18th Edition

Bitesize
Guide
Have you got questions
regarding the changes to the
wiring regulations?

We’ve got you covered in this

bitesize guide.

01
02
BS 7671:2018 was issued on 2nd
July 2018 and came into effect on
1st January 2019. It is the latest
in a series of documents giving
the requirements for electrical
installations.
Installations designed after 31st December 2018 are
to comply with BS 7671:2018.

The Regulations apply to the design, erection and

verification of electrical installations, also additions
and alterations to existing installations.

Existing installations that have been installed in

accordance with previous editions of the Regulations
may not comply with this edition in every respect.
This does not necessarily mean that they are unsafe
for continued use or require upgrading.

This guide does not give the entire information

regarding the 18th Edition or indeed only changes
from the 17th. If after reading this guide you would
like to find out further information regarding the new
regulations Hager offer tailored training courses. To
register an interest in attending one of these courses
please visit hager.co.uk/training
03
Table
of Contents
Protection Against Electric Shock 06
-- Disconnection times &
additional protection with RCD

Protection Against Fire Caused by 08

Electrical Equipment

Protection Against Transient 10

Overvoltages of Atmospheric
Origin or Due to Switching

Supporting of Cables Against 12

Premature Collapse

Selection of Types of RCD 14

Overload Protection of RCCB’s 16

Switches etc.

Selection of Compatible Devices 18

Within an Assembly
Protection Against
Electric Shock
Disconnection Times (411.3.2.2)
Section 411 gives the requirements for the protective
measure of ‘Automatic Disconnection of Supply’.
Regulation 411.3.2.2 contains Table 41.1 giving the
maximum disconnection times.

Previously the 0.4s for a TN system supplied at

230V was applicable to a final circuit up to 32A.
It was therefore theoretically possible to have
circuits supplying socket outlets fed from an
underfloor busbar system or cooker circuit to have a
disconnection time of 5s for a TN system.

This has now been amended and Table 41.1 now

applies to circuits up to 63A should they contain one
or more socket outlets.

Table 41.1

System 50 V < Uo < 120V 120V <Uo ≤ 230V

AC DC AC DC
TN 0.8 Note 1 0.4 5
TT 0.3 Note 1 0.2 0.4

06
“Socket outlets up to 32A
require RCD protection not
exceeding 30mA unless for
non-dwellings, a documented
risk assessment determines
that RCD protection is not
necessary”

Socket Outlets (411.3.3)

Socket outlets are now required to have RCD
protection at 30mA or less should their rating be
up to 32A, increasing from the previous 20A rating.
This will now include some BS EN 60309 industrial
socket outlets.

The omission of RCD protection by labeling a socket

outlet for a particular item of equipment has been
removed so is therefore no longer permitted.
A dwelling will therefore require every socket outlet
to have RCD protection without exception.

Where the installation is not a dwelling and RCD

protection may not be desirable, for example
the socket outlet is supplying an IT server and
disconnection needs to be avoided. A documented
risk assessment will be required to determine
that RCD protection is not necessary. This risk
assessment will then need to be attached to the
Electrical Installation Certificate.

230V < Uo < 400V Uo > 400V

AC DC AC DC
0.2 0.4 0.1 0.1
0.07 0.2 0.04 0.1

07
Protection against fire
caused by electrical
equipment (421.1.7)

BS 7671 introduces us to a new

kind of protection device – An Arc
Fault Detection Device (AFDD).
This device is specifically to
detect and disconnect dangerous
electrical arcs in both the fixed
wiring and the connected
equipment which could be the
source of a fire.
An electrical arc could be a series arc (damage to
or improperly terminated conductors) or parallel
arc (damage to insulation) in nature. Should the arc
reach certain parameters, the device will disconnect,
extinguishing the arc and preventing a fire.

Arc fault detection devices conforming to BS EN

62606 are recommended by BS 7671 as a means of
providing additional protection against fire caused
by arc faults in AC final circuits.

“AFDDs are recommended to

provide additional protection
against fire”

08
Parallel Arc Fault Series Arc Fault

If used, an AFDD shall be placed at the origin of the

circuit to be protected and BS 7671 gives examples
of where such devices can be used:

-- Premises with sleeping accommodation.

