Consumer Unit
- Thread starter joe_mc_h
- Start date
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You should not attempt this unless you are 'competent'
That means conversant with the regs, possess the necessary test equipment and are registered with a recognised scheme amost other things.
There is more to it than just swapping the board.
Do a search on Part P building regulations.
That means conversant with the regs, possess the necessary test equipment and are registered with a recognised scheme amost other things.
There is more to it than just swapping the board.
Do a search on Part P building regulations.
YesQedelec said:
Yes - and the knowledge of how to use it, and what tests to do. If you change the CU you are taking responsibility for the integrity of the entire installation, so the entire installation needs to be properly tested. Some of the tests can be hazardous to you and others if you aren't careful. In my list of recommended reading ( //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75416#75416 ) you should get at least the 2nd & 3rd and the regulations themselves, and GN3. I've not listed any inspection and testing books, but Brian Scaddan's one seems to be widely popular. You might be able to hire the test equipment you need - to buy new would cost between £500 and £1000 approx, but you can often pick up bargains on eBay.
No
A great deal more.
And you thought we over charge!!!! 
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Who, me??
using tradesmen of any variety is expensive and for some people prohibitively so. Afaict this is down to tax, red tape, transport and similar factors. Also it should be remembered that a diyer probablly wouldn't have been earning money during the time he was diying anyway.
In the specific case of sparkies there is also this whole testing and inspection buisness that has been taken to insane levels in recent times.
In the specific case of sparkies there is also this whole testing and inspection buisness that has been taken to insane levels in recent times.
joe_mc_h said:
i'm thinking of becoming a brain surgeon
- oh I don't have one as I am just a humble spark. My point, when I need my van fixed quickly and correctly I go to the garage I usually use- they are a little dearer than another place I have used but they know their stuff, and don't bull.
You generally get what you pay (or don't pay for).
When you change a consumer unit you are effectively doing a heart transplant of the electrical installation- doing it unskilled is like asking a butcher to do a quick operation on the wife !!! (not a good idea unless you want to bump her off
)In other words leave alone and get a professional in.
Or spend more time skilling up than you thought you needed to...
unlike bodies houses don't tend to fail if without power for a while and don't generally suffer from anything comparable to organ rejection (aluminium cables excepted but they are rare here in the uk).baldelectrician said:When you change a consumer unit you are effectively doing a heart transplant of the electrical installation- doing it unskilled is like asking a butcher to do a quick operation on the wife !!! (not a good idea unless you want to bump her off
Yes testing the rest of the install is a good idea and any reputable sparky will do it on a CU change job for CYA reasons. However I fail to see how replacing a CU with one that has modern safety features such as a rcd without testing is worse than just leaving the installation alone protected by crappy wire fuses and no RCD.
plugwash
the last person at the job is responsible, therefore the person carrying out the work should test the job- testing is not just a good idea, it's essential.
It's not the first time I have found a ring main across 2 mcb's as they have been mixed up.
I come across ring final circuits that are no longer rings, this is more common. Fault finding or putting both ends into a 20A MCB and noting on cert usually results
I agree that ripping out BS3036 fuses and replacing with mcb/rcds is a good idea, but only if done competently
The right person for the job, etc
the last person at the job is responsible, therefore the person carrying out the work should test the job- testing is not just a good idea, it's essential.
It's not the first time I have found a ring main across 2 mcb's as they have been mixed up.
I come across ring final circuits that are no longer rings, this is more common. Fault finding or putting both ends into a 20A MCB and noting on cert usually results
I agree that ripping out BS3036 fuses and replacing with mcb/rcds is a good idea, but only if done competently
The right person for the job, etc
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I thought ban-all-sheds said:
baldelectrician said:
Exactly as i said tradesmen have to test the entire install even though all they did was replace the CU to cover thier arses.
What i'm saying is that i belive a DIY CU replacement done with a decent level of care and attention to avoid introducing new faults but no testing is better than leaving an old rewirable board with no rcd in place.
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