CU labelling

[msheppard36]

Hi, a year or so ago, an electrician friend of mine changed my CU. He didnt label the MCBs at the time but was meant to come and do it, however he passed away about 6 months ago. I keep meaning to do this so next week Im going to get this done.

Just wondering if anyone has advice on the easiest way to do it. I know I can just switch everything off and turn each one on one by one, but is there a quicker way? Problem is that there was an old CU for storage heaters but this was removed so I suspect some of the MCBs are just doing a single socket where a storage heater once was. I can identify the cooker one, lights etc but just wondering if theres a quick easy way instead of turning everything off/on?

Thanks.

 

[flameport]

Circuit details will be on the installation certificate.

 

[ericmark]

My son changed my fuse box and CU for a new CU for me, it was about 4 months latter I found the last remaining circuit, likely for an outside socket now no longer there, it fed a FCU and nothing else, I suppose technically not a circuit.

But in the main MCB/RCBO size gives a good idea, over 32 amp likely the shower, 32 amp ring finals and cooker, 16 amp immersion heater, 20 amp radials, 6 amp lights. Likely exceptions, but most you have a good idea by the size.

In theory yes the installation certificate should tell you, and again in theory the LABC should have a copy of the installation certificate if not using a scheme, or the scheme provider if using a scheme, but when I mislaid the certificates in the house I was selling, and I tried to get replacements, ringing the council I was told it would take 4 months and would be charged the time it took council worker to find them, so much for freedom of information.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Circuit details will be on the installation certificate.

ROFL!

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Usually 10 amp or less will be lights, 16A or greater will be power
Make some sketch drawings of the house-mark switches, light fittings, sockets, appliances. Before you start testing circuits, properly switch off appliances (boilers, fridge, freezer, internet router, any computers, rf distro amps, CCTV systems, alarm systems (decent ones will have a few hours battery backup. Common for CCTV and alarms to be on lighting circuits), unplug everything you can.

Lights. Switch every light in the house on, switch a low current MCB off, see what goes out, reset that MCB, switch next one off and so on (this if you have low energy lamps, the load on lots of 60w BC lamps would make it a bit naughty). Mark the lights that go off on your sketch along with the switches that operate them.
Power. Start with all power MCBs off. Plug a mains radio (or any safe low current electrical device that makes noise as soon as it is plugged in) into a socket. Switch first power mcb on, listen, note if you get noise. Switch that one off, switch the next one on, listen. Repeat through every power breaker, don't stop at the first one where you hear noise (it is alarmingly common for power circuits to end up across 2 breakers due to confusion on pairs for rings or radials).
As long as you only had noise from one MCB, switch that one back on then check every other socket in that room (Martindale or similar will be best), mark sockets on your sketch. Move radio to another room. Repeat.
Continue til you've identified power source for every item on your sketch

 

[ericmark]

@oldbutnotdead Sounds good, however all my smart wall switches default off, and all my smart bulbs default on. Also @msheppard36 did say "I know I can just switch everything off and turn each one on one by one, but is there a quicker way?" so how is your method easier?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The slighter quicker way, is to work out the obvious ones first, so you can eliminate those from the puzzle, then turn your attention to the unkown ones which are left. Plug and turn on something like a vacuum cleaner, which will make noise, on each floor. Turn on a light on each floor, preferably so it can be seen from the distribution board, or have a beautiful assistant to help.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Circuit details will be on the installation certificate.

This is the quickest method. Your electrician friend should have given you dn installation certificate with all this information on it together with the test details.
Also he/she should have notified the new consumer unit and you should have a building regs completion certificate.
I do hope you got both of these / if not he owes you a lot more than a few stickers!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

This is the quickest method. Your electrician friend should have given you dn installation certificate with all this information on it together with the test details.
Aldo gf should have notified the new consumer unit and you should have a completion certificate.
I do hope you got both of these / if not he owes you a lot more than a few stickers!

'...an electrician friend of mine' - or likely not..

 

[sparkwright]

'...an electrician friend of mine' - or likely not..

Careful now.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Also he/she should have notified the new consumer unit and you should have a building regs completion certificate.
I do hope you got both of these / if not he owes you a lot more than a few stickers

...an electrician friend of mine' - or likely not.

....ummm...

however he passed away about 6 months ago.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

@oldbutnotdead Sounds good, however all my smart wall switches default off, and all my smart bulbs default on. Also @msheppard36 did say "I know I can just switch everything off and turn each one on one by one, but is there a quicker way?" so how is your method easier?

If it wasn't for those pesky kids....yeah fair point, there isn't a really easy way to do it solo without a lot of wandering round...

 

[ericmark]

This is the quickest method. Your electrician friend should have given you dn installation certificate with all this information on it together with the test details.
Also he/she should have notified the new consumer unit and you should have a building regs completion certificate.
I do hope you got both of these / if not he owes you a lot more than a few stickers!

I wonder what is the official method when some one dies or is incapacitated? If using the LABC then fee paid before job starts, and the LABC will know job has started, and would be responsible for issuing a completion certificate even if they required an EICR to show all completed.

But the scheme provider is only told after the event, so when an electrician dies, how do they know what work was in progress, if some one claims a dead electrician has done a job, how can it be proved either way?