CSU - Meaning

[FrodoOne]

As an "outsider" I wish to ask the question of what exactly is meant by the acronym CSU, often used on this site.

I seem to discern that it means "Consumer Service Unit".

Does this have any sanction as to the meaning of CSU in the UK, because I cannot find it when searching on "CSU meaning UK"?

For example, the site "www.screwfix.com" seems to refer to such items as "DOMESTIC CONSUMER UNITS"

(The North American term for such items is usually "Panel" or "Breaker Panel".)

The Wikipedia article "Distribution board" mentions that : -
In the United Kingdom, BS 7671 defines a Consumer unit as "A particular type of distribution board comprising a type tested coordinated assembly for the control and distribution of electrical energy, principally in domestic premises..."

I realise that "common usage" can overtake "official usage" but common usage can become jargon.
What is wrong with simply referring to the BS 7671 defined "Consumer Unit' as CU without introducing the term (or initial for) "Service" into the description?

 

[mikeyd]

I've not noticed many people using CSU on here, but when I have seen it I assumed it was used by people who thought ConSumer Unit was three words.

 

[JohnW2]

I've not noticed many people using CSU on here, but when I have seen it I assumed it was used by people who thought ConSumer Unit was three words.

I'm not sure that I've ever seen it used here and, if it were, I don't think I would imemdiately realise/understand that it was a reference to a consumer unit.

The only meaning of "CSU" which springs immediately to my mind is "Catheter Specimen of Urine"

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I suppose it could mean Consumer Supply Unit.

Some local entrenched terms are very difficult to overcome.
Some people call plugs "plugtops". The abbreviation for that could be PT but I am certain no one would realise that.
I have read one totally ludicrous explanation for this. Namely that it used to be that sockets were called plugs so plugtop was used to differentiate the two.

Don't forget that a lot of people are just wrong.

 

[FrodoOne]

I'm not sure that I've ever seen it used here and, if it were, I don't think I would imemdiately realise/understand that it was a reference to a consumer unit.

The only meaning of "CSU" which springs immediately to my mind is "Catheter Specimen of Urine"

Kind Regards, John

Really!
Just do a search on CSU from the "box" at the top right.

 

[mikeyd]

I see one other thread than this which mentions it this year, one last year, and then the previous mention was in 2013 unless I'm not searching correctly.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, me too, and that one this year was a DIYer who talked about fuses in his CSU, so ...

 

[JohnW2]

Really! Just do a search on CSU from the "box" at the top right.

I have now. As others have indicated, there have been just a tiny number of occurrences of "CSU" in recent times - like mikeyd, I found only three occurrences in the last 4+ years.

Nevertheless, I still don't recall even those rare appearances of the abbreviation/acronym here. I suppose it was fairly obvious from context what it meant, so I just subconsciously read it as CU.

I certainly wouldn't advise using "CSU" since, if it is not apparent from context, I doubt that many people would know what it meant.

Kind Regards, John

 

[flameport]

what exactly is meant by the acronym CSU,

Could be anything. Certainly not any official term.

There was CCU for Consumer Control Unit at one time, also Cooker Control Unit, but neither of those have been in common use for decades.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Crime Scene Unit (- Miami).

 

[pete50]

Civil Service Union.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Maybe you should ask on this sister site!

Electrics Outside of the UK

 

[ericmark]

I suppose it could mean Consumer Supply Unit.

Some local entrenched terms are very difficult to overcome.
Some people call plugs "plugtops". The abbreviation for that could be PT but I am certain no one would realise that.
I have read one totally ludicrous explanation for this. Namely that it used to be that sockets were called plugs so plugtop was used to differentiate the two.

Don't forget that a lot of people are just wrong.

Confused completely there are some items I feel we really should define first like the DNO but as to plug suppose your talking about the French version is the bit in the wall a plug or socket, the bit which connects to flex has the line and neutral which plug in but for the earth it is a socket.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I don't think the expanation came from France -

but still a socket by three to one - two pins plus the whole thing to one pin.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As an "outsider" I wish to ask the question of what exactly is meant by the acronym CSU, often used on this site.

Ooh yes, often.

Not counting this topic, 59 times in 13 years.

I think you might need to have your frequency counter recalibrated.