Consumer Unit - Advice, thoughts, suggestions sought.

[SirLancelot]

Hoping for Advice, thoughts and suggestions about the following install & moving forward:

Electrician came over on Thursday - full install - cooker hood/extractor.

Obviously - to isolate the kitchen supply - he accessed the consumer unit. I asked if he could take the cover off - and give it a look over - I'd pay for the extra time:

As you can see - second from the right - 30Amp - radial - as fitted & wired by the kitchen/conservatory builders' tradesperson.

That circuit supplies kitchen (excluding oven) & conservatory (location of washing machine, tumble dryer + fridge). After inspecting the wiring - he told me it needed to be on a 20amp instead - and so will come back on Monday to fit it. He mentioned the lack of RCD's too.

I'm asking for forum members help - in exploring options moving forward with this install.

I asked him if RCD's could be added to the existing unit - internally or externally?
Opinions about options sought on this please?

Are there modules that can be purchased to retrofit this unit 'as is'?

(He explained that he wan't sure immediately - lets take some pics - and he'll make enquiries).

So:

1. What is the most cost effective solution to add RCDs protection to this install.

2. Is the suggestion to replace the 30A with the 20A sound?

3. With what other issues can you see here - that need to be addressed?

I want to be able to have an informed discussion with him about options moving forward - as time is very precious for me. I've already taken time of work to deal with three other major building issues within the house - I cannot afford to do this again - my job will be at risk.

This thread is intended to be an exploration of the install pictured - so that we might all learn something along the way.

Note: Yes a qualified electrician will be doing all the work. Yes he will be paid. Please keep in mind - I paid the previous builder too - and I'm now being told there are issues, so have to pay for secondary follow up work, not of my making.

My sincere thanks to those - that can help me build a sound picture - of the options available to me - moving forward.

SL

 

[Simon35]

Do we try to guess what those suggestions are?

RCD protection?

 

[JohnW2]

As you can see - second from the right - 30Amp - radial - as fitted & wired by the kitchen/conservatory builders' tradesperson.

Do you mean the second MCB from the right (i.e. not counting the Main Switch)? If so, that has two wires going to it, which could (but might not) mean that it is actually a ring circuit. Did the electrician satisfy himself that it is not a ring? If it is a radial (actually, two radials) then, as has been suggested, changing the MCB to a 20A one (or possibly even a 25A one, if one is available for that CU) would be an acceptable solution - provided that 20A (or 25A) was enough for your kitchen/conservatory.

The 'hole' at the far left is dangerous, and should have some sort of blank plate it it.

As far as I can make out, there are currently two unused MCBs plus that 'missing' one on the left. Unless other circuits could be combined, that would not make enough space for 2 RCDs (which generally take 'two spaces' each), even if they were available. It could well be more cost-effective to get a new CU, with a metal case to comply with current regulations - those are matters you should discuss with youir electrician.

A question for others here ... is it an optical illusion, or is that G/Y cable going through the hole at the extreme L of the L busbar??

Kind Regards, John

 

[SirLancelot]

John - second module from the right, the only 30A mcb with a single wire attached.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

is it an optical illusion, or is that G/Y cable going through the hole at the extreme L of the L busbar??

Yes and no.

 

[EFLImpudence]

is it an optical illusion, or is that G/Y cable going through the hole at the extreme L of the L busbar??

Yes, OL - It is a U shaped cut-out (for sliding under the screw heads).

 

[JohnW2]

John - second module from the right, the only 30A mcb with a single wire attached.

Do you mean this one - the right-most MCB? ...

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, OL - It is a U shaped cut-out (for sliding under the screw heads).

Right - got it! Thanks.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's hard to tell. Could it be 4mm²?

 

[SirLancelot]

I should have asked - what revision CU unit is this?

 

[JohnW2]

I should have asked - what revision CU unit is this?

If you're referring to the 'edition' of the Wiring regulations, the absence of RCDs means that it is pre-17th edition (i.e. probably 16th) - the 18th edition is published tomorrow (well, technically today, but it's Sunday ).

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

It's hard to tell. Could it be 4mm²?

Good point. On re-examination, I think I can convince myself that it could well be fatter than most of the other conductors.

SirLancelot: IF that is 4mm² cable, then, as a radial, it would be fine on the existing 30A breaker. Something else for your electrician to check.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Lectrician]

Looks like three electric showers? - Not ideal, especially with a 60amp main switch.

The far right MCB looks like 2.5mm on a 30amp MCB. It doesn't look like 4mm to me.

In all honesty, the most logical way forward here is a new CU. Adding RCD protection any other way is not going to be straightforward, and is just fancying up the edges. Those MCBs have long been discontinued.

When was this extension built? It's RED and BLACK cable - So not recent. The only harmonised BROWN and BLUE cable appears to be for the cooker?

 

[flameport]

in exploring options moving forward with this install.

There is one option - replace the entire thing.

That is ~30 years old - parts are not available and haven't been for a couple of decades.
There was a conversion kit which allowed more recent MCBs and some RCBOs to be fitted to it - but that kit is also obsolete and has been unavailable for years.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Can't wait until he's had it replaced - better get RF to do it.