Compulsory Electric ICP Installation
Discussion
You should have received a letter from your Electricity company by now informing you of the need to fit a ICP (Interruptor de control de potencia) switch or power control switch.
This is something that your Supplier can do or you can contract an officially contracted electrician to do it, these switches come in various loadings as all houses have different requirements.
Once the switch is fitted you have to get your supplier to then come and check the installation to confirm that it has been installed properly and sign you off.
This switch is fitted in your Fuse Box in your house,each house is contracted with the supplier to have a certain amount of power, the ICP will cut the power every time you go over that limit.
The Electric suppliers will charge you about €80 + to fit the switch.
As far as I understand it you will be able to turn your electric back on from the main switch when this happens but you will be fined for the useage and for not having an ICP switch.
The standard surcharge will be 20extra Kw
Check your contract for what you allocated power allowance is, it is in the top right hand corner of each of your bills
This is something that your Supplier can do or you can contract an officially contracted electrician to do it, these switches come in various loadings as all houses have different requirements.
Once the switch is fitted you have to get your supplier to then come and check the installation to confirm that it has been installed properly and sign you off.
This switch is fitted in your Fuse Box in your house,each house is contracted with the supplier to have a certain amount of power, the ICP will cut the power every time you go over that limit.
The Electric suppliers will charge you about €80 + to fit the switch.
As far as I understand it you will be able to turn your electric back on from the main switch when this happens but you will be fined for the useage and for not having an ICP switch.
The standard surcharge will be 20extra Kw
Check your contract for what you allocated power allowance is, it is in the top right hand corner of each of your bills
mickrick said:
I was told Endesa want 300 euro's to fit it! I've found a bloke who's licenced, and will do it for 60.n 
Are you sure it's fitted in the fuse box? I was under the impression it's fitted to the meter. As you can tell, I haven't had ours done yet.
I'm positive that it is fitted to the main fuse box in your house.Are you sure it's fitted in the fuse box? I was under the impression it's fitted to the meter. As you can tell, I haven't had ours done yet.
After you have had it done as long as it is by a qualified electrician and he can sign it off there is no problem, you then have to get Endesa to your house to inspect it and sign it off.
I've done three houses so far
Yes you're right. I've had a fellow out to look this morning.
Turns out we already have one fitted. It's in a box just below our main fuse panel, behind the front door. (Our apartmenbt is only 7 years old)
The electrickery fellow said that most decent installations have had them fitted during the last 12 years anyway, so we just need Endesa to come and sign it off.
Our contract says we have 7.7 Kw, but I have another property which was two houses, that I did an "agrupation" on, and I'm in the process of finishing a renovation, so I'll have to get that done too, but I only have 3.3 Kw at that one!
Looks like I'll have to give them a
and see if they can give me around 10Kw. I have the electrician coming in two weeks to finish the installation, so I can have a word with him about it.
I was wrong about Endesa's fee too. It's 100 euro they want to install the ICP.
But thanks for the heads up!
Turns out we already have one fitted. It's in a box just below our main fuse panel, behind the front door. (Our apartmenbt is only 7 years old)
The electrickery fellow said that most decent installations have had them fitted during the last 12 years anyway, so we just need Endesa to come and sign it off.
Our contract says we have 7.7 Kw, but I have another property which was two houses, that I did an "agrupation" on, and I'm in the process of finishing a renovation, so I'll have to get that done too, but I only have 3.3 Kw at that one!
Looks like I'll have to give them a
and see if they can give me around 10Kw. I have the electrician coming in two weeks to finish the installation, so I can have a word with him about it.I was wrong about Endesa's fee too. It's 100 euro they want to install the ICP.
But thanks for the heads up!
mickrick said:
Yes you're right. I've had a fellow out to look this morning.
Turns out we already have one fitted. It's in a box just below our main fuse panel, behind the front door. (Our apartmenbt is only 7 years old)
The electrickery fellow said that most decent installations have had them fitted during the last 12 years anyway, so we just need Endesa to come and sign it off.
Our contract says we have 7.7 Kw, but I have another property which was two houses, that I did an "agrupation" on, and I'm in the process of finishing a renovation, so I'll have to get that done too, but I only have 3.3 Kw at that one!
Looks like I'll have to give them a and see if they can give me around 10Kw. I have the electrician coming in two weeks to finish the installation, so I can have a word with him about it.
I was wrong about Endesa's fee too. It's 100 euro they want to install the ICP.
But thanks for the heads up!
No sweat, and they will change your 3.3 to 10 without much of a problem, the main thing to remember is that if your external (Endesa) meter is a long way from your actual house/flat then that is where you lose power between the two.Turns out we already have one fitted. It's in a box just below our main fuse panel, behind the front door. (Our apartmenbt is only 7 years old)
The electrickery fellow said that most decent installations have had them fitted during the last 12 years anyway, so we just need Endesa to come and sign it off.
Our contract says we have 7.7 Kw, but I have another property which was two houses, that I did an "agrupation" on, and I'm in the process of finishing a renovation, so I'll have to get that done too, but I only have 3.3 Kw at that one!
