Converting old Fuse type consumer boxes to plug in mcb's

[Daydreamer]

I understand that you can convert plug in wire fuses with plugin mcb's can any body help please
Cheers Alan

 

[breezer]

some consumers units will accept plugin mcbs, no conversion required

also helps if we knew what your current (no punn intended) cu is

 

[jj4091]

With the Wylex models you can just remove the fuses & carriers & fit new carriers & mcb's, remember to remove the knock-out from the fuse cover so that you can re-fit it. Just one question though, why do you want to do this, when was the last time you had to re-wire a fuse.

 

[Steve]

Aye, MCBs provide no great advantage in terms of safety over their rewireable fuse counterparts. They do the same job, just react slightly differently.

and JJ4091, i think the early Wylex's weren't designed with a knockout, since MCBs hadn't been invented yet!

 

[slippyr4]

I personally don't see the point of spending the money. If you get fuses blowing and it's a hassle to replace the wire, then look at why the fuses are blowing rather than replacing with mcbs.

 

[jj4091]

Aye, MCBs provide no great advantage in terms of safety over their rewireable fuse counterparts. They do the same job, just react slightly differently.

and JJ4091, i think the early Wylex's weren't designed with a knockout, since MCBs hadn't been invented yet!

The brown ones weren't but the little labelling shapes makes it easy to cut out.

 

[scousespark]

Fuses blow when you have a fault on a circuit. Replacing the fuse with an MCB will not cure the fault, just make it easier getting the juice back on.
If you have a problem, get it checked and fixed.

Disagree with Crafty when he says MCBs have no advantage over fuses in terms of safety.
An MCB will trip quicker than a fuse (so reduce the risk of fire).
It's easier to reset an MCB (don't have to fiddle around with fuse wire).
With a fuse, you can just fit thicker wire when you get faults. With an MCB there are no replaceable parts, so they are fixed at their rating.

 

[Spark123]

One thing which may be overlooked when fitting these MCBs as a direct replacement for fuses is the values of maximum efli are different for the two protective types of devices.

 

[paddytt]

Hi

The pins on my old fuse carriers are horizontal like this =
but the ones on the MCB are vertical like this ¦

Does fitting the new shroud take care of this?

thanks

TT

 

[RF Lighting]

No.

Sounds like you have an MEM fuse box.

Plug in MCBs are not available for this fuse box, and you really don't gain anything by fitting them anyway.

 

[mfarrow]

I agree with RF.

I really don't understand the thinking of the "fuses are a fire risk because they can cook for hours" brigade.

An MCB can also cook for hours unless taken above its rating. In fact, fitting a C- or D-type breaker to a 'troublesome' circuit is common practice, yet the disconnection times are worse than if you'd used a fuse carrier.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If you buy 8 of those minitrips you are at the material cost of a new consumer unit in any case.

You'll still need an electrician to check the EFLI of each circuit in any case.

Go for a new board, and get all that loverly built in RCD supplementary protection.

 

[securespark]

What about RF's wired in 2.5/1.0?

Aren't they safer with a B type than a 3036?

 

[flameport]

Aren't they safer with a B type than a 3036?

Possibly, depends on the fault current and disconnection times of the devices. (really how much energy gets though before the circuit is disconnected)