Wylex plug in mcb availability

B and Q used to sell clones of them breakers under a different brand, i thought the notch thing was for the green 45a rather than the orange 40a
@JohnW2
Older versions were push button types using the fat base, then they changed to the toggle type like you have and stayed with the fat base i believe they were the old Bs 3871, they later changed again to the slimmer mcb with the slimmer base and Bs.60891
I seem to recall it was not wise to replace the breaker without the supplied base as the base would dictate how much of the blades went into the bus bar tabs
 
View attachment 410241I would say the two contacts look very different. I assume also different isolator, but with the rating written on the back View attachment 410242 not easy to see, back when these were used 60 amps was the normal supply.
Indeed, I reckon the original intention was that the lug on the "fuseholder" base was to cause it not to seat down properly to deter fitting of it, of course it was not uncommon for someone to saw/grind it off ore even just crudly cut it off with a pair of sidies!
 
The presence of a 60A main switch is a recognition point.

If it has not fallen off or worn away, there will be a label under the switch.

In the heyday of Wylex standard, many small homes only had a 4-way CU

Lights 5A
Sockets 30A
Immersion 15A
Cooker 30A
 
I seem to recall it was not wise to replace the breaker without the supplied base as the base would dictate how much of the blades went into the bus bar tabs

The coloured base slots were designed to fit only the size and spacing of the matching MCB or fuse holder prongs
 
To my surprise when I changed from rewireable fuses to push in MCBs I had to changed the bases as well. Even though both were 30A

I guess rewireable base encased the melting metal and live bits.
 
The presence of a 60A main switch is a recognition point.

if it has not fallen off or worn away, there will be a label under the switch.

In the heyday of Wylex standard, many small homes only had a 4-way CU

Lights 5A
Sockets 30A
Immersion 15A
Cooker 30A
Yes indeed the ubiquitous Wylex 404 and its big brother the 604 , we were brought up on rewireable fuses and later on the MCBs (push buttons for a long time but they had the habit of sticking so later on replaced by flick switch) .
The colour coding of the spots on fuses was ingrained upon us.
The terminals (both outgoing and the incomming tails too) were tunnel terminals and two screws to each and the screw ends were slightly sperical dome shapre to bite in an indent anchor on the copper conductors - non of those terrible cage clamps we get all too often these days.
 
B and Q used to sell clones of them breakers under a different brand, i thought the notch thing was for the green 45a rather than the orange 40a
@JohnW2
Maybe. I knew nothing about these 'notch things' until it was mentioned here.
Older versions were push button types using the fat base, then they changed to the toggle type like you have and stayed with the fat base i believe they were the old Bs 3871, they later changed again to the slimmer mcb with the slimmer base and Bs.60891
I never had anything to do with the 'original' push-button ones. I illustrated ones I'd found of both the 'wide' and 'narrower' versions. Both were elastic-banded onto bases which were identical (hence 'wide'), so I presume that's how they had been installed (correctly or not!).
I seem to recall it was not wise to replace the breaker without the supplied base as the base would dictate how much of the blades went into the bus bar tabs
The 'narrower' and 'wide' devices I found had (correctly or otherwise) slightly different (but virtually identical) bases, but with no material difference as regards how much of the blades 'protruded'.
 
Ge sold breakers for wylex standard CUs under the name "mini trip". Afaict these used a "rewirable style" base, while the wylex breakers used a "cartridge fuse sytle" base.
 
The presence of a 60A main switch is a recognition point.
What about Wylex boards without a main switch? :)
Wylex.jpg
 
Goodness - I've never seen one of them!
That's the only one I've ever seen in the 23 years I've worked as an electrician. (I've seen the little 2 way 'extenso' extension boards that of course don't have a main switch but never a full sized one) It's not modified, there was no hole in the cover for a switch.
 
What about Wylex boards without a main switch? :)
View attachment 410878
Indeed and the origin of the format, I haven't seen one for a long time now.
The wooden frame is the same as the original ceramic wireable fuses, there was a wooden hinged lid on it. The individual parts were available to convert the wooden enclosure to this form and I think the bakelite cover was a later addition to the range. Both forms would have typically been fed with a 2 pole cast iron fused switch of this style
1774132915119.png

and later with this style
1774133455284.png
with typically 30-60A fusewire.

When we changed the fuseboxes in our 1951 ex council house in mid 70's we deliberated doing the conversion but settled on these
1774133928028.png
versions

Sometimes the 2 part shrouds would fall apart when handled and of course usually when working on a live box.
 

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