safety of a final exit or the comparative safety of a protected escape route….’

The removal of ‘escape routes’ from the regulation now means that it applies to all areas of the installation.

Premature collapse

There is no specific definition of ‘premature collapse’ to be found in Part 2 of BS 7671. One dictionary definition of ‘premature’ is, ‘occurring or done before the usual or proper time; too early’.

Since the purpose of Regulation 521.10.202 is not to maintain the critical signal path, rather to limit the risk to firefighters; premature collapse should be considered in relation to that single purpose.

Electrical contractors, network installers and the like are not best able to judge how fires behave, the likely temperatures that will be attained, nor how firefighters will carry out their role within a premises that is on fire. It is important, therefore, that electrical contractors and other installers give due consideration to the support given to wiring systems to provide maximum reasonable application of Regulation 521.10.202.

Unicrimp, a Scolmore Group company, offers a comprehensive range of cable accessories within its Q-Fire fire-rated range that are designed to provide the necessary protection from premature collapse.

There is a great deal of responsibility placed on contractors to apply Regulation 521.10.202, not because they want to meet minimum expectations, rather because they want to protect firefighters who are working under extremely dangerous conditions.

An electrical contractor should consider, as a minimum, the following:

• Wall fixings:
• Careful consideration should be given to the mass of the wiring system that is to be supported (including the trunking, cable tray, etc. with the cables in situ).
• Will the structure of the building maintain sufficient fire resistance to permit cables to avoid the need for metallic supports? Will such supports be sufficient if firefighters damage ceilings when applying water?
• Cable clips – metallic clips are essential as indicated by Note 3 and 4 of Regulation 521.10.202.
• Brackets or internal clips for PVC trunking – to keep the lid or cables in place (see Note 3 of Regulation 521.10.202).

Conclusion

Electrical contractors should carefully consider their responsibilities when installing wiring systems. Under fire conditions, failure to make the right installation choices may lead to serious consequences.

For more information, click here

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Job management software is helping electrical contractors and wholesalers increase efficiency and produce sales data of real value, explains James Chillman, UK Country Manager of Fergus.

Over the last few years there has been a significant rise in the use of job management software by hard working professionals, many of whom shop at their local electrical wholesaler. The reasons for this move are many, but the main drivers include automating tasks, decluttering administration and moving to a system that helps electricians to grow their business, giving them the time back to do the things they love.

Job management software, like Fergus, allows electrical contractors to become more efficient, manage their teams, invoice on time and monitor profit levels on every single job. It also allows them to review and order materials from their preferred wholesaler. Over 26 electrical wholesalers, building and plumbing merchants, including Yesss Electrical, Rexel, CEF and Edmundson Electrical, are now integrated on the platform, helping electrical contracting businesses to manage their supplier interactions, invoicing and job costing quickly, saving time and money.

For wholesalers, this integration has the potential to deliver valuable data on purchase patterns, levels and trends and adds a level of customer loyalty and convenience. Fergus was originally developed in New Zealand and soon grew in Australia too. Wholesalers in these territories soon found that the integration with job management companies increased sales levels and opened up sales insights.

The supplier integrations allow automatic import of supplier invoices, directly matching line items to the appropriate jobs. This saves significant time for electricians as the painstaking process of manual invoice entry is eliminated, freeing up evenings and weekends that were once consumed by administrative tasks.

Just one click

With just one click, invoices can be instantly assigned to jobs, ensuring that every material cost is accurately allocated and nothing is overlooked. This level of precision in tracking supplier documents and costs across jobs is unparalleled, offering users a comprehensive overview of their financials in one location.

Fergus also simplifies the materials procurement process with the ability to send purchase orders directly from the platform to wholesalers for pricing, pickup or delivery. This functionality saves time and streamlines the supply chain management. Trades businesses can now skip the line, secure in the knowledge that Fergus is handling their procurement needs with speed and accuracy.

One of the most significant benefits of these integrations is the ability to invoice in minutes. With labour and material costs already allocated to jobs, Fergus users can generate customer invoices swiftly, directly from quotes or by creating a quick invoice that incorporates all material and labour costs. The system also allows for the incorporation of used stock for a job, pulling in line items with up-to-date pricing from supplier price books that are instantly imported into Fergus. Applying margins and discounts is equally straightforward, enabling businesses to manage their billing with a few simple clicks.