Looks like I'll have to give them a
and see if they can give me around 10Kw. I have the electrician coming in two weeks to finish the installation, so I can have a word with him about it.I was wrong about Endesa's fee too. It's 100 euro they want to install the ICP.
But thanks for the heads up!
3.3 k w is only enough power for an 80sq mtr flat so not much.
No, 3.3 isn't much. It was two 60 something sq m houses, that I bought together, and the previous owner had probably taken one of the meters out, and used the two houses as one. There was a connecting door between the two houses.
But now its one house. (Three years of bashing about later) I've put hot water underfloor heating in, so will be running an air/heat pump, plus I have another 800m plot at the rear of the garden, where I'm planning on putting a 4 car garage. I'll put underfloor heating in the garage base also, so a bit of lighting/heating/garage equipment to go in there too.
I think 10kw should do it. I was considering putting 3 phase in, and had a brief convesation with industria, and I got the impression it wasn't a big deal for them. But I've shelved that idea. For now anyway.
But now its one house. (Three years of bashing about later) I've put hot water underfloor heating in, so will be running an air/heat pump, plus I have another 800m plot at the rear of the garden, where I'm planning on putting a 4 car garage. I'll put underfloor heating in the garage base also, so a bit of lighting/heating/garage equipment to go in there too.
I think 10kw should do it. I was considering putting 3 phase in, and had a brief convesation with industria, and I got the impression it wasn't a big deal for them. But I've shelved that idea. For now anyway.
mickrick said:
No, 3.3 isn't much. It was two 60 something sq m houses, that I bought together, and the previous owner had probably taken one of the meters out, and used the two houses as one. There was a connecting door between the two houses.
But now its one house. (Three years of bashing about later) I've put hot water underfloor heating in, so will be running an air/heat pump, plus I have another 800m plot at the rear of the garden, where I'm planning on putting a 4 car garage. I'll put underfloor heating in the garage base also, so a bit of lighting/heating/garage equipment to go in there too.
I think 10kw should do it. I was considering putting 3 phase in, and had a brief convesation with industria, and I got the impression it wasn't a big deal for them. But I've shelved that idea. For now anyway.
I did mean to say when you are upping your power to change it over to trifasia as the running costs will be much cheaper in the long run.But now its one house. (Three years of bashing about later) I've put hot water underfloor heating in, so will be running an air/heat pump, plus I have another 800m plot at the rear of the garden, where I'm planning on putting a 4 car garage. I'll put underfloor heating in the garage base also, so a bit of lighting/heating/garage equipment to go in there too.
I think 10kw should do it. I was considering putting 3 phase in, and had a brief convesation with industria, and I got the impression it wasn't a big deal for them. But I've shelved that idea. For now anyway.
I have 15k and also have changed it over to trifasia and it works out much cheaper to run, I did the same thing in my last house
Sounds nice a underfloor heated garage, do you have some nice cars to go in it ?
Now you've got me thinking about 3 phase again! 
I did hear that if you use power at night, they credit you. I don't know if that's true or not.
I don't have a collection of cars, but I do like a bit of workshop space.
I have some other interests which would be nice to have a cosey (or cool) workspace, and for what it costs to put the pipe in the floor while I'm putting the base down, it would be daft not to do it.
I'm currently building up an all ally Super Seven SV.
I did hear that if you use power at night, they credit you. I don't know if that's true or not.
I don't have a collection of cars, but I do like a bit of workshop space.
I have some other interests which would be nice to have a cosey (or cool) workspace, and for what it costs to put the pipe in the floor while I'm putting the base down, it would be daft not to do it.
I'm currently building up an all ally Super Seven SV.
Reply to piston head IPC
I have read your ICP article.
This is an instrument that Iberdrola are trying to enforce. I note that the cost of installation is about 300€ but I think there will be far reaching expenses for the older properties. I have run into these problems with one of my properties recently although no ICP was enforced.
If the meter box is not on the road adjacent to the property then that will have to be done; the cost of that was said to be 1000€ with piping run from the overhead wires. I was told that the piping had to be metal through which the cabling from the over head line taps had to be run. From a safety point what happens if the live cable touches the metal pipe? The cables are no longer allowed to be Concentric (The live conductor is wrapped with the neutral similar to SWA steel wire armoured cables)
Next the wiring in the house will be checked and if it does not comply with the more recent colours then a rewire will have to be done. I dare not have a guess at that.
Having done this you will be made to obtain a 'certificate of habitation' and that I was told is difficult and very expensive. In the meantime you will not have any power; the cable is cut.
Fitting the ICP into an existing fuse/MCB box may not be possible as the din rail for mounting may not be correct and the apertures may well be wrong.
Finally this is an interrupter for over current, so what happens during thunder storm? Most times there is an electric storm all my current limited RCD's trip when the overhead system is affected. I suppose the ICP will trip out and according to your article that means about 20kW extra charge.
I have read your ICP article.
