Safety and Spanish wiring regs

[davidbfc]

I have a top floor apartment in Spain, complete with a .7 metre deep plunge pool on the roof terrace

I have had a Spanish air conditioning contractor install a "split" type Mitsubishi air conditioner. The contractor's English and my Spanish are limited, so misunderstandings can (and do) arise. The external unit should have been installed higher, immediately above the pool, but for various reasons they have installed it only 1.7 metres high and it can easily be touched by someone in the pool. Raising the unit now may be possible, but there are significant problems

The electrical supply for the complete system is directly wired to the external unit from the supply for the pool filtration pump (inaccessible from the pool) and this goes direct back to the consumer unit, fitted with standard 20A and 30A breakers, so there is no dedicated fuse/breaker, and (other than the consumer unit) no means of disconnecting the air con system.

I am very surprised the installation does not have an isolator and, because of the proximity to water and bathers, at least an earth leakage circuit breaker, but the installer is quite happy that all is OK.

Would anyone care to comment, particularly with regard to Spanish and/or pan European wiring regs? Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[davidbfc]

I know it's quite some time since I posted this, but I would still value a reply from anyone with more knowledge than me. Thanks.

 

[MR-DIAZ]

There´s no need for local isolation in the Spanish regs but mounting an air con m/c 1.7 meters about a pool is a complete NO NO

This unit should be installed outside of the 2.5 meters high limitation and/ or 2 meters away from the pool edge and should have a minimum protection of IP*2

Also this unit should be fed directly from the consumer unit with a max consumption 5750 W protected by a 25 amp MCB and should in every case be protected with a RCD 2*40 A 30mA.


And in every case should be accessible.

 

[davidbfc]

Very interesting. I'll get that translated and we'll see what the contractor says but it probably won't get me very far!. I'm glad I knew enough to doubt the contractor's assurances, and thankfull someone with knowledge responded eventually.
My English neighbour in Spain has just told me he has used a local electrician whose standards have impressed him, so I might try to get them to sort it out, now I know what to look out for. It's potentially too dangerous to risk my rudimentary UK skills.