For more information, click here

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Achieving the UK government’s target of 70GW of Solar Power by 2035 raises some significant challenges.

One of these is the availability of electricians qualified to install and commission Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) and other low carbon technologies. According to new research commissioned by The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership, the country fortunately needs just 500 more qualified electricians each year to realise its Solar aspirations.

The research, carried out by Pye Tait, shows that for many electrical firms installing Solar PV is not their sole occupation. A fully qualified electrician can upskill to install Solar PV, Energy Storage Systems and other net zero technologies in just a few days. Electrical apprenticeships in England already incorporate training in low carbon and smart technologies, including Solar PV. What’s more, employing qualified electricians provides business agility, as they can integrate a range of different technologies to work efficiently together, all at the same time.

The new data shows that while employers involved in Solar PV currently identify challenges in recruiting and training more electricians, 500 more each year is entirely achievable. With improvements in the skills system and greater collaboration between industry and education, there is a clear path to removing existing obstacles.

The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), has recently launched the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter. The Charter calls for closer ties between industry, governments and education, to grow the competent electrical workforce to support the net zero transition. The trade body highlights the importance of electricians to the energy transition. It sees the short-term fix of ‘bootcamp style’ courses for new entrants as a cul-de-sac for learners and industry, as well as a waste of public resources.

Andrew Eldred, ECA’s Director of Workforce and Public Affairs, said: “Electrical courses of all kinds are in huge demand, so it’s clear there is no shortage of people wanting to join the industry. The main problem is completing learners’ training to the right, industry-recognised standards. To increase the size of the qualified electrical workforce, we must fix the broken skills pipeline. The Recharging Electrical Skills Charter offers an achievable policy programme to mend the broken pipeline. This will boost the numbers of qualified electricians needed to achieve the UK’s net zero targets.”

For related articles, click here

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Yale has launched an exclusive Smart Motion CCTV & Door Camera Kit, designed for professional installers and electrical contractors.

The kit will be exclusively available to trade members only and has been designed with installers in mind, providing all you need to install a full CCTV solution on a standard residential property within one box. As well as dedicated Yale aftersales support, the Kit also comes with an exclusive five year warranty, up from the standard two years, which can be transferred to the end user to reduce the need for call backs.

The Yale Smart Motion CCTV & Door Camera Kit comprises of four Smart Motion Detection cameras to monitor the property from the front, back and side, whilst the All-in-One Camera with two way talk can be positioned at the front door to ensure all entry points are covered. All the necessary cables and fixings are also included, whilst the XVR recorder has eight channels, to allow for future expansion of the security set up (can support up to eight Yale wired cameras + 2 Wi-Fi cameras)

Yale Smart Motion CCTV allows users to check in on their homes from anywhere, via a smartphone using the Yale View app. The Smart Motion Detection featuring AI technology focuses in on human shapes, whilst the Dual Tech corroborates movement to limit the number of false alarms and the bright white lights act as a deterrent to any potential intruders.

Also included in the kit is a Yale All-in-One Camera that can be installed outside or inside the home, but is recommended as part of this kit to provide cover for the front door. The two-way talk, 1080HD resolution, IP65 rating, 80dB siren and bright security light work together to offer the ideal solution in partnership with the CCTV cameras to protect your property.

For more information, click here

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The benefits of LED lighting are widely accepted. What many people don’t realise, however, is the vital role LED drivers play. Russell Parr, CEO at PowerLed, highlights the importance of quality drivers, and how to ensure you choose the right product and supplier.

A driver is a crucial component that converts, regulates, and supplies the appropriate electrical power to LEDs, and which significantly influences the performance, reliability, and lifetime of LED lighting. However, as there is a range of technical and quality-relevant properties and features to consider, drivers are not one-size-fits-all.

Because LEDs must operate failure-free in a variety of conditions, the drivers that power them should be durable, reliable, stable, and efficient. As such, there are several factors to consider when selecting drivers to ensure optimal performance. These include voltage and current ratings, power capacity, dimming capability, compatibility, efficiency, and reliability.