-- Locations with a risk of fire due to the nature of
processed or stored materials, i.e. BE2 locations
(e.g. barns, wood-working shops, stores of
combustible materials).
-- Locations with combustible construction
materials, i.e. CA2 locations (e.g. wooden
buildings).
-- Fire propagating structures, i.e. CB2 locations.
-- Locations with endangering of irreplaceable
goods.

09
Protection Against
Transient Overvoltages
of Atmospheric Origin or
Due to Switching (443.4)
Previously the requirements to
provide surge protection devices
or not was rather complex,
requiring the AQ classification as
to the number of thunderstorm
days likely at the location of the
installation.
This has all been removed and the 18th Edition now
requires protection against transient overvoltage to
be provided where the consequence:-

-- results in serious injury to, or loss of, human life,

or;
-- results in interruption of public services/or
damage to and cultural heritage, or;
-- results in interruption of commercial or industrial
activity, or;
-- affects a large number of co-located individuals.

For other cases a risk assessment is required

to be performed. Should a risk assessment not
be performed then protection against transient
overvoltage is required.

Single dwelling units however require an assessment

as to whether the total value of the installation and
equipment therein justifies the inclusion of such
protection.

10
“SPDs are
required unless a
risk assessment
is performed
and determines
otherwise”

11
Supporting of Cables
Against Premature
Collapse (521.10.202)
Amendment 3 to the 17th Edition
introduced a requirement
whereby cables in escape routes
should be supported against their
premature collapse in the event of
a fire. This was so that collapsed
cables should not impede people
escaping from; or indeed fire
fighters entering a building on fire.
This has however caused some confusion as to
what exactly is an escape route. The 18th Edition has
therefore clarified this by removing the term ‘escape
route’. It is therefore now a requirement that all
wiring systems are supported such that they will not
be liable to premature collapse in the event of a fire.

Suitably spaced steel or copper clips, saddles or ties

are examples that will meet the requirements of this
regulation.

“Wiring systems shall

be supported against
premature collapse in the
event of a fire”

12
Example:

PVC
Trunking

Plastic Dado
Trunking

Metal Clips

Cables

13
Selection of
Types of RCD (531.3.3)
RCDs exist in various different forms and react
differently depending on the presence of DC
components or different frequencies. The following
RCDs are available with the respective symbols and
the designer or installer is required to select the
appropriate device for the specific application:

Type AC - General purpose use,

RCD can detect & respond to AC
sinusoidal wave only.

Type A – Equipment incorporating

electronic components
RCD can detect & respond as for type
AC, PLUS pulsating DC components.

Type F – Equipment with frequency

controlled speed drives
RCD can detect & respond as for type A,
PLUS high frequency residual current.

Type B –Electric vehicle chargers, PV

supplies.
RCD can detect & respond for type F,
PLUS smooth DC residual current.

“The appropriate RCD

should be selected for
the application”

14
Example of a type A RCD:
Our Reduced Height RCBO

RCD Types of Load

Type AC Resistive, capacitive, inductive loads
Immersion heater, oven / hob with resistive
heating elements, electric shower, tungsten
/ halogen lighting
Type A Single phase with electronic components
Single phase inverters, class 1 IT &
multimedia equipment, power supplies
for class 2 equipment, appliances such
as washing machines, lighting controls,
induction hobs & EV charging
Type F Frequency controlled equipment
Appliances containing synchronous
motors, some class 1 power tools, some
air conditioning controllers using variable
frequency speed drives
Type B Three phase electronic equipment
Inverters for speed control, ups, EV
charging where DC fault current is > 6mA,
PV

15
Overload Protection
of RCCBs, Switches etc.
(536.4.202)

Devices such as switches, RCCBs etc. in distribution

boards and consumer units may have historically
had their rated current determined after having taken
diversity into account but without having considered
overload protection of the devices.

These devices do not provide protection against

overload and the 18th Edition prescribes that
overload protection of the switch or RCCB shall not
solely be based on the use of diversity factors of the
downstream circuits.

