p.i.r inspection

[michael_5098672]

Hi all,

I have just had my caravan serviced by a mobile ncc approved caravan tech and he told me that i will shortly have to book my caravan in with him so that he can do a p.i.r. inspection, this checks all my electrics in the caravan and then provides me with a certificate of clearence, which i'm told lasts for three years.He said that before long all c.c sites etc will require this from you before you can connect your caravan to the hook up.My caravan is now five years old and you would think that the electrics would be ok for at least ten years because a house doesnt require all these retests as stated.I hope some of you could shed some light on this for me and tell me whether you have heard of this before, cheers Mike.

 

[Surfer]

If you do a search on this forum, I think you will find that it is not compulsory and is being used as a scare tactic to generate more money.

 

[Rita1]

Ummmmmm If he's just serviced your caravan surely all that should have been done

Did you get the tick list off him as to what he did this time

I would ring One of the clubs to find out if you are being had on

 

[LMH]

I thought it sounded like the mobile servicer was trying to get extra cash from you too.

I did a quick goole and there's some PDF documents, (memo's) all from caravan servicing companies quoting all types of rules and regulations.

Very strange.

Whilst I appreciate you can't tar everyone with the same brush, for the first service we had on our old caravan, we used a mobile caravan servicer. We had to demand he leave. Cowboy was an understatement. He even broke one of the van windows, said we needed a new battery charger (when it was just a fuse which had blown) etc, etc, complete nightmare.

Lisa

 

[Damian]

On 6th August 2009 the NCC issued a notice to all Approved Workshops regarding Periodic Inspection Reports for Electrical Installations.

The IET(formerly IEE) ad HSE have both issued guidance on the Statutory Regulations regarding the supply of electricity, contained in Electrical Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (ESQCR)

17th Edition wiring regulations (BS7671:2008), regulation 622.1, stipulates that a periodic inspection and test of an electrical installation should be carried out at at frequency determined with regard to the type of installation and equipment.

In regulation 721.514 there is direct reference to this subject with regard to caravans and motorhomes.

The condition, type and age of the installation will determine when the inspections should be caried out and will not be longer than 3 years, but may be as little as 1 year.

Every Approved Workshop had to undergo special training by the end of December 2009 to qualify to carry out the testing, and the NCC are tightening up the requirements as fast as they can.

Sites also have to be tested and a prospective pitch user can ask to see their Certificate , and the Park owner equally can ask to see the PIR for the caravan, or he could refuse to let you hook up.

It has been suggested that as from April this year, the CC will be asking for the certificates if the van needs them.

A van up to 3 years old will have its initial certificate so no problem there.

Older vans may well find they are refused a hook up with no certificate.

An owner can decline the testing, but will have sign a declaration to that effect.

The testing and inspection takes around 4 hours, and is very extensive and thorough.

During a normal annual service only a visual check is made of the exposed wiring, and that all the safety items work as they should, it is NOT anywhere as comprehensive as the full PIR.

One of the reasons for testing is that unlike a house installation, a caravan is bounced along the road for possibly many miles each year, and this takes its toll on wiring, connections etc , also the inside of a caravan is subjected to extremes of temperatures from very hot to very cold, which also has a detrimental effect on insulation on wiring and cores.

 

[Sproket]

This is what i have found...

Guidance on Periodical Inspection Reports for Electrical Installations PIR Testing & explanation....

 

[Sproket]

Damian

How will a mobile service engineer carry that out, ?

Will he be able to do the PIR test whilst he is servicing you van.

 

[michael_5098672]

Hi, our service engineer said that i would have to take my caravan to his workshop to carry out the work because you cant take the power supply from household mains. It has to be carried out at a workshop maybe for power surge etc reasons.

 

[Damian]

To anwer your questions, firstly, Sproket, as I have said, the PIR takes around 4 hours, so as a normal Annual Service also takes around 4 hours, it will more than likely that a separate time would have to be allocated.

As for taking the van to a workshop, there is no need as long as the mobile engineer has the means to supply a test socket, such as an inverter equipped generator.

A home owner who has his van at home could, if he wished, provide a socket which is for test purposes, which is NOT protected by an RCD, as the house RCD will trip before the van one does.

 

[Sproket]

Michael

I work in a big engineering work shop where regular PIR/PAT testing is done, they don't remove the machine and take it to the workshop to test it.... when they do PAT testing on your own house where does the electric come from ???

so Joe blogs your local works out of the back of his van service guy, wont always have a workshop to do it in... this PIR testing also covers static caravans... are the going to move them ??

