Code differences USA viz England.

[Limey Pete]

I'd like to start a thread(s) about diffences between NEC and British electrical codes, I'm not sure where I should post it?. Maybe in England eh!. Seriously though there are some very strange differences, such as:

The last wire nut I saw (in England)was 40 years ago as an apprentice and it was made of porcelain!

Double lugging breakers is REQUIRED sometimes in England.

No receptacles or switches (within reach ) in any bathroom!

 

[stickboy1375]

No receptacles or switches (within reach ) in any bathroom!

Whos arm do you use?

 

[Limey Pete]

Stickyboy
A switch must be either outside the bathroom or attached to the ceiling and operated by a pull cord. Any appliance must be out of reach from a position standing in the tub. The only exceptions I know of are: A permanently wired wall mount double insulated hairdryer w/o receptacle, and a receptacle limited to 50watts max. protected by a current limiting isolation transformer and with a special outlet designed only for shaving razors. Bear in mind though that these more stringent requirements are probably because the voltage is 240 V AC.

 

[iwire]

Welcome Pete, this is a fine place to start this thread.

I also recommend checking out ECN

A moderator there (pauluk) is from the UK and has worked there and here in the US.

 

[mdshunk]

I got the most recent copy of the UK "Requirements for Electrical Installations" with the intentions of making some sort of cross reference (resi only) between the NEC and the UK standard. I thought it might be a good idea to ask first if anyone is aware of such a cross reference that already exists, lest I go to the effort for naught?

 

[Limey Pete]

Welcome Pete, this is a fine place to start this thread.

I also recommend checking out ECN

A moderator there (pauluk) is from the UK and has worked there and here in the US.

Thanks Bob, my home for the past 13 years is the USA, and the NEC is my new Code Book, but I still find the differences interesting, and often suprising.

 

[Limey Pete]

I got the most recent copy of the UK "Requirements for Electrical Installations" with the intentions of making some sort of cross reference (resi only) between the NEC and the UK standard. I thought it might be a good idea to ask first if anyone is aware of such a cross reference that already exists, lest I go to the effort for naught?

Marc.
I know of no such cross-reference, but I am sure some of the differences are going to suprise you. As to which system is best?; I live here in Florida and my conclusion is clouded by the sun and cheap beer.