Consumer Unit + MCB's

[wrighty208]

Hi there,
I've just bought an old house and am looking to change the current fuse board (wired fuses) with a new consumer unit with MCB's etc - I will probably do the install myself and get someone in to check.

I currently have 2 x lighting circuits, 2 x ring main circuits, 1 x Porch Light and 1 x Cooker.

I'd possibly like to have reserved spaces for an Electric Shower, Immersion heater and an addition Lighting and Ring Main circuit for a possible loft extension at a later date.

Can anyone recommend what consumer unit/MCB's/RCD's etc I would need to get?

Thanks

 

[industryspark]

are you informing LABC or getting a sparky friend to certify and test?

you need to consider this before you start.

next question is, how much do you know about installation and circuit design?

whats the main fuse rating?
what supply type have you got? TT? TNS?
do you know anything about diversity? EFLI?

sorry if im insulting your knowledge hear, its just you gave no info on your qualifications or knowledge.

on the CU subject you could go a few ways depending on the above questions.

you may go split load board or you could rcbo the required circuits.

give us more info please

 

[wrighty208]

Thanks for your reply - I was going to get a sparky friend round to certify and test once complete.

In answer to your question about installation and circuit design knowledge - not a lot - but I'm trying to learn!

The main fuse rating is 100Amps - and I don't know about the supply type/diversity I have - how do I find out? I do know physically how the house is wired.

Don't worry about insulting my knowledge - I don't know too much about the subject - hence I'm reading/asking on here.

I just want to replace the existing fuse breakers with Circuit Breakers and a new consumer unit - all the wiring is already in place.

Thanks again.

 

[industryspark]

Is there any chance you could get your sparky friend round to design the installation for you? he could tell you cable sizes, mcb ratings, recommend a CU type.

your going to find it hard work and extremely time consuming looking everything up if you do it.

another point to note is that whilst on with this job i would get your leccy company to fit you a nice double pole isolator after the meter but before the new CU. this would in future allow the CU to be isolated completely.

i think the supply companys are doing this pretty cheap nowadays.

im a big fan of this as it stops sparkys having to pull out REC fuses with only crossed fingers for protection!

 

[wrighty208]

not gonna be easy to get the sparky to have a look hence I want to do as much as possible before he comes round.

At the moment I have 30amp fuses for the 2 ring mains and 5amp fuses for the 2 lighting circuits - all the cable is existing.

I've seen a few CU's about with circuit breakers - would something like this do the job?
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea...=UTF-8&howMany=15&searchText=64020&x=13&y=10#

I've be quite confident in doing the wiring myself and getting it checked afterwards.

Cheers

 

[sm1thson]

I've be quite confident in doing the wiring myself and getting it checked afterwards.

Ive never wired a CU (never needed to) but Im confident enough to, but i think i would get the circuits tested before aswell as after! -otherwise you might have problems like the RCD tripping -best to know and sort it first so your not without electric for too long!