“...overload protection shall not solely be based

on the use of diversity factors of the downstream
circuits. To achieve overload protection of
RCCBs or switches, the rated current of the
OCPD shall be selected according to the
manufacturers instructions”.

Due to the significant

variables with load
current and any spare
ways, a 100A / 100A
RCCB split load
arrangement may
be the most flexible
solution.
Spare

Spare

RCCB
MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

6A 20A 32A 32A 100A

90A

16
Conformity can be achieved in a number of ways:

1. Ensure that the rated current of a switch

disconnector or RCCB circuit (Inc) stated by the
assembly manufacturer (which may be lower
than the unenclosed rated current marked on
the device is not less than the rating of the
upstream OCPD. For a domestic installation this
could be 100A.
2. Ensure the sum of the downstream OCPDs
rated currents e.g. MCBs does not exceed
the rated current of a switch disconnector
or RCCB circuit (Inc) stated by the assembly
manufacturer. This method would however need
to consider the consequences of any spare
ways and later additions.
3. Select a consumer unit or distribution assembly
that only contains RCBO. Consideration will still
need to be given as to the rated current of the
main switch.

“Overload protection needs

to be considered for the
main switch and RCCBs in
consumer units”

005625.00
005625.00

Meter
Meter
Spare

Service
Service
Cut-Out
Cut-Out
RCCBSw/D/I
RCCB Sw/D/I
MCB
MCB
MCB
MCB
MCB
MCB
MCB
MCB

100A
100A

6A6A32A
32A
32A
32A
40A
40A 100A
100A 100A
100A

110A
110A

17
Selection of
Compatible Devices
Within an Assembly
(536.4.203)

The relevant part of the BS EN 61439 series

shall be applied to the integration of devices and
components, e.g. circuit breakers, control devices,
busbars into an empty enclosure or existing low
voltage assembly.

Definition

“Low voltage switchgear and controlgear

assembly: combination of one or more low
voltage switching devices together with
associated control, measuring, signaling,
protective, regulating equipment, with
all the internal electrical and mechanical
interconnections and structural parts”.

RCCB RCCB Sw/D/I

MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

MCB

18
“The distribution assembly
should only contain
devices declared by the
assembly manufacturer as
compatible”

Therefore in low voltage assemblies to the BS EN

61439 series, e.g. consumer units, distribution
boards, incorporated devices and components shall
only be those declared suitable according to the
assembly manufacturer’s instructions or literature.

If the consumer unit, distribution board etc. deviates

from its original manufacturer’s instructions, or
includes components not included in the original
verification, the person introducing the deviation
becomes the original manufacturer with the
corresponding obligations.

19
Come and chat to us Live!
With the release of the 18th
Edition of the wiring regulations,
Hager are here to field any
questions you may have through
our Regs Live campaign.
Throughout this year we will be on hand to talk to
you about all things 18th Edition, whenever you need
us.

‘Regs Live’ will feature at ELEX Shows, through our

tech line and via our new automated chatbot service
Reg. Find out more about our plans for Regs Live on
our 18th Edition hub, hager.co.uk/18thedition.

20
/HagerRegsLive

@hageruk

hager.co.uk

01952 675 689

A number of key areas are already in the spotlight

and we are committed to helping ensure you have a
working understanding of what’s different.

Topics discussed so far include: arc fault detection,

surge protection, overload protection of devices, the
selection of appropriate Residual Current Devices
and the selection of devices incorporated within an
assembly.

21
Notes

22
Notes
Hager Ltd.
Hortonwood 50
Telford
Shropshire
TF1 7FT

Sales Service Centre: 01952 675612

Technical Service Centre: 01952 675689

Hager.co.uk
[email protected]
[email protected]

Hager Ltd. - Ireland

Unit M2
Furry Park Industrial Estate
Swords Road
Santry
Dublin 9
D09 NY19
Ireland

Republic of Ireland Tel: 1890 551 502

Republic of Ireland Fax: 1890 551 503
Northern Ireland Tel: +44 (0)28 90021065
Northern Ireland Fax: +353 (0)1 8869520

Hager.ie
[email protected]

GUIDE18TH718 V2