Hello. I blown a fuse the other day trying to install an extractor fan . . . I have a consumer unit which uses fuses which is a length of wire between two pieces of metal. This doesn't strike me as up to date. Does it need updating. Is it expensive?
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Old consumer unit
- Thread starter oliverpenney
- Start date
Tends to happen when you work live and/or don't know what you are doing.
Not necessarily
Not necessarily but it would depend on the state of your current installation - just ensure that a full Periodic Inspection Report is completed before a new Consumer Unit is fitted.
Are you aware that new electrical work in bathrooms must be protected by an RCD?
Thought not
Are you aware that any electrical work in a bathroom must be notified to the local authority. ?
Thought not
You need to pay their fee before the work is carried out.
Yes, well, serves me right for being tight doesn't it . . The wiring is sound. I think I would like to update it to one which just has a switch to flick once it has been tripped (not that it will happen again under my own duress). Thanks.
You have done something wrong then
There is nothing wrong with the consumer units in general, but if the CU/Fuse box is of that age and the cables are the original ones, you could be due for a complete upgrade. The problem you will have, is that it is highly likely that this type of CU has no RCD protection and when adding or altering circuits, there is a big chance that the addition/altered circuit will need to have RCD protection.
Does it matter that it is in the loft and not in the bathroom persue.
P
Paul_C
Possibly, but without looking at the whole installation that shouldn't be taken as being likely, by itself. Wylex rewireables were still being installed widely in the 1980's, for instance.
For compliance with the latest edition of BS7671 perhaps. In basic electrical terms, no.
If in the loft, then it's outside the defined zones for a bathroom as per BS7671 and as per the quoted definitions for the building regulations. The installation of a fan would still be notifiable work anyway, if you're worried about such things.
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