In fact, higher-grade components should not be ‘non-negotiable’, as the quality of the components used to manufacture drivers has an immense impact on power factor – the ratio of real power used compared to apparent power into the circuit or more simply put, how efficiently the electrical power is consumed. A low power factor indicates an inefficient product as it draws more current into the circuit than is utilised by the load.

Ultimately, LED drivers built with premium components will help to achieve the optimal performance, safety, longevity, and sustainability of a LED lighting system.

Solution and supplier selection

The range of available LED drivers can make it challenging to choose the right solution – and the right supplier. This is further complicated by the fact that not all manufacturers provide the same quality or depth of technical information on their products, leaving electrical contractors unable to make accurate comparisons.

To best assist their customers, electrical wholesalers should look for best-in-class solutions from accredited suppliers with a reputation for honesty and excellence. They should also look for suppliers who comply with the Energy-related Products (ErP) directive, which is intended to encourage manufacturers and importers to provide products that are more energy and resource efficient.

PowerLed has been trading for nearly three decades, offers an extensive range of intelligent commercial LED lighting options and prides itself on the manufacture of dependable ‘fit and forget’ products.

PowerLed’s products feature quality components which enable its solutions to be utilised across a wide spectrum of applications, from retail and industrial to offices, galleries and beyond. The company incorporates premium LED driver technology and chipsets which, coupled with its long history in finished product production, has resulted in a range of high-quality fixtures with an extended life, offering dependable 50,000-hour lighting solutions.

Its range of LED power supplies is suited to both indoor and outdoor installations and, in addition to standard features such as power factor correction, high efficiency, compact size and isolated or non-isolated design, boasts unique advantages – PowerLed’s LED drivers are CE approved, meet stringent safety certification as detailed by UK European and International safety agencies, and offers a warranty of up to five years. It is also an official Tier 1 MEAN WELL partner, providing access to the more than 4,000 products of one of the largest switching power supply manufacturers in the world.

PowerLed’s expertise in power technology and mass production translates well into innovative, constantly evolving LED products with continuously improving efficiency and reliability. Despite its ongoing product development and commitment to innovation, the company’s solutions provide an excellent return on investment.

The ErP compliant company’s UK-wide network offers expert advice, bespoke technical design support, as well as premium LED drivers and lighting solutions for a range of residential, commercial, and industrial projects. All its products meet both environmental and performance criteria while offering value for money.

For more information, click here

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As electrical contractors look towards decorative wiring accessories to achieve a smooth, clean finish for interiors the demand for flat plate wiring accessories that compliment a room’s décor has been on the rise. In response to this, the Definity Complete range which incorporates screwless, push-fit face plates has now been extended to include the stylish Antique Brass finish.

Definity Complete has evolved from Click Scolmore’s well-established Definity flat plate accessory range and features all of the same attributes including modular switching but without the visible fixing screws. Because the face plates are supplied independently of the electrical inserts it means that the initial installation of the product can be carried out and any subsequent maintenance or decoration completed before the final fixing of the face plate.

The inserts are available in black, white and grey and the addition of Antique Brass to the range of cover plate finishes brings the total number of finishes to eight. As well as Antique Brass the popular range includes Brushed Steel, Stainless Steel, Polished Chrome, White, Metal White, Matt Black and Metal Black.

The Click Definity Complete range of products includes switches, power socket outlets, fused connection units, 45A switches, control switches, socket and blank plates, telephone and data sockets, satellite and coaxial outlets and media plates.

For more information, click here

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Hager outlines some of the ways it is remaining compliant with new regulations and transforming the future of protection devices for the electrician.

September 28th saw the previous amendment withdrawn and the changes outlined in Amendment 2 of the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations implemented. The new regulations further strengthen previous rules and include an increased focus on the use of Arc Fault Detection Devices and Surge Protection Devices.

