News
What are Surge Protection Devices?
Thursday 18th April 2024
The Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Surge Protective Devices (SPD) are used to protect the electrical installation, which consists of the consumer unit, wiring and accessories, from electrical power surges known as transient overvoltages. They are also used to protect sensitive electronic equipment connected to the installation, such as computers, televisions, washing machines and safety circuits, such as fire detection systems and emergency lighting. Equipment with sensitive electronic circuitry can be vulnerable to damage by transient overvoltages. The effects of a surge can result in either instant failure or damage to the equipment only evident over a longer period of time. SPDs are usually installed within the consumer unit to protect the electrical installation but different types of SPD are available to protect the installation from other incoming services, such as telephone lines and cable TV. It is important to remember that protecting the electrical installation alone and not the other services could leave another route for…
Electrical Checks - new guidance launched for landlords
Thursday 11th April 2024
Landlord Today
New guidance has been launched on how to conduct thorough electrical safety checks on private rentals, and how to report any defects found. Best Practice Guide 10: Electrical safety standards in the private rented sector, published by charity Electrical Safety First, is aimed at electricians, landlords, letting agents and tenants in understanding what inspection and testing is required and how to produce a detailed report. Although it is now mandatory for landlords to carry out electrical installation condition reporting at least every five years, the charity claims consistency of reporting varies hugely. This can be confusing for those reading the report and can lead to safety risks being reported incorrectly or ignored. David Powell, electrical installation safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, says a key problem is that an EICR could cover lots of areas, so it is vital to establish and agree with the landlord or person ordering…
Households To Save Billions Following Halogen Lamp Ban
Wednesday 3rd April 2024
Electrical Contracting News
UK households could be wasting up to £2.4 billion per year on halogen light bulbs, according to ECA. The findings come as an EU ban on producing energy intensive halogen bulbs for sale and import entered into force on September 1. Overall, if each UK household replaced 10 halogen bulbs (the average number per household) with LEDs, they could save up to £90 per year. Across all UK households (an estimated 27 million), this would mean annual savings to consumers of up to £2.4 billion. ECA recommends that consumers and businesses switch from existing halogen light bulbs to energy efficient LEDs as soon as possible, rather than simply waiting for them to fail. Although more expensive to buy, modern LEDs are around five times more energy efficient and offer around ten times the working life of halogen bulbs, leading to significant lifetime savings for customers. ECA director of business Paul Reeve said, "Although…
