Unsatisfactory EICR rating relating to a cooker!

I got an unsatisactory EICR on similar grounds - except that mine was for an electric shower. A 6mm cable is not supposed to carry 40amps as it could overheat. In my case the solution was simply to exchange the 40amp MCB for a 32amp MCB, which has not affected the shower operation.

Experienced electrician who of many years of many years:-

Careful whose advice you listen to.

Actually a 6mm cable WILL carry 40 amps. It will carry up to 47 amps actually if you look at the current carrying capacities specified in BS7671 tables. But it all depends on the reference method- how the cable is installed.

Ref method A is a cable carried in conduit in or on an osulated wall-which will bring down the current carrying capacity (ccc).

Reference method C is a cable buried in plaster in a wall and run through a void in the ceiling thats unisualted (you dont insulate the ceiling above the ground floor (unless you in a bungalow).

Is the reference method correct? Unusual for ref method A so I'm assuming it's wrong- obviously there is information missing from you confirming these things

This argument over 6mm and 10mm cables for cookers and showers is that old it's got whiskers on it. You got yourself an a*se of an inspector.

I'd pass that all day long especially since it's connected to a dedicated load whose power consists cannot exceed approx 24-27 amps (unless you got a special super dooper high powered cooker).

However to satisfy the a*se simply change the 40amp breaker (mcb) to a 32 amp. MCBs are about £3-£4 and a lot cheaper than ripping out cables, probably having to lift floor coverings, floorboards, chop out walls and replaster after installing a very expensive and totally unneccessary oversized 10mm cable.

Or of course get an inspector who knows what they talking about in future.

Hope this helps

Reply to the comment left by Silver Flier at 11/07/2022 - 18:27
Thanks for your comment - how much did this end up costing you?

Reply to the comment left by Paul landlord at 12/07/2022 - 08:30
Thanks for your sensible advice Paul. I checked the reference method and it is noted as ''A'' for the type of wiring and reference method.

The cooker is an electric standard cooker - nothing special. But when I spoke to the inspector, he said generally most of the time, you would not use all 4 burners at the highest, hence it's safe. But on the off chance (i.e. a Christmas cook up) you used all 4 at the max setting, then there could be some fire risk.

I wonder if the inspector just failed the EICR, so I can call him out again to earn a few quid to then pass the inspection.

How much should I expect to pay to change over from a 40amp breaker (mcb) to a 32 amp, including call out fee - I'm in London SE16 (Bermondsey).

Cheers again, Shalin.

Reply to the comment left by Shalin Thakkar at 12/07/2022 - 12:54
My Inspector found several other minor issues, so I can't say what the cost of downgrading the MCB was. Dealing with the 5 issues cost Pds 179 + VAT in total. In your case it should be little more than the basic call-out charge.
The over-rated MCB is classfied as Code C2 - Potentially dangerous (urgent remedial action required) and results in an "Unsatisfactory" EICR. You have to get it fixed. My Inspector then issued a Minor Works Certificate, not a new EICR, which listed the items which had been fixed but was not cross-referenced back to the EICR.

So I had an EICR that stated "Unsatisfactory" with a "Recommendation" that stated "Subject to the necessary remedial action being taken, I/we recommend that the installation is further inspected and tested by: 6 months".

I managed to get the Inspector to reissue the Minor Works Certificate with the comment: "These works make the EICR X2-12345-Satisfactory for five years from the date of the EICR."