Surge Protection Devices (SPD)

With an increased focus on equipment protection against surge transient voltages, the latest regulations now require protection against transient overvoltages to be provided where the consequence caused by the overvoltage could result in:

(i) serious injury to, or loss of, human life

(ii) failure of a safety service, as defined in Part 2

(iii) significant financial or data loss

To support electrical contractors to reduce installation times, meet compliance responsibilities, and alleviate the need to purchase and fit separate protection devices for consumer units, the industry can benefit from Hager’s factory fitted and fully integrated SPD board to provide optimum surge protection performance.

Patented connection

Benefitting from a number of features to improve surge protection effectiveness, including a patented busbar connection system, installers can be assured that fitting a Hager consumer unit with integrated surge protection guarantees the very best protection.

Fully integrated

Eliminating the need to purchase and fit separate protection devices for consumer units, with Hager’s factory-fitted and fully integrated SPD board no secondary upstream protection devices are required. Whilst surge protection devices previously required an MCB or fuses in the consumer unit to provide backup protection using one of the outgoing ways, Hager’s integrated solution removes this requirement, freeing up space in the consumer unit.

Additionally, Hager’s solution has CT2 construction type arrangements, ensuring that SPD devices are applicable for all common UK earthing arrangements such as TN-C-S (PME), TN-S and TT earthing systems, removing the risk of incorrect selection.

Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDD)

Another notable change to the regulations is that AFDDs are now mandatory for use in certain settings; higher risk residential buildings, houses of multiple occupation, purpose-built student accommodation and care homes. For all other premises, the use of AFDDs is recommended for single-phase AC final circuits supplying socket outlets not exceeding 32A.

Hager’s latest AFDD with ProTools is ideally placed to support installers in shaping the electrical world of tomorrow, offering tangible installation benefits, as well as providing peace of mind for installers and end users seeking the best protection with this game changing device.

In-situ software upgrades

The new advanced ProTools diagnostic software offers superior safety protection levels, minimising time spent conducting fault finding. The ability to perform in-situ software updates via Bluetooth connectivity eliminates the need to remove or replace the device in the future and overcomes the traditional difficulty of diagnosing and resolving unwanted or operational trips manually. Thanks to additional safety aspects, the AFDD does not need the circuit to be re-energised when tripped to be able to identify the cause of the fault and leaves the consumer unit in a safe condition as fault finding occurs.

Onboard diagnostics

In the scenario that the Hager device trips, the cause for the disconnected circuit can be identified at the push of a button on the front of the device. With the ability to confirm eight statuses, the device can instantly detect if a series arc, parallel arc, overvoltage, residual current fault, overload, short circuit, AFDD failure or manual trip has occurred, saving time for installers, and improving overall diagnostic ability.

Backwards compatibility

Where AFDD devices were previously two modules wide in construction, Hager’s latest generation of AFDD has evolved, taking on the form of a single module wide device, available in both RCBO/AFDD and MCB/AFDD configurations and is a key part of Hager’s strategy to ensure devices are in many cases backwards compatible. In addition to the RCBO/AFDD, the MCB/AFDD solution also enables Hager installers to upgrade existing MCB installations to AFDD on the appropriate circuits, without having to upgrade the whole installation to RCBO configuration, providing minimal disruption.

Future proofing

With the rapid advancement of new technologies, it is possible that an electrical goods manufacturer of tomorrow may create an electrical device or appliance with a different waveform signature, thus creating a new signature and causing unwanted tripping. In anticipation of this, with ProTools In-Situ Software Upgrades, Hager’s AFDD solution can be intelligently modified to update the algorithm to accommodate new product signatures. These updates can be sent directly to mobile devices via the Hager Pilot app, allowing connection to the AFDD through Bluetooth technology to perform a software upgrade remotely. The ability to upgrade AFDD software in this way is a game changer for the industry.

As the reality of the Amendment 2 changes set in, Hager are committed to supporting the industry and have developed numerous resources to assist contractors with the transition, including the launch of the dedicated Amendment 2 Hub. Following the regulation changes, electrical contractors need to be mindful of the best practice solutions to ensure mandated and recommended responsibilities are met where the use of protection devices are concerned. Hager’s range of AFDD and SPD solutions, coupled with industry leading technical expertise, can fully support the attainment of these important regulation changes and help transform the future protection devices.

To access the Hub and download supporting materials relating to the latest regulations, click here

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