Consumer unit replacement - cowboy.

[333rocky333]

Could be, if the rcd trips out at night and your plunged into total darkness.

 

[vera121]

My main concern is no equipotential bonding for the gas and water services. Overall a poor standard of installation, no certs, another consumer has been shafted. (and yes took the cover off while still energised, naughty I know!).

 

[CortinaV8]

"Could be, if the rcd trips out at night and your plunged into total darkness."

Always makes me laugh when I read this, because sh1t loads of people die each year when a lightbulb blows..........the human race survived for many years prior to split load boards (if you are unaware)

 

[Filo]

Right, i`m not an electrician, but shouldn`t the cable that comes through the hole on the side of the CU, on the right hand side be secured with a cable gland to prevent the cable being yanked out?

 

[flameport]

The cable doesn't need a gland, as it should be securely fixed to the wall before it enters the CU, so it won't move.

However in this instance we can't see how/if it is fixed.
The installer hasn't used one of the manufacturer provided knockouts either, but has hacked a round hole. Probably because they fixed the CU to the wall before making the required holes in it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OK OK but they werent always like that....

(Pretty sure I can remember plugs where the main screw just came all the way out)

Yes, but it was still in the base of the plug, which meant you had to work at getting it into a socket - it wasn't something you could do casually or by mistake.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Heres my take on this.

Plumber gets a call, 'can you fit an electric shower?'
Plumber has vague idea about RCD required for a shower supply.
Looks at old 6 way rewireable board, no rcd.
Thinks to himself, 'seen sparkies do this before', looked easy, have screw driver.
Has a notional pub talk idea that its a £400 money for old rope job for a C/U swap.
Tells customer about RCD thingy, convinces them it needs to be done, 'cos it needs to be upgraded to a Part P17 trip board, cher-ching.
Never seen a copy of the regs, just his dad used to be a sparky down the pit years ago n thats all you need, its a doddle, equipot what??
Nips down screwfix for one of the boards you see (were going for about £79 quid a while ago)
whacks it in faster than a homeserve electrician.
Job done, home in time for Jeremy kyle, £800 better off, lovely.

I wish i was a pipe monkey

 

[securespark]

That "6mm²" does not go into the 6A MCB, it runs behind it.

And that old chestnut, 416.2.2.....

 

[sparkwright]

That "6mm²" does not go into the 6A MCB, it runs behind it.

i think it does go into the 6A mcb. it could be a red double insulated single core cable. if you look at the corresponding neutral that could be a grey double insulated single core cable. it looks like similar cable has been used coming out of the capping where that horrible joint is.

 

[hairyben]

Just got to look at the writing on the CU. Poor and sloppy. Says it all.

The tragedy being that the wylex boards are supplied with some nice pictorial stickers! Was it really that much more effort to pop them on?

*And yes, I realise that focussing on poor labelling out of all that could be faulted on ^that is a joke, but it's one thing that flicks my buttons.

 

[plugwash]

Thats true, and I hadn't stopped to consider it was a live that was being commented on as opposed to anything else. Guess what I'm wondering is I know there are requirements for keeping probing fingers out of things but once the cover is taken off what are the rules - if I take the cover off a plug top things are pretty dangerous.

You won't do that whilst it's energised in a socket though due to the location of the fixing screw.

You can take the cover screw out, put it on loose, plug it in very carefully and then remove the cover again.

 

[GaryMo]

Guess what I'm wondering is I know there are requirements for keeping probing fingers out of things but once the cover is taken off what are the rules - if I take the cover off a plug top things are pretty dangerous.

You won't do that whilst it's energised in a socket though due to the location of the fixing screw.

You can take the cover screw out, put it on loose, plug it in very carefully and then remove the cover again.

A socket face could be unscrewed from its backbox but neither would be accidental.

Most safety features can be bypassed should we go to extreme lengths doing so but not in normal operation.

 

[sjwkmje]

"Could be, if the rcd trips out at night and your plunged into total darkness."

Always makes me laugh when I read this, because s**t loads of people die each year when a lightbulb blows..........the human race survived for many years prior to split load boards (if you are unaware)

Actually I disagree. I do a risk assessment and decide from there. If its say a pensioners house I would look at been cost effective and possibly installing self maintained emergency lighting. I would also ensure upstairs and downstairs lights are individual RCBOs or on either side of the dual RCD board. In jobs like this you cannot just fit a full RCBO specced board even if this is the correct way as you really need to be cost effective. I got with dual RCDs and move things about so a trip does not cause to much nuisance. if the customer agrees with the quote I go with all RCBOs or if not use a dual RCD board.

So what happens if the elderly lady switches on the light upstairs at night the RCD trips / RCBO trips for what ever reason and the lighting circuits are both on the same RCD you have an accident on your hands if she tries to walk down the stairs in the dark and falls. Emergency lighting helps I tend to stick the downstairs e lights on one RCD and same with up stairs e lights.

Adam