BS7671:2018+A2:2022
Let’s take a quick run through the new 18th Edition Wiring Regulations book, which includes Amendment 2 that was introduced in March 2022, BS7671:2018+A2:2022.
We’ll go into more detail and get you ready to pass your 18th Edition exam when we go through the book together fully in your 18th Edition online course at the-regs.co.uk.
There’s eight Parts including the new Part 8, Functional Requirements and seventeen Appendices, however, Appendices 7 and 12 are empty, leaving just fifteen in this latest version of BS7671.
****
Part 1: Scope, object and fundamental principles. This is made up of three chapters.
Chapter 11: Scope is what the book does and doesn’t apply to.
Chapter 12: Object sets out the objectives and aims of the book.
Chapter 13: Fundamental Principles, sets out the criteria for the rest of the book and is a collection of basic rules that all electrical installations, whether commercial, industrial, or domestic should adhere to without going into detail as that is done within Parts 3 to 8 of the book.
****
Part 2: Definitions is very useful and basically a dictionary of common terms and abbreviations used throughout the book. So, if you’re a bit rusty on some of the terminology within the 18th Edition, it’s worth spending a little extra time in Definitions.
****
Part 3: Assessment of general characteristics. I like to think that Part 3 as all the things you would need to consider if you were designing an electrical installation from scratch.
Chapter 31: Purposes, supplies and structure. What the installation is for, how it’s supplied and how the installation is laid out.
Chapter 32: Classification of external influences. Although an empty chapter that just refers to Appendix 5, its aim is for the designer to consider any environmental conditions that may impact the installation.
Chapter 33: Compatibility This is where you would assess if any part of the installation will have a detrimental influence on any other parts of the installation.
Chapter 34: Maintenance. Here is where you would need to consider the frequency and quality of maintenance during the lifetime of the installation, including considerations for regular periodic reporting.
Chapter 35: Safety services. What safety services ‘fire alarm, emergency lighting etc’ are going to be within the installation and how are they going to be supplied.
Chapter 36: Continuity of service. Consider if there any parts of the installation where it may be more dangerous to lose the supply in the event of a fault i.e., life-support systems and if so, how we are going to overcome this.
****
Part 4: Protection for safety is where we start getting busy. Five chapters all about ensuring the safety of the users and occupants as well as the building itself.
Chapter 41: Protection against electric shock contains methods used to reduce the risk to users of receiving an electric shock under normal and fault conditions.
Chapter 42: Protection against thermal effects is the protection against the effects of heat, smoke and fire within an installation and preventing the loss of safety services.
Chapter 43: Protection against overcurrent. Methods of protecting individual circuits from the effect of overload/fault currents including which and when circuits won’t need overcurrent/fault current protection.
Chapter 44: Protection against voltage disturbances and electromagnetic disturbances covers the safety of installations from voltage and electro-magnetic disturbances which includes voltage surges due to, earth faults, atmospheric origin, switching and electromagnetic disturbances and undervoltage or loss of voltage.
Chapter 46: Isolation and switching is all about turning things off whether it’s isolation for maintenance or to functionally control a circuit or in an emergency.
****
Part 5: Selection and erection of equipment or choosing and using as I like to say and it’s all about the equipment and materials used to comply with Part 4.
Chapter 51: are Common rules that may apply to all electrical installations and concerns the operational conditions, conductor colours and labelling.
Chapter 52: Selection and erection of wiring systems. It’s about cables, conductors, installation, connection, and protection from external influences, such as water, heat, impact etc.
Chapter 53: Protection, isolation, switching control and monitoring is the largest chapter in Part 5 and concerns the devices used to turning things off. Whether it’s for overload, fault, fire or overvoltage protection, isolation or just control switching. Plus, the need to monitor parts of the installation when it’s impractical to turn circuits off for safety reasons.
Chapter 54: Earthing arrangements and protective conductors. The most important conductors in any electrical installation are the various types of earth conductors, main-earth, protective conductors, and bonding conductors. Here you can discover what size and where when to use each.
Chapter 55: (all) Other equipment. All the rest of the electrical equipment not covered in other Parts of BS7671 except Part 7. Generator, motors, transformers, auxiliary ‘control circuits’ and lighting.
Chapter 56: Safety services concerns the selection and installation of supplies for safety services within an electrical installation. Remember it’s supplies to, and not the individual safety service e.g. the fire alarm installation itself.
****
Part 6, Inspection and testing. Remember, this Part doesn’t go into details on how to physically complete inspection and testing, it’s all about the requirements.
Chapter 64, Initial verification. It’s what you need to do to verify compliance with BS7671 of new electrical installations
Chapter 65, Periodic inspection and testing is reporting on the condition of existing installations.
(Includes in each chapter what certification, reports and documentation will need to be completed in each case.)
