Home  5  Books  5  GBEzine  5  News  5  HelpDesk  5  Register  5  GreenBuilding.co.uk
Not signed in (Sign In)

Categories



Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.
Buy individually or both books together. Delivery is free!


powered by Surfing Waves




Vanilla 1.0.3 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Welcome to new Forum Visitors
 Join the forum now and benefit from discussions with thousands of other green building fans and discounts on Green Building Press publications: Apply now.

The AECB accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. Views given in posts are not necessarily the views of the AECB.



General: Maximum efficiency electrical installations

Bottom of Page

31 to 38 of 38

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. >
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeAug 8th 2009 edited
     
    I wanted "The killer switch" for the second floor of the house (namely the children's bedroom sockets) - but was told it wouldn't be allowed by building control - dangerous as one could assume circuit dead and then someone downstairs switches the circuit back on. I do know I should be teaching the children to switch off but my son regularly leaves all on and accepts the loss of half his pocket money as inevitable.

    Does anyone else think "a killer switch" contravenes building regs?

    I also planned so many PIRs people fell about laughing.

    We have a smallish fridge freezed and I'm planning a larder with it's on MVHR inlet delivering fresh air (yes I know it's warmed - but still not as warm as the main body of the house). That's the plan anyway.
    • CommentAuthorbrig001
    • CommentTimeAug 8th 2009
     
    If a killer switch can't be used, I guess you can't use X10 like these either http://www.letsautomate.com/10936.cfm
    Sounds like someone may be being over pedantic here.

    I would ask your local BCO, and if he says no, ask about X10 sockets instead, and if these aren't allowed, either retrofit them after approval or use a plug in X10 module.

    Bri.
    • CommentAuthorstephendv
    • CommentTimeAug 8th 2009
     
    X10 is popular because it will work (sometimes) with existing wiring. If you have the opportunity to lay your own cable, then you can use much more reliable home automation kit and you don't need to muck about with sending the signal down the power cable.
    • CommentAuthorjamesingram
    • CommentTimeAug 9th 2009 edited
     
    Cant quite see what the problem would be
    A electricial circuit should only be considered safe when the fuse for that circuit has either been removed or the MCB locked off or the main switch is locked off . You shouldn't really rely on local switching for maintenance etc.
    My idea for a killer switch would be using 2 fuseboards
    board 1 contains the circuits to fridge/freezer , smoke/fire alarms , lighting / emergency lighting , and a relay switched by the killer switch.
    board 2 contains the rest of the house circuits , board 2 is switched by the relay in board 1


    I'll ask NICEIC what they think .
    Robin was it BCs or the electrician that brought up the possible safety issue ?

    Tom , with you on that one . have you read 'decline and fall of the roman empire' by gibbon, read an abridged version a while back and found it slotted some pieces together.
    • CommentAuthorjamesingram
    • CommentTimeAug 9th 2009 edited
     
    whoops, how do you delete posts made in error
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeAug 9th 2009
     
    Gibbon no but this http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/5528#more has interesting comment on his tome.

    Can't delete - just edit it down to one full-stop!
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeAug 9th 2009
     
    James, it was a project manager's opinion of what building control would think of the idea. I don't want to over complicate my wiring though what I was planning was virtually same as you. I like the hotel rooms that switch everything off when you take the key out of it's holder - would be a nice bonus to be able to find my keys when I'm ready to go out.

    Brig 001, stephendv, I hadn't heard of X10 so thanks all for that!

    Would be interesting to hear opinion of NICEIC.

    Robin
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeAug 10th 2009
     
    If you think you might want to experiment with home automation it can be handy to have a your electrician run a neutral to light switches when he wires them up.

    I tried x10 but found it too unreliable.

31 to 38 of 38

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. >
Add your comments

    Username Password
  • Format comments as
 
Back to Discussions Top of Page
   
The Ecobuilding Buzz
Site Map    |   Home    |   View Cart    |   Pressroom   |   Business   |   Links   
Logout    

© Green Building Press