Do I need a new consumer unit?

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Essex
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Have recently moved into a house which was built around 1970-1975. First job is to get a new kitchen fitted. When we were getting our kitchen quote, they also quoted for installation and asked what sort of consumer unit we had. I couldn't really answer properly but only that it's made by Wylex, it looks like the original unit, it has a series of labelled switches (kitchen, garage etc.) (i.e. they aren't the old wire fuses).

We aren't having them do the installation but they said if we had they would have "had to" install a new consumer unit (£440) because that's the law and they wouldn't sign off the electical installation otherwise. So I'm here to check whether they were telling the truth. I've no doubt it would be a good thing to upgrade it but is it a legal/safety essential when we're having our new kitchen? All we're doing in the kitchen will be adding another 2 power sockets. The new cooker is dual fuel (like the old one) and if the new one is like our last dual fuel Rangemaster, the electric oven is simply a 13a plug.

I'd really like to know if it's an essential for when I get others round to quote for our kitchen installation.

Thanks
 
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Any new sockets they installed, and any cabling buried at less than 50mm in a wall (unless in earthed steel conduit or of an appropriate type of cable) would need RCD protection to comply with the regulations. It's possible you already have it (if you upload a picture of your CU we can tell you), or if not that it could be added easily if an RCBO (combined RCD and MCB) is available for your CU.

If none of these options were possible, then they could install a new mini CU for any circuits they work on, and split your incoming tails to supply both - having said that, if there's only a small number of circuits then in this situation it would probably make sense to replace the CU entirely - they are not under any obligation to touch any circuit they are not working on however.

The only other thing they would have to check is that your main equipotential bonding is up to scratch, essentially this is 'earth' cable run between your main earthing terminal, and any extraneous conductive parts (e.g. gas and water pipes etc). If it does need improving then they will have to do that before they could sign off on any new bits, but it shouldn't cost much to sort (unless the cable route ends up being impossible).
 
If the original wiring is 1970 there is a possibility that there is no earth in the lighting circuit.

As a quick check, turn off the power and remove one of the light switches. There should be a red and a black wire to the switch and also an earth conductor.

If there isn't you can forget fitting metal light fittings or switches, unless they are special ones.
 
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Law is electricity at work act and part P and these don't say what should be fitted.

However BS7671:2008 is a requirement which most electricians have to abide by especially if they want to remain registered under part p.

It is these regulations which the kitchen fitters wanted to abide by. Not law but may as well be.

The requirements give many options and to say must have a new consumer unit may not be correct. But likely that would be best way to comply.

But each option has plus and minus points and to try to list them all would take some time and may not apply to you anyway.

To install one item there will be cheaper options but one problem with old houses is often there are many faults and what seems an easy job can easy snowball.

The installer can really get into a knot as he is not permitted to make house uninhabitable without arranging for alternative accommodation as happens when electricity board cut off the supply. But also he can't leave the house in a dangerous state.

With this in mind many firms will not mess around and they insist on either new consumer unit or forget the job.

It's that sucking through teeth and saying "Jobs Worth" bit. And for every customer who realises your looking after them there is also the one who insists that was your quote and will not pay a penny more. And after a few jobs where one loses money the tradesman soon realises just not worth his while trying to do jobs on the cheap.
 
Thanks everyone, this is really useful.

I managed to photograph the unit last night:

[GALLERY=media, 18697][/GALLERY]

The only electical work I did was replace a security light which took it's power from the garage. This certainly had an earth.
 
Yes, you are a bit between a rock and hard place here. This new RCD reg for new cabling is having the effect of forcing expensive upgrades to installations which were considered perfectly safe only a year or two ago.

some quick comments

A house built in the 70s should have earths in lighting circuits as the regs required them then.

£440 is a bit steep for a consumer unit when they are already doing work in the house. Have they inspected the wiring to see if additional work is required prior to giving you that quote? When was the last full check (PIR) and was the wiring in good condition then?

You could no doubt find an electrician who would do the work without forcing a change of consumer unit. Having said that, if you could get the CU changed for a more reasonable price I would consider having it done.
 
All we're doing in the kitchen will be adding another 2 power sockets.
Assuming you would want to bury the cale in the wall then there is nothing to stop you using flexishield cable for the install from the CU. Or steel conduit could be used instead. This would negate the need to RCD protect the cable.

You could then use a RCD protected socket outlet.

This would provide meet the current requirements of BS7671.
 
Thanks again all. Really useful. I’m not necessarily looking to avoid this if it’s a recommended upgrade, it’s just I’m wary of situations like when you’re having 2 new tyres fitted and they try to tell you that you need all 4 doing, plus your suspension!

To answer a question above, we’ve never had it tested. We’ve only been there a couple of months. Most sockets/switches look modern (certainly not 40 yrs old) and one of them is brushed metal so that may answer the earth query.

Couple more questions:

If a new CU is fitted, is that simply a case of replacing the actual box? Or does it involve re-wiring any existing sockets, light switches etc?

How much would you guys consider ‘reasonable’ to supply and fit a new unit?

Should I be concerned about the age of my CU (in the picture)?

Thanks
 
Assuming you would want to bury the cale in the wall then there is nothing to stop you using flexishield cable for the install from the CU. Or steel conduit could be used instead. This would negate the need to RCD protect the cable.

You could then use a RCD protected socket outlet.

This would provide meet the current requirements of BS7671.
As would taking the socket circuit through an RCD in a small enclosure next to the CU.
 
one of them is brushed metal so that may answer the earth query.
Or it might be that someone fitted a metal switch to a circuit without an effective earth because they either didn't know or didn't care that that could be very dangerous...


If a new CU is fitted, is that simply a case of replacing the actual box? Or does it involve re-wiring any existing sockets, light switches etc?
It should, if done properly, involve inspection and testing of the existing installation beforehand, as this will highlight any problems or shortcomings which need resolving as part of the replacement. If no problems are found then nothing other than replacing the CU would be needed. Diving in and replacing a CU without a bit of initial due diligence can lead to problems, arguments over the cost of remedial work etc.


Should I be concerned about the age of my CU (in the picture)?
A little, TBH.

One idea might be, if you have the space, to install a new CU alongside it, but for now only use it for the new/altered kitchen circuits. This would keep your kitchen installers happy, no way would it cost £440, and then you can at your leisure find an electrician to move all the other existing circuits across.
 

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