Can I get rid of this consumer unit?

[emmamason]

Hi,

I have three consumer units, two of which are live and one looks to be completely unused. The only cable going into it is a green earth, as per picture below, and the input cables have all been chopped and taped. Is it safe to remove this earth wire from the fuse box?

Thanks,
Emma

 

[emmamason]

I decided there was no way the earth cable could be dangerous so I've just removed the consumer unit with no probs. I just don't understand why they didn't remove all that when they put in the new consumer unit.

Emma

 

[Taylortwocities]

It depends on who the 'they' were and what the old board was for.

If it was (for instance) an old board for off peak then maybe they didnt quote for that if 'their' brief was only to replace the main consumer unit.

Personally I would have done a safe isolation test to make sure that everything was disconnected before doing radical stuff - but you see to have survived...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It depends on who the 'they' were

If the picture is to be believed they were dangerous cowboys.

Where are the main earth cables for the other 2 CUs?

And are meter terminals designed to safely take 2 tails?

 

[DESL]

On closer inspection of picture there seems to two earth wires leaving the CU on the left one going to board on right. The other disappears out of pic.

This set up needs further investigation as it looks like a TT arrangement except the old green wire that links from neutral block to old CU - the one the OP removed!!

Never seen two tails coming from one terminal on a meter usually a Henly block is used.

Wonder how many of the core strands were nipped away to get them to fit?

 

[emmamason]

Yes, there are two earths coming from the CU on the far left - one goes to the other CU and the other goes up into the loft. I haven't investigated this further but I'm guessing it goes to the combi boiler because that's the only thing, other than smoke detectors, that this CU is used for (if the label is to be believed).

You're comments have me worried now! I knew the setup looked a bit of a mess - do you think it's dangerous? Has anyone ever seen a meter take two tails like this? And also, now that I've removed the CU on the far right I'm left with an earth wire connected to the black box (don't know what that is). This obviously has power going to it so I'm not sure about taking the cover off to remove the other end of the earth - do I need to get an electrician in to do that?

And what's a TT setup??

Thanks very much,
Emma

 

[RF Lighting]

I think it would be a good idea to have an electrician round.

It looks like you may have a TT supply.

I can't see any sign of a PME sticker, so it is possible that the 6.0mm² should never have been connected into the neutral henley block.

If it is TT, then there is a lack of RCD protection (or PME upgrade), and as for the meter, I have seen a few with two tails in each terminal, but it really is not good at all.

That particular meter has a terminal capacity of 35.0mm² so should be OK, but is not ideal.


Details about TT supplies can be found here:

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:earthing_supply_types_and_bonding:earthing_arrangements#tt

 

[securespark]

That solid green wire goes to the neutral block. Is it TT converted to PME, perchance?

Where do the other units get their earth connection from?

For the record, I have seen countless installs where the meter changer has reinstated multiple tails into the meter terminals. The record I saw was 5 pairs...

Can you take a piccy of where the other earths are connected?