Guidance Note 1 Selection & Erection (Including Amd No 1 : 2002) BS 7671 : 2001 Requirements for Electrical InstallationsPublished by: The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Savoy Place, LONDON, United Kingdom WC2R OBL. ©2002: The Institution of Electrical Engineers, London Issued August 1992 Reprinted April 1993, with amendments 2nd edition incorporating Amendment No 1 to BS 7671 - 1996 3rd edition incorporating Amendment No 2 to BS 7671 - 1999 4th edition incorporating Amendment No 1 to BS 7671 - 2001 Copies may be obtained from: The Institution of Electrical Engineers PO Box 96, STEVENAGE, United Kingdom. SG1 25D Tel: +44 (0)1438 767 328 Fax: +44 (0)1438 742 792 Email: sales@iee.org.uk httpy/www.iee.org.uk/publish/books! All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means — electranic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the publisher. While the author, publisher and contributors believe that the information and guidance given in this work is correct, all parties must rely upon their own skill and judgement when making use of it. Neither the author, the publisher or any contributor assume any liability to anyone for any loss or damage caused by any error or omission in the work, whether such error or omission is the result of negligence or any other cause. Where reference is made to legislation it is not to be considered as legal advice. Any and all such Viability is disclaimed. ISBN 0 85296 989 9, 2002Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION SECTION 1 THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1.1. General 1.2. Equipment 1.3. Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 1.4 The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 1.5. The Building Regulations 2000 1.6 Competence SECTION 2 SELECTION AND ERECTION OF EQUIPMENT 2.1. Selection and erection of equipment 2.2 Operational conditions and external influences 2.3 Compliance with standards 24 Operational conditions and external influences 25 Identification 2.6 Mutual detrimental influence 2.7 Compatibility 2.8 ‘Clean’ (low noise) earths 2.9 LV switchgear and controlgear assemblies SECTION3 PROTECTION AGAINST OVERCURRENT, ELECTRIC SHOCK AND OVERVOLTAGE 3.1. Protective devices 3.2 Overcurrent protective devices 3.3 Fuses 3.4. Circuit-breakers 3.5. Insulation monitoring devices 3.6 Residual current operated devi 3.7 _Earthed equipotential bon disconnection of supply 3.8. Protection against overvoltage s (RCs) g and automatic 10 11 13 1B 13 14 14 15 7 19 19 19 19 21 22 30 30 32 | 33 40 40 4 43 a7 48 59 67 |SECTION 4 SECTION 5 SECTION 6 SECTION 7 SECTION 8 EXTERNAL INFLUENCES 4.1 External influences 4.2 Ambient temperature (AA) 4.3 Solar radiation (AN) and ultra-violet radiation 44 The IP and IK classifications 4.5 Presence of water (AD) or high humidity (AB) 4.6 Presence of solid foreign bodies (AE) 4.7 Presence of corrosive or polluting substances (AF) 48 Impact (AG), vibration (AH) and other mechanical stresses (AJ) 4.3 Presence of fauna (AL), flora and/or mould growth (AK) 4.10 Potentially explosive atmospheres 4.11 Choice of protective measures as a function of external influences INSTALLATION OF CABLES 5.1 Cable selection 5.2 Cable concealed in structures 5.3. Cable routes and livestock 5.4 Capacity of conduit and trunking 5.5. Selection of cables and wiring systems with low ‘emission of smoke and corrosive gases when affected by fire 5.6 ‘Section 20° 5.7 Buried cables 5.8. Sealing and fire stopping ‘SIZING OF CABLES 6.1 Current-carrying capacity and voltage drop 6.2 Diversity 6.3 Neutral conductors 6.4 Voltage drop in consumers’ installations OTHER INFLUENCES 7.1 Electrical connections 7.2. Cables in contact with thermal insulation 7.3, Mutual or individual deterioration 7.4 Proximity to other services 7.5 Placisticiser migration from pvc insulation to the conductor surface INSTALLATION OF EQUIPMENT 8.1 Equipment having a high protective conductor current 8.2 Water heating 83. Safety services 84 Other equipment 8.5 Luminaires 8.6 Selection and erection in relation to operation and maintainability 71 n R B 74 4 1s 76 78 79 80 80 84 88 1 92 92 94 96 99 101 101 101 102 104 106 106 108 wt 12 14 116 116 7 118 118 120 122APPENDICES APPENDIX A: APPENDIX B: APPENDIX C: APPENDIX D: APPENDIX E: APPENDIX F: APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX I: APPENDIX J: APPENDIX APPENDIX L: INDEX CABLE CAPACITIES OF CONDUIT AND TRUNKING a) General b) Single-core thermoplastic (pve) insulated cables i of conduit not exceeding 3 m in length ©) Single-core thermoplastic (pve) insulated cables; in straight