There are other firms besides caravan service centers who can do the PIR testing

I have no problem with it being done, but i like to watch what I'm paying for & what actually is being done, not just ticking a check sheet

 

[Sproket]

To anwer your questions, firstly, Sproket, as I have said, the PIR takes around 4 hours, so as a normal Annual Service also takes around 4 hours, it will more than likely that a separate time would have to be allocated.

As for taking the van to a workshop, there is no need as long as the mobile engineer has the means to supply a test socket, such as an inverter equipped generator.

A home owner who has his van at home could, if he wished, provide a socket which is for test purposes, which is NOT protected by an RCD, as the house RCD will trip before the van one does.

Thanks for that Damian

 

[readcaravans]

you dont need to take damians word on the subject (even though everything he has said is true). i am assure by the ncc that it will be advertised extensively throughout all the caravan magazines. it hasnt happened yet because not all workshops or site have had their training, but they will. sorry if this upsets people as it does me, but it is being driven through by the ncc and there isnt a great deal we can do about it. especially if you want electric on site.

 

[SteveW77]

Looks like it is time to buy a nice quite Honda generator.

Steve W

 

[ANTHONYB1]

Hi,this is just another scam by the jobsworths to squeeze more cash out of us,to help finance their palaces in the sky,plus their gold plated pensions.

Anthony.

 

[Damian]

Anthony, I am not entirely sure what that posting is supposed to mean.

What "jobsworts" do you refer to, what "palaces in the sky and what gold plated pensions?

As Read Caravans has said, this is legislation which is being forced on us all, users, workshops and site owners.

What it will more than likely mean is longer delays in getting repairs done, longer response times by mobile engineers and a situation which as workshops puts us in a situation which we would rather not be in.

We do not have palaces in the sky, or gold plated pensions, and if you think that the training and costs involved withthat make workshop staff "jobsworths" then I have issues with that.

 

[LMH]

i wonder how much this test will cost? Say for instance a service for a single axle van may cost

 

[michael_5098672]

Tech said it would cost around

 

[xtrailman]

Although i am a member of the CC i rarely use their sites.

If they start to enforce this ridiculous rule i will NEVER use a CC site.

As a retired electrician, i will be the one to check my installations. I am not against testing, but every 3 years, that's a joke.

When we did routine maintenance on our overhead cranes, you could guarantee that not everything would work afterwards.

Over time lest maintenance was carried out, it was cheaper to mend it when "it" broke.

If need be i will join the honda brigade also.

 

[ANTHONYB1]

Anthony, I am not entirely sure what that posting is supposed to mean.

What "jobsworts" do you refer to, what "palaces in the sky and what gold plated pensions?

As Read Caravans has said, this is legislation which is being forced on us all, users, workshops and site owners.

What it will more than likely mean is longer delays in getting repairs done, longer response times by mobile engineers and a situation which as workshops puts us in a situation which we would rather not be in.

We do not have palaces in the sky, or gold plated pensions, and if you think that the training and costs involved withthat make workshop staff "jobsworths" then I have issues with that.

Damiem,I,m sorry that you have taken this personel,it was meant to be aimed at those persons who sit in their ivory towers,making rules and regs that jusify their existance.While making our hobbies nd pastimes very difficult to afford.

Anthony.

 

[LMH]

Mind you, I have to say, there's been a lot of new electrical laws put in place recently. We're having a bathroom refurbishment in the house at the moment. We had to buy 'bathroom' lights only, including the ceiling downlights, wall lights and lights for the shower cubicle and mirror.

I can understand that in a domestic or commercial property but being refused entry to a site because you don't have a current certificate is a bit scary. I wonder how many people have been electrocuted or sustained burns in caravnas? I also wonder how many caravans on sites have caused problems with the hookups?

Lisa

 

[Nidge1]

Hi,

It doe's sound a rip off to me. No matter how thorough and extensive the test is I fail to see how it can take four hours.

If the four hours is correct I am afraid the cost would be more like

 

[forestgump]

if it takes 4hours to service a caravan why dose it take another 4 hours to check some wires

 

[Damian]

Damiem,I,m sorry that you have taken this personel,it was meant to be aimed at those persons who sit in their ivory towers,making rules and regs that jusify their existance.While making our hobbies nd pastimes very difficult to afford.

Anthony.

Anthony, no offence taken.

As I have said, it is yet another thing being forced on us, and funnily enough, this time those in the ivory tower do not stand to make a single penny from it.

 

[Damian]

Dean, it is too long a process to type here, maybe you would like to spend the best part of

 

[Damian]

Nidge, I think you are about right price wise.

I do not see how it can come in any cheaper, certainly not at