Consumer Unit options preping for upcoming work

[Entropy]

Hi there, after speaking to UK Power Networks I am unable carry out the work I wanted in the way I wanted. Its not a problem as it regs.

So I need to change where the power enters my house. It currently comes in via the back of the house and it looks like it will be moved to the front of the house by the front door. I see this as an option to move the consumer unit to the hall way from the kitchen where it is currently located and complete a rewire and put in place wiring for future planned work.

Due to finances I cannot afford to move the power supply and have the cosumer unit moved at the same time so wanted to do this in a phased approach. Can I have the original consumer unit providing power to the new consumer unit until I can afford to have the power supply moved?

Is there another way of achieving this? What is the usual process for doing this when the power provider, supplier and electrician cannot complete their work at the same time?

Thanks

 

[AndyPRK]

so where is the new dno fuse and meter going to be? In a cab outside, near your front door ?

I think you need to consider ways to run a cable. (could be 3 tails, or 1 round SWA) between the new supply and your existing CU. Say just below ceiling level. It's probably going to be ugly

Your CU doesn't look old (metal cover), so I would expect a new one and rewire would be a waste of money. But I don't know the state of the wiring.

 

[Murdochcat]

Can’t you just save up a bit more and do both at the same time?

 

[AndyPRK]

As you are discovering, moving the supply and CU is a very costly exercise. (some would say waste of money)
I do hope there is a very good reason to move it!? Do you want a door way there or something?

 

[SUNRAY]

Doing this in 2 stages could add very significant expense.

 

[ericmark]

My son wanted the cable between his house and next door moving due to building work, and there was no way leave for the cable run.

And he wanted the meter outside in a box, so he fitted the box, put in tails to an isolator, and ran cables from old consumer unit to new consumer unit to power it until the change had been made and paid the DNO fee.

So once supply moved it was easy to energise new consumer unit.

So it seems the DNO was unaware next door on same supply, it was not listed that way on their records, it took nearly 3 years for the move to be completed, in mean time he was on a 40 amp supply from old CU to new CU which he had done expecting it to take a couple of months.

Best laid plans etc. He had also run short of funds, so was not in a hurry, the big problem was between start and end, next door was sold, and new owners laid a new drive where the cable to his house needed to go, well so did my son, but he did not need a new supply cable.

And he came home one day to find supply moved, so he had to fit new tails isolator to CU in a hurry or no electric in the house. He like me is an electricial engineer so not a problem. But be warned, not as easy as it seems.

 

[flameport]

What is the usual process for doing this when the power provider, supplier and electrician cannot complete their work at the same time?

Network supply and the meter must be moved at the same time, which will involve the DNO and your energy supplier.

Moving your consumer unit can be done at any time. If the supply is moved elsewhere you will need someone to install a suitable switchfuse and a cable from the new supply position to the existing consumer unit.

 

[ericmark]

My front kitchen is supplied from a ring final which starts and finished in my back kitchen. So any non portable appliance is near enough to ring centre so there will be no overload due to uneven load over the lenght of the ring final.

This all needs considering, and is not really a DIY job.

 

[JohnW2]

My front kitchen is supplied from a ring final which starts and finished in my back kitchen. So any non portable appliance is near enough to ring centre so there will be no overload due to uneven load over the lenght of the ring final.

If, as is very commonly the case, it's a Method C 2.5 mm² ring, 27A is so close to 32A that a lot of load has to be very close to one end of the ring for their to be any potential problems at all.