runs of conduit exceeding 3 m in length or in runs of any length incorporating bends or sets 4) Single-core thermoplastic (pve) insulated cables in trunking @) For other sizes and types of cable in conduit or trunking, including flexible conduit ) Background to the tables DEGREES OF PROTECTION PROVIDED BY ENCLOSURES IP code for ingress protection Ik code for impact protection CONVENTIONAL CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS AND THE PROVISION OF SOCKET-OUTLETS a) General b) Final circuits using socket-outlets complying with BS 1363 and fused connection units ©. Final radial circuits using 16 A socket-outlets complying with BS 4343 (BS EN 60309-2) 4) Cooker final circuits in household premises ) Water heating and electric shower final circuits in household premises . ) Provision of socket-outlets 9) Mounting heights of accessories LIMITATION OF EARTH FAULT LOOP IMPEDANCE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION 543-01-01 straight runs RESISTANCE AND IMPEDANCE OF COPPER AND ALUMINIUM CONDUCTORS UNDER FAULT CONDITIONS SELECTION AND ERECTION OF Wi ING SYSTEMS NOTES ON METHODS OF SUPPORT FOR CABLES, CONDUCTORS AND WIRING SYSTEMS MAXIMUM DEMAND AND DIVERSITY MINIMUM SEPARATING DISTANCES BETWEEN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CABLES AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS OR CONTROL CABLES PERMITTED PROTECTIVE CONDUCTOR CURRENTS STANDARD SYMBOLS, UNITS AND GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS FOR GENERAL ELECTRICAL PURPOSES ADDRESSES OF ASSOCIATED BODIES AND IDENTIFICATION SYMBOLS 125 126 126 128 128 129 131 133 135 135 141 143 143 144 148, 148 149 149 152 155 176 184 191 199 204 208 209 217 225Co-operating Organisations The Institution of Electrical Engineers acknowledges the cont organisations in the preparation of this Guidance Note. n made by the following Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances SA MacConnacher BSc CEng MIEE British Cables Association CK Reed | Eng MIIE British Electrotechnical & Allied Manufacturers Association Ltd R Lewington Associate IEE British Electrotechnical Approvals Board PD Stokes MA CEng MRAeS. British Standards Institution WE Fancourt City & Guilds of London Institute HR Lovegrove lEng FIIE Electrical Contractors’ Association D Locke IEng MIIE ACIBSE Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland t/a SELECT D Millar lng MIIE MILE Electrical installation Equipment Manufacturers’ Association Ltd Eur Ing MH Mullins BA CEng MIEE FIIE Electricity Association Limited D J Start BSc CEng MIEE ERA Technology Ltd MW Coates B Eng Federation of the Electronics industry FW Pearson CEng MIE ‘The GAMBICA Association Ltd K A Morriss BSc CEng MIEE MinstMc Health & Safety Executive Eur Ing J A McLean BSc(Hons) CEng FIEE FIOSM Institution of Electrical Engineers WR Allan BEng(Hons) CEng MIEE (Editor) PRL Cook CEng FIEE MCIBSE P E Donnachie BSc CEng FIEE B J Lewis BSc Mphil CEng FIEE L Markwell BSc CEng MIEE MCIBSE LCGI Institution of Incorporated Engineers P Tootill lEng MIIE Lighting Association KR Kearney lEng MIIE National House Building Council PCrane National inspection Council for Electrical installation Contracting Safety Assessment Federation Limited J Gorman BSc(Hons) CEng MIEE Society of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers serving Local Government C Tanswell CEng MIEE MCIBSEAcknowledgements References to British Standards, CENELEC Harmonisation Documents and International Electrotechnical Committee standards are made with the kind permission of BSI. Complete copies can be obtained by post from: BS! Customer Services 389 Chiswick High Road London W4 4AL Tel: General Switchboard: 020 8996 9000 For ordering: 020 8996 7000 For information or advice: 020 8996 7111 For membership: 020 8996 7002 Fax: For orders: 020 8996 7001 For information or advice: 020 8996 7048 BSI operates an export advisory service — Technical Help to Exporters — which can advise on the requirements of foreign laws and standards. The BSI also maintains stocks of international and foreign standards, with many English translations. Up-to-date information on BSI standards can be obtained from the BSI website http:/www.bsi-global.com/ RCD terminology and information provided by the Low Voltage Circuit Breaker Division of EIEMA and is taken from the EIEMA Code of Practice for the Selection and Application of Residual Current Devices currently being prepared for publication. Illustrations and information of the forms of separation of LV switchgear were provided by The Low Voltage Distribution Switchboard Division of EIEMA.