Part 7: Special installations or locations. Twenty sections covering twenty installations, environments, or locations where there’s an increased risk of electric shock. Usually due the presence of ordinary, unskilled, and unsupervised people and wet conditions or where things may get knocked about, or a combination of all.
So, for safety there are additional regulations concerning these areas which you need to be aware of.
Section 701: Rooms with bath/shower Section 712: Solar photovoltaic (PV)
Section 702: Pools and fountains Section 714: Outdoor lighting
Section 703: Saunas Section 715: ELV lighting
Section 704: Building & demolition sites Section 717: Mobile or transportable units
Section 705: Agriculture, Horticultural Section 721: Caravans and motor caravans
Section 706: Restrictive movement Section 722: Electric vehicle charge points
Section 708: Caravan & camping parks Section 729: Maintenance gangways
Section 709: Marinas Section 730: Onshore unit connections
Section 710: Medical locations Section 740: Temp/fairgrounds, circuses etc
Section 711: Exhibitions, shows and stands Section 753: Embedded heating systems
****
Part 8: Functional requirements. Introduced as part of Amendment 2 in March 2022
Chapter 82: Prosumer’s low voltage electrical installations provides additional guidance, measures and requirements for the design and installation of user production, storage and or distribution on the public network of electrical energy known as a prosumer’s electrical installation (PEI).
****
Appendices: These contain additional, useful, and relevant information relating to the rules and regulations within Parts 1 to 8. There are 17 appendices listed, but with appendix 7 deleted and appendix 12 not used, there are currently only 15 appendices in this latest version of BS7671.
1. British standards which are referenced within BS7671 (normative). This is a long list of British standards mentioned in the book e.g., BS EN 60898.
2. Statutory regulations and associated memoranda (informative). An overview of applicable UK statutory regulations for electrical installations such as the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 ‘EAWR 1989’ and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 ‘ESQCR 2002’.
3. Time/current characteristic of overcurrent protective devices (informative). Maximum loop impedance Zs calculation and maximum measured loop impedance calculation ‘80% rule’. Time/current characteristics graphs for overcurrent protective devices.
4. Current carrying capacity and voltage drop for cables (informative). Rating factors for situations and conditions that may affect the current carrying capacities of conductors such as ambient air temperature greater than 30° C (Ca) and cables in groups (Cg). Includes multiple tables for current-carrying capacities and voltage drop for cables with copper or aluminium conductors.
5. Classification of external influences (informative). Classification codes and guidance for environmental conditions that affect electrical installations.
6. Model forms for certification and reporting (informative). Contains model certificates and schedules for initial verification of electrical installation ‘EIC and Minor Works’. Plus model condition report and schedules for existing electrical installations ‘EICR’.
7. Deleted by BS7671:2018+A2:2022
8. Current-carrying capacity and voltage drop for busbar trunking and powertrack systems (informative). Current-carrying capacity, rating factors, protection against overload current and voltage drop of busbar trunking and powertrack systems.
9. Definitions – multiple source, DC and other systems (informative). Multiple sources for installation supplies, including DC.
10. Protection of conductors in parallel against overcurrent (informative). Parallel conductor protection against overload and short-circuit.
11. Warning and user instruction labels (informative). Harmonized standards (font, size, and colour) for user instructions and warning signs and notices. Includes samples.
12. Not used
13. Escape routes and fire protection (informative). Cables in protected escape routes and fire sealing of cable penetrations within buildings.
14. Determining prospective fault current (informative). Measured, calculated or enquiry. Line to line = (L to N) x √3 and between all line conductors = (L to N) x2.
15. Ring and radial final circuit arrangements, Regulation 433.1 (informative). Pictorial description and guidance for ‘30 A or 32 A’ socket ring circuits and ’20 A, 30 A or 32 A’ radial circuits.
16 Devices for protection against overvoltage (informative). Serge protective device (SPD) arrangements within an electrical installation.
17. Energy efficiency (informative). Additional recommendations for the design and installation of electrical installations regarding the efficient use of electricity. This appendix will probably be moved to Part 8 within future addition of BS7671.
****
Other useful parts of BS7671:2018+A2:2022…
Table of figures (page 569): Lists every diagram, including page numbers within BS7671.
Table of table (page 573): Lists every table, including page numbers within BS7671.
****
****
“Study when you want and pass your 18th Edition exam when you are ready…
For more information about our online 18th Edition course with a cover-to-cover review of BS7671:2018+A2:2022, tutor reviewed exercises, online practice exams, at home or in-centre exam, and full support from a real electrician and tutor please visit…
the-Regs.co.uk/18thEdition/onlinecourse.php for more information.
Join the 100’s who have already passed and discover your better way to pass…”
Hope you found this review useful
Chris Wilkinson (Electrician/Tutor)
enquiries: admin@the-regs.co.uk
Phone: 0800 043 7671 ‘UK office hours’