This is an instrument that Iberdrola are trying to enforce. I note that the cost of installation is about 300€ but I think there will be far reaching expenses for the older properties. I have run into these problems with one of my properties recently although no ICP was enforced.
If the meter box is not on the road adjacent to the property then that will have to be done; the cost of that was said to be 1000€ with piping run from the overhead wires. I was told that the piping had to be metal through which the cabling from the over head line taps had to be run. From a safety point what happens if the live cable touches the metal pipe? The cables are no longer allowed to be Concentric (The live conductor is wrapped with the neutral similar to SWA steel wire armoured cables)
Next the wiring in the house will be checked and if it does not comply with the more recent colours then a rewire will have to be done. I dare not have a guess at that.
Having done this you will be made to obtain a 'certificate of habitation' and that I was told is difficult and very expensive. In the meantime you will not have any power; the cable is cut.
Fitting the ICP into an existing fuse/MCB box may not be possible as the din rail for mounting may not be correct and the apertures may well be wrong.
Finally this is an interrupter for over current, so what happens during thunder storm? Most times there is an electric storm all my current limited RCD's trip when the overhead system is affected. I suppose the ICP will trip out and according to your article that means about 20kW extra charge.
You only need a certificate of habitacion if it's a new property, and you're applying to have a meter installed. You won't need one for an existing supply.
The ICP wont trip during a storm, the RCD's will trip.
You can also apply for more power. For example, I have only 3.3kw at the moment, I've applied for 11kw, as I've knocked two properties into one, and I'm building a large workshop, so need more power. That way, I won't be going over what my ICP allows.
Anyway, if it trips, you can switrch it back on.
The ICP wont trip during a storm, the RCD's will trip.
You can also apply for more power. For example, I have only 3.3kw at the moment, I've applied for 11kw, as I've knocked two properties into one, and I'm building a large workshop, so need more power. That way, I won't be going over what my ICP allows.
Anyway, if it trips, you can switrch it back on.
Hi,
The information I posted was factual.
My daughter and us owned a second house in the same street. My daughter suddenly returned to the UK without notice but gave power of Attorney to purchase her share of 98% (We paid for the house in 2005). We purchased her share but all the services had to be put into our names.
As soon as Iberdrola were asked to change the contract name all hell let loose.
1 They removed the supply fuse in January 2009
2 the meter had to be put out on the road.
3 a month later they came in with an excuse that the cables from the O/Head had to be up graded. Whilst we went two houses away to get the key they had cut off 1 meter of cable from the O/h line taps telling us to renew the cable.
4 They now insisted that when the work was done we had to obtain this 'Certificate of Habitation' from the town hall Benissa.
5 Benissa did not issue this Certificate for older house saying we had to get in surveyors etc.
Being thoroughly fed up we put the meter on the road and asked that Iberdrola reconnect the supply. NOT until we provide a Certificate of Habitation.
We sold the house at an enormous loss and had to give the buyer 1,000€ compensation to get the property connected. Well as of today all work on that property ceased and the supply has still not been connected and still NO ICP.
THE ICP
I have heard of factories fitting over current alarm units and they first warn giving a short time to reduce the power and then the powewr consumption meter will record. I can seen no safety aspect as Iberdrola have claimed in installing an ICP. I presume this must be fitted in a sealed box. My consumer unit has a compartment for the main RCD MCB but there is no room to install this ICP and so the sparky will rip out the not so old consumer box and then the wiring wont reach and I think you all can work out the reast of the problems; a very rich sparky.
The information I posted was factual.
My daughter and us owned a second house in the same street. My daughter suddenly returned to the UK without notice but gave power of Attorney to purchase her share of 98% (We paid for the house in 2005). We purchased her share but all the services had to be put into our names.
As soon as Iberdrola were asked to change the contract name all hell let loose.
1 They removed the supply fuse in January 2009
2 the meter had to be put out on the road.
3 a month later they came in with an excuse that the cables from the O/Head had to be up graded. Whilst we went two houses away to get the key they had cut off 1 meter of cable from the O/h line taps telling us to renew the cable.
4 They now insisted that when the work was done we had to obtain this 'Certificate of Habitation' from the town hall Benissa.
5 Benissa did not issue this Certificate for older house saying we had to get in surveyors etc.
Being thoroughly fed up we put the meter on the road and asked that Iberdrola reconnect the supply. NOT until we provide a Certificate of Habitation.
We sold the house at an enormous loss and had to give the buyer 1,000€ compensation to get the property connected. Well as of today all work on that property ceased and the supply has still not been connected and still NO ICP.
THE ICP
I have heard of factories fitting over current alarm units and they first warn giving a short time to reduce the power and then the powewr consumption meter will record. I can seen no safety aspect as Iberdrola have claimed in installing an ICP. I presume this must be fitted in a sealed box. My consumer unit has a compartment for the main RCD MCB but there is no room to install this ICP and so the sparky will rip out the not so old consumer box and then the wiring wont reach and I think you all can work out the reast of the problems; a very rich sparky.
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