Consumer unit fuseway / ring-main

[blacksheep]

So what would happen if a situation occured that came close or exceed the 60A.

Im assuming that the CU just gets hot/warm if close to it and the main fuse (outside) will go, as in the electric company match their fuse with the CU?

Its difficult to imagine how id get up to that current (I might buy a load of electric fires for each room tommorow lol) but hypothetically id like to know!

Did you see the lack-of bonding! I dont think this house has been inspected for a long time it was built circa 78

 

[JohnD]

it would start to overheat. Most likely the main switch would be the first thing to go. If you were lucky it would burn out and go open circuit; if you were unlucky it might weld the contacts shut or burn off insulation leaving live parts.

With those old switches, always take all load of before switching.

However if you need to pull a fuse, you have to turn power off first as the prongs can arc.

 

[blacksheep]

I guess im a fussy or something as I think it should have a main fuse to protect the CU itself.

Im just thinking it did have a cooker on it (not anymore) and a shower and if they were all on full blast and a few other things, quite unlikely but possible, then that could occur.

Yeh some of the prongs you can see the arcing marks on them.

That was one of the reasons I was concerned about just adding another 32a mcb
as I thought surely this CU has a limit, but regardless I havent got he load in the house! Im not concerned about the chicken or the film (well maybe) but it would be a lot neater to be able to isolate that room with all the higher current stuff in.

 

[RF Lighting]

It might not be a bad idea to replace that old wylex fuse box with a new CU with a properly sized main switch, and that way you could also include RCD protection for your sockets (which you currently don't be should really have)

 

[DESL]

could also include RCD protection for your sockets

And shower

 

[securespark]

Case is burgered...

Why a ring for a room on its own? Wouldn't a radial have done? or will you be extending it in the future?

 

[blacksheep]

It might not be a bad idea to replace that old wylex fuse box with a new CU with a properly sized main switch, and that way you could also include RCD protection for your sockets (which you currently don't be should really have)

I would like a new CU, in fact I was looking at them in Wickes the other day, although I wouldnt of bought one then and there without a bit of research.
But to be honest, although I dont anticipate any problems in doing it, I am not certified and wouldnt know how-to or have the equipment to test it properly after doing it, plus that comes under part p and needs inspection (although so does this room if its not just an 'extension' of the ring mains). So I have put the new CU idea on the future-things to do list ie. I wouldnt mind going on a course to do it legitmate but I have no idea of what courses I would need etc..
Same goes for the bonding issues I showed in the picture, I will just re-connect it all up but it does need proper testing and apart from a simple earth continuity test I dont know how to do that.
Simple solution is to get it inspected etc. but I would have to do that for the CU , then the bonding etc.. I would like to do it myself but do it knowing im doing it correct (and legitimate to some level). Oh and the fears of house-insurance voidance.. (I really dont know how that works!). What you guys think?

There is still the shower to sort, in fact I bought it a while ago (wife cant resist sales!) but when I get to that I was planning on putting an external rcd off a fuseway (a quick solution). Think we are going to do the bathroom out first at the moment im having a lot of small baths! I think because a shower alreay exists I can swap it out legally. But if im adding and RCD I guess its not legit then, although safer but if I can connect a new shower ok then surely I can connect and RCD safe (no time for reg rant now )

Case is burgered...
Why a ring for a room on its own? Wouldn't a radial have done? or will you be extending it in the future?

Case is just cracked, its had a supergluing and what you see is just cosmetic.

Yeh the room would of been ok on 20a radial but I didnt really think about it until now, as ive had to built a wall, plasterboard, sockets, skim etc. to get to this point . No plans on adding anymore sockets but a ring is better so i done that!

 

[blacksheep]

Not sure if i am allowed to resurrect my thread

If I swap over the CU and obviously do a good job on the terminations and make sure all the circuit are setup proper would you see any other essential need for any other tests?

I also want to get the shower sorted (old one still in place). The new one is slightly higher rated (will check the old cable to see if higher rated needed).

1) I would like to get a decent CU in place 2) the other option is to add an RCD to the old one above. What would you guys thinks on option 2??

I really am competent to do a good job of all this, but admittedly not able to do all the check you experts would do (can do the basic stuff ok).
If I do a LABC will they test all of this for a one off fee??

cheers, merry xmas and all that

 

[333rocky333]

2) the other option is to add an RCD to the old one above. What would you guys thinks on option 2??

That would be pointless, the existing Cu is past it now,A new Cu with Mcb/ Rcd's as required, would be the best option.

 

[rebuke]

If you install a CU you should ensure all the circuits are compliant with the wiring regs.

If you notify your LABC, they are required to do any inspection and testing that they deem necessary, based on their standard fee. For my LABC (Cambridge City Council) this works out to £100 +VAT, as long as your materials aren't going to cost you more than £1000.

Some LABCs will try and tell you they require you to get testing done yourself at your expense, however, they cannot do this - see the Part P info on the wiki for more information. Mine tried to do this at first, until I quoted parts of the Part P approved document at them, at which point they gave in...

 

[blacksheep]

I really wouldnt mind paying 100 quid odd to make sure its all ok.

If I installed a CU would they need to actually disconnect circuits to check them?
I think I best give them a ring really, thanks for pointing out the part P bit as I often see
the local council messing stuff up, not sure about the LABC though I will see how they want to proceed ie. maybe they would want to test the house before the CU is installed??

Id 'assume' that this would be needed to check stuff like Ring mains. Other than doing a continuity check of a ring Im not sure what else would be needed (im thinking, like I said somewhere else, surely a ring needs to be checked under 'load' for example).

Interesting to note in my mothers house, it has been rewired under a grant (much older than my house) but they left the old CU in place. It looks a bit like mine (bigger though) as shown above in thread, only its brown and has a screw on cover (one single screw at top to cover wired fuses). Old style black meter on it. They then just added a big white RCD device and wired this to it. Not sure if this just covers the shower or the whole house. Im surely someone will be along to tell me what it is Her house is a different type of earthing setup I think, you can see the houses looped together outside.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you install a CU you should ensure all the circuits are compliant with the wiring regs.

How do you do that?

 

[blacksheep]

If you install a CU you should ensure all the circuits are compliant with the wiring regs.

Wouldnt the post install inpspection do that?

 

[rebuke]

The post install inspection would identify anything that's non compliant*, and then you'd have to fix it before they'd sign a completion certificate - better to get it right the first time!

* Where it's practical to determine that, i.e. they're not going to lift all your floors looking for concealed junction boxes etc, but they will spot things like wrong sized cabling, wrong breaker sizes etc...

 

[blacksheep]

Looks ok, I have changed a few ceiling roses that looked rough with frayed wires sometimes with insulation missing. Lots of sockets that I would want to change for cosmetic reasons but everything works and nothing seems dodgy. CU has correct rated stuff for Ring, lighting etc..
But as I know next to nothing about regs (apart from stuff in DIY book and obvious stuff) it could be a mess at least in testing wise !?

There is an inspection sticker on the CU but well out of date!

If I did what I was on about (will be in January now as I want the xmas lights to work lol)
then they inspected, would they give me a report of probs to sort after? Im think if I had a PIR done first it may be more expense?