I presently have a gas cooker. I want to change to an electric hob and oven. The consumer is rated for 80Amp. There is no spare slot for a 32Amp MCB. However, when I add up the ratings of all the fuses installed in the consumer unit it comes to 70Amp, leaving only 10Amp before the rating of the box is exceeded. As all these circuits will not be loaded at anyone time can the total rating of the all the fuses exceed the rating of the consumer unit?
Consumer Unit Rating
- Thread starter lynchm
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yeah that shouoldn't be a problem we don't expect everything to be on at once
as to the problem of physical space in the CU i see a couple of soloutions
one is to henly in a seperate small CU but this is not a job for begginers and is something i would aviod where possible
another option (assuming you have 2 lighting cuircuits) is the following
remove lighting cuircuits from CU (thus freeing 2 slots)
fit a 16A mcb to CU (this still leaves one slot free for your cooker)
from the 16A mcb run 2.5mm cable to a grid plus box
in the grid plus box fit two 5A fuses one for each lighting cuircuit
to build up the grid plus box you will need
2 of theese
http://www.simplyautomate.com/productDisplay.asp?prodId=4067
1 of theese
http://www.simplyautomate.com/productDisplay.asp?prodId=3923
1 of theese
http://www.simplyautomate.com/productDisplay.asp?prodId=3909
a normal plastic surface box
and a single segment of chock block to join up the neutrals
as to the problem of physical space in the CU i see a couple of soloutions
one is to henly in a seperate small CU but this is not a job for begginers and is something i would aviod where possible
another option (assuming you have 2 lighting cuircuits) is the following
remove lighting cuircuits from CU (thus freeing 2 slots)
fit a 16A mcb to CU (this still leaves one slot free for your cooker)
from the 16A mcb run 2.5mm cable to a grid plus box
in the grid plus box fit two 5A fuses one for each lighting cuircuit
to build up the grid plus box you will need
2 of theese
http://www.simplyautomate.com/productDisplay.asp?prodId=4067
1 of theese
http://www.simplyautomate.com/productDisplay.asp?prodId=3923
1 of theese
http://www.simplyautomate.com/productDisplay.asp?prodId=3909
a normal plastic surface box
and a single segment of chock block to join up the neutrals
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In theory, couldn't you just uprate the lighting circuit to 10 amps, and use a junction box to connect the two to the same MCB?
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Actually, wouldn't the issue arise with use of 2a sockets, rather than 5a sockets? It is fairly standard to have 2a sockets on 5 amp lighting circuits, so surely the limit for 5 amp sockets would be on a 10 amp circuit or something?
Just assuming, I know it's a bad practice, I don't know too much about BS546 sockets, except that a 15 amp socket goes on a 16 amp radial.
I suppose though your answer is more versatile, and given that no further questions need be asked, yes, I suppose you have a better solution.
Just assuming, I know it's a bad practice, I don't know too much about BS546 sockets, except that a 15 amp socket goes on a 16 amp radial.
I suppose though your answer is more versatile, and given that no further questions need be asked, yes, I suppose you have a better solution.
a lot of people use 5A sockets rather than 2A ones because the 2A variety are not shuttered (at least in mk)
and there is still the issue of someone wanting to fit fittings that take ses or sbc lamps
overall i still prefer the idea of fusing the cuircuits at 5A each in a grid box
and there is still the issue of someone wanting to fit fittings that take ses or sbc lamps
overall i still prefer the idea of fusing the cuircuits at 5A each in a grid box
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True, I think you have a good solution, taking more into account.
A problem with putting 5 amp sockets on a 6a lighting circuit is accounting for load. 2 amp sockets need to be accounted for as a minimum of 0.5 amps, whereas 5 amps are generally counted at half their load (2.5 amps), so you can fit more 2 amps on a circuit where safe.
I think the 2 amps aren't shuttered because the requirement for it is negligable due to the small size of the pins.
As for the 5 amps, I would like to see us using an equal pressure shutter like they have in German sockets, and plugging europlugs in them, as I read they fit quite well, and it would have enough protection at the CU.
A problem with putting 5 amp sockets on a 6a lighting circuit is accounting for load. 2 amp sockets need to be accounted for as a minimum of 0.5 amps, whereas 5 amps are generally counted at half their load (2.5 amps), so you can fit more 2 amps on a circuit where safe.
I think the 2 amps aren't shuttered because the requirement for it is negligable due to the small size of the pins.
As for the 5 amps, I would like to see us using an equal pressure shutter like they have in German sockets, and plugging europlugs in them, as I read they fit quite well, and it would have enough protection at the CU.
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Plug. Who is "we"?
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