The IET Acts Over Battery Pack Confusion

coming up on this week's news IET unveils a  guide for electricians installing battery packs   to clarify installation procedures a judge finds  a Cosmetics company over the risk of electrocution   at its Factory and fuse links are being recalled  over safety fears welcome to electrical news   weekly in association with solar trade sales your  easy One-Stop shop for all things solar make sure   you click the link in the show notes to access  their online store whether you're listening in the  

van on site or down at the wholesale counter I'm  Joe Robinson and I've been through the best of the   electrical industry news to save you the trouble  and if you think you've spotted the two words that   I've been challenged to slip into this week's  show comment with them below for the chance to   win a prize the IET has unveiled a special guide  for electricians installing home Battery Systems  

to clarify the installation procedures the move  follows Rising demand for the systems coupled with   widespread uncertainty in the trade about best  practices the publication of a Fast Track standard   in March attempted to address some of the trade's  concerns especially over the location options for   battery packs this new 100 page guide sets out to  answer the questions installers are increasingly   asking themselves it complements but doesn't  replace BS7671 which the IET also writes and  

it's much more specific than the regs for instance  while BS7671 states that your local DNO needs to   be informed of a connection the IET's guide lists  the seven specific ways that electricians should   do this depending on the install the document  advises on the points of isolation called up by   the wiring regs and sets out the warning notices  that need to be added to a job to remain compliant   it restates the requirement that the current  rating of the switch gear be greater or equal  

to the sum of the rated currents of both the  incoming isolator and the output of all forms of   generation on the property it also shows the three  designs you can use to achieve this the IET says   that type AC RCDs should not be used in properties  with Renewables especially if the installation has   Island mode capability this is because there  may be DC or high frequency components from   inverter generated supplies in currents that  flow in resistive loads the organisation says  

that circuits connecting generators should as far  as practicable be designed so that RCDs are not   necessary where RCDs must be used they should  be for bidirectional operation disconnect all   the live conductors including the neutral and be  installed in accordance with the manufacturer's   instructions there's also advice on earthing cable  sizing and Earth Loop impedances this guide is out   for public consultation until Monday the 4th of  November 2024 you can download the document and  

comment to help them improve it by clicking the  link in the show notes in other news a cosmetics  

and Beauty firm has been fined after inspectors  found its premises posed serious risks of both   electric shock and electrocution the health  and safety executive carried out an unannounced   inspection at Sabel Cosmetics limited on Pellon  Lane Halifax in July 2022 the case has only come   to court this month inspectors found employees  were at risk of coming into contact with exposed   life Parts on equipment and Machinery they said  there was a systematic failure Within in the  

company to address the highlighted dangers at  Leeds magistrates Court last week the company   admitted health and safety breaches and was  slapped with a fine of £56,000 and ordered to   pay £6,000 in costs after the hearing inspector  Andrea Jones told the BBC that it was essential   that electrical wiring installations and Equipment  are built and maintained in a safe condition   to prevent injuries or death she says that in  this case simple inexpensive steps could have  

been taken to remedy the most serious defects  instead the company's in action has resulted in   more than £60,000 in fines and costs Sabel which  manufactures hair and body products has yet to   comment on the case still in the courts an inquest  has been hearing how a teenager from Folkeston  

in Kent was electrocuted at a railway station  18-year-old Tom Watson came into contact with a   live line at Canterbury East station and was later  struck by a train a full hearing to examine the   circumstances of his death is yet to take place  but his family has previously said there is clear   evidence he had no intent to take his own life  the popular teenager had been out with friends the   previous night and was due to start an English  degree at the University of Lincoln just days  

later the inquest was adjourned for a pre-inquest  review to take place on the 7th of November the  

South Coast's boat Builders have got together to  put out a plea for electricians with sea legs like   a catfish the thriving Marine industry around the  solent is trying to address a skill shortage for   Sparks companies such as Sunseeker oyster yachts  and white Shipyard desperately need people to   wire up their vessels now their representative  body Solent Partners has unveiled free training   to convert standard electricians into Marine  Specialists people taking part in the special 12  

week course will learn essential Marine electrical  systems and procedures at the end they'll gain the   certifications needed to take on critical roles in  the sector the Marine electrician skills boot camp   will be delivered by British Maritime training  and assessment the course involves a combination   of face-to-face and online learning and on  completion guarantees an interview with local   employers I popped a link to the opportunity in  the show notes and speaking of free training our  

latest question of the week was taken from our CPD  module on continuity testing made in association   with TIS in it Joe Hammond takes you through  this critical first Dead test from your very   first attempts at College through AM2 practice  and right up to on-site work so wherever you are   in your electrical Journey there's something in  there for you the question was when carrying out   a continuity test of a new installation which  points should we carry out the test from the  

correct answer is test at every point of the  installation that has a CPC and despite some   complaints from people who thought the question  was poorly worded 83% of people got it right on   YouTube while over on LinkedIn where most of the  complaints came from a very respectable 79% got   it we've also started to post our question of  the week on X it still pains me to call it that   where 64% of people were correct we've temporarily  removed biscuit privileges from the pesky editor  

who made the question allegedly ambiguous until  he's learned his lesson in product news this week  

