May June 2020 Electric.ie Magazine

24 ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • Industry News Update: I.S. 10101 - National Rules for Electrical Installations • I.S. 10101 – General The layout and structure of the document differs from the current Wiring Rules. For example, what were previously known as “Parts” (i.e. Parts 1-7) in ET 101:2008 are being re-labelled as “Chapters” in I.S. 10101:2020. This change will serve to enhance readability of the document into the future. • I.S. 10101 – Chapter 1: Scope Chapter 1 is largely unchanged. The scope includes the fixed wiring installation right up to the electric socket or isolator. The requirements for appliances connecting into electrical sockets, or wired into isolators, are covered by separate standards, and not by the National Rules for Electrical Installations. The document includes more detailed information on design of electrical installations and so will a very useful reference for design teams. • I.S. 10101 – Chapter 2: Definitions Definitions are now all contained in Chapter 2 to enhance readability. The definitions list has been expanded and certain definitions have been modified to align with the definitions provided in the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary. • I.S. 10101 – Chapter 3: General Characteristics This section has been expanded to cover different supply and earthing arrangements. ‒ Charles Dunn, Chair, NSAI TC2, National Rules for Electrical Installations. W ell it’s all new this year! 2020 has brought us many changes so far. Some changes were not planned for. But the new National Rules for Electrical Installations IS:10101 has been in planning for some years now, and it finally has arrived. IS:10101 was released 1st April 2020, and copies can now be purchased from NSAI. There is a ten months lead in time until 1st February 2021, and from that date all new electrical installations must be designed and certified to the new standard IS:10101. After 28 months (from 1 August 2022), all electrical installations must be certified to the new standard IS:10101. So now we know when, the question is - what to do next? One of the big changes is the new cables standard; IS:10101 requires that all cables in buildings must be class “Dca s2 d2 a2” to EN:50575. Another big change is the “recommendation” for AFDD arc fault detection devices in high risk premises. These will add safety, but will also add cost and complexity to the distribution board. Your wholesaler or supplier will be able to demonstrate the new AFDDs to you, and there are some good videos on the web also. RCDs will now be required on domestic lighting circuits, and this will mean planning space and boards to include the extra RCDs. So now we know what to do. Log online and get up to speed with the new rules. Information can be found at www.cru.ie - www. safelectric.ie - www.nsai.ie . Design and budget new projects to comply with the new IS:10101. Don’t forget, nobody actually plans to fail, it’s just that we sometimes fail to plan. In these troubled times, Design Safe, Install Safe, and Stay Safe. Summary of Key Dates: 1st April 2020: New electrical installations may be designed and certified to the new standard 31st January 2021: This is the last day new electrical installations may be designed to the old standard (such installations must be certified by 31 July 2022) 1st February 2021: New electrical installations must be designed to the new standard 31st July 2022: This is the last day an installation may be pre- connection certified to the old standard (such installations must have been designed by 31 January 2020) 1st August 2022: Electrical installations must be certified to the new standard. We have included once again a summary of the key changes in the Irish wiring rules below. A Reminder of the Key Changes in I.S.10101