German manufacturer Siba is recalling a batch of  its Fuse links over safety fears the issue over   the fuses was flagged up by UK trading standards  the metal links size NH000 were available to   purchase from April to July this year the product  has been identified by the company as presenting   a risk because the sand sealing cap may not seal  correctly and this could cause the sand to leak   during use in high vibration environments this  can in turn negatively influence the extinguishing  

behaviour of the fuse in the event of a short  circuit in short the product is not compliant   electricians should tell their customers to stop  using the product they should also contact the   customer service team to arrange for it to be  returned I've put a link to the document with   a specification and manufacturers dates and  the company contacts meanwhile scolmore has  

settled its long running row with Dean electrical  wholesale Premspec group and Dennis Boseley the   founder of Dean electrical the dispute arose  after Scolmore found out that Dean had been   selling counterfeit double sockets in the UK it  was mixing them up with and selling them alongside   genuine Scolmore products the counterfeit had  been bought in China by Premspec under Boseley's   instructions Scolmore says it took a stand  because it wanted to urgently get the products  

off the market in a statement published on its  website Dean says that it Premspec and Boseley   accept that the import of the sockets amounted to  trademark infringement which they regret and for   which they have paid compensation to Scolmore the  defendants have also paid substantial damages and   costs and given strict undertakings to Scolmore  Scolmore boss Kevin Beach told eFIXX that it   was shocking that some people were happy to  go to China and think they have found a buy  

alternative to a genuine Scolmore product supplied  by a factory which is nothing to do with Scolmore   and which is unable to provide any certification  or proof of origin he emphasised that these are   Main's voltage products and that the defendants  took no steps to even make sure they were safe   before selling them on to unsuspecting buyers  Beach warned that scolmore wouldn't hesitate to   take more legal action in the future to protect  its brand a unique spray which acts like a pair  

of galoshes and blacks out solar panels to  prevent them from generating electricity has   been shortlisted for an award PV stop which comes  in a black metal bottle like a fire extinguisher   is in line for recognition from Electrical Safety  First the product was invented for a simple reason   you can't turn off a PV panel as long as there's  light they'll produce lethal amounts of DC power   PV stop works like liquid Tarpaulin says Jactone  The Firm who created it when you spray on a panel  

it will spread over it rapidly and black it out in  effect it turns the panel off PV stop is effective   on all types of solar PV systems and all types  of inverters and our usual reminder that we're   in the market for your stories your projects  and your recommendations as we'd like to share   them with the wider eFIXX community in October  we're focusing on Heating and ventilation and   commercial solar and Battery send us pictures  of your installs or let us know if you've come  

across any new kit that's making your job easier  now just before we get to your favourite bit of  

the show where I reveal last week's challenge  words and winners we want to thank our premium   Partners we couldn't make the news without you  first up it's the people who've created the Swiss   army knife of solar inverters along with all  weather batteries very much the Boy Scouts of   the solar industry it's Sunsynk up next they're  resolving ventilation problems one property at   a time offering a simplistic ventilation design  service and high quality products made right here  

in the UK breathing fresh air into your home its  envirovent the best thing to come out of Yorkshire   since stainless steel the home of EV Ultra and  other groundbreaking and quality products it's   Doncaster cables and with an incredible range of  equipment from EV charge points through industrial   sockets and switches to kit for explosive areas  plus they supplied gear to a Campari factory   so they'll always have a place in my heart  it's Scame big thanks to you all we really  

appreciate your ongoing support for the news if  you think you know the words I've smuggled into  

Today's Show pop your guess into the comments  we'll take all the correct guesses and select   one at random to be the winner of an eFIXX goodie  bag prize answers submitted after about lunchtime   on the Thursday after release will not be entered  into the draw now let's reveal the winners of last   week's challenge word competition last week's  words were Jedi and Hobbit which I'm pretty   sure a Jedi Hobbit is the crossover all Science  Fiction and Fantasy fans have been waiting for  

and the winner we plucked from our digital hat was  Amy tiger so well done to you make sure you click   the get involved Link in the show notes to claim  your prize thanks for listening to this episode   of electrical news weekly in association with  solar trade sales your easy One-Stop shop for   all things solar remember to click that link  in the show notes to check out their online   shop make sure you subscribe to receive the next  update thanks for listening and until next time  

have a great week stay safe out there and remember  there's no such thing as a torque calibrated arm