CU tidy up last hurdles are boards fuse size and earth

[oldman2]

This has been an ongoing project since early 2006 when I purchased a new cu to replace the old wylex 4 way rewirable cu.
Finally found enough time to tidy up the cables added over the years, fitted a main switch and got rid of a henley block that split the feed to the old wylex and to an MEM metalclad 60amp switchfuse which was being used to supply a sub cu for an electric shower.

View media item 11577
Put in a 32amp socket for my plasma cutter while I was at it.

14 ways seemed a lot in 2006 but now its looking like I could do with a few more ways, pity the cu wasnt bigger overall too as things got a bit tight in there for my liking. I'm more used to big industrial boards with bags of room to play in.

View media item 11578
The boards fuse is just 60amp and the main earth cable is annoying me, its around 6mm, mine are 10mm and it would be best I guess to try and get the board to swop theirs for a 16mm one.
E.on are who I pay the bill to, so are they who I should contact re the fuse upgrade and earth replacement?
Are they likely to charge me for this work do we know?

View media item 11576
The chip backboard for the metering is pretty flacky now after being there 49yrs but getting that changed is probably pushing my luck isnt it.

 

[aptsys]

That 32A CEEFORM socket should be changed to the 230V version (blue) not 110V (yellow)!

The DNO will probably not change the main earth for 16mm, and there probably isn't really a need. It would not be difficult to loosen the clamp though if you feel strongly about it...

 

[oldman2]

I wont be going anywhere near that clamp I have heard all sorts of stories about these old supply cables.
I didnt think their main earth complied being 6mm cable.

Yep the socket is not the correct one but in my defence it will be well labeled and the only thing that will be able to plug into it will be my plasma So for now as I had a few under the bench it will have to do. I will even paint it Blue if I have to

 

[Spark123]

Unless you are working it out with the adiabatic the Circuit Protective Conductor from the MET to the CU should be 16mm if you have 25mm tails.
You shouldn't touch DNO stuff - if you are wanting it upgraded then give them a call.

Single phase blue ones have their keyway at 6 o'clock (6h), yellow ones at 4 o'clock (4h) so painting it isn't going to work.
They are coloured so they can easilly be distinguished.
How can you guarentee that nobody else will ever think that it is 110v?
For the price of a blue one it isn't worth arguing about.

 

[rebuke]

As I understand it it isn't just the colour, don't the blue ones have lugs in a different position than the yellow ones, such that in theory you can only plug 230V kit into 230V sockets and vice versa.

Also, whereabouts in the UK are you - you are aware that if in England or Wales this work should have been notified to your LABC before you started aren't you...

 

[oldman2]

I have 16mm tails atm and 10mm main earth to the cu. If the board were to agree to upgrade the earthing and main fuse I would then change the tails to 25mm and the earth to cu to 16mm.

I am aware of the requrement to notify before working, and at the risk of starting something I never speed in my car either

The comments re the 32amp socket are noted. A lockoff on the control switch will stop anyone but me using it for now.

 

[comms]

Circuit 4
is it a ringmain on a 32amp mcb.....if so wheres the rcd!

Circuit 8

2.5mm on a 32amp mcb?

Bits of your trunking have fallen off.
Lack of rcd on circuits 1-8
Not the best form of lock off on ocpd 1
Neutrals on rcd side not correctly numbered to corrispond with ocpd's
Conductors too long on tails at mainswitch.

 

[oldman2]

Comms, thanks for the comments.

Circuit 4 is a ring main, now as the install of the CU was done starting in 2006 there was no requirement for an rcd. Are you saying that by adding to the installation I should now have to apply 17th to the whole install?

Circuit 8 is my now imfamous 32amp plasma feed, agreed the cable is undersized too.

No bits of trunking have fallen off, I just didnt have any 40x40mm to hand so used smaller for now to keep the cables tidy.

No requirement for rcd on circuits 1-8 unless I am complying with 17th

The wire lockoff is in place as the final circuit it supplies is unfinished, not going to tell where its feeding or the LABC will be mentioned again.

Neutrals are correctly numbered on rcd side, count back from 14.

Dont you just hate it when the insulation creeps back when you bend the tails

 

[rebuke]

I can't tell properly from the photo, but are those meter tails double insulated?

Also, ignoring Part P is not a wise move, even ignoring the fact it is illegal and you could be prosecuted, when you come to sell the house it is quite likely that the buyer's solicitor will demand completion certificates, which you won't be able to provide, and will have to pay a potentially quite large 'regularisation' charge to building control to get one issued (and may have to rip out / replace large parts of the installation to make them happy).

 

[oldman2]

Yes the meter tails are proper 16mm tails, double insulated.

I have lived here 35yrs now and prob the only way they will get me out is in a box, having said that I tee'd up a sparky friend some time ago who was willing to test and certificate the whole installation when needed. He may well want to alter something but thats fine by me.

I think it was 13th or 14th edition when I was last on the tools btw

 

[comms]

Circuit 4 is a ring main, now as the install of the CU was done starting in 2006 there was no requirement for an rcd. Are you saying that by adding to the installation I should now have to apply 17th to the whole install?

No only if you have since the 17th came in, extended / worked on the ringmain in question (didn't know when the cu had been changed).

Circuit 8 is my now imfamous 32amp plasma feed, agreed the cable is undersized too.

Needs sorting then.

No requirement for rcd on circuits 1-8 unless I am complying with 17th

So circuit one will be having an rcbo then to comply with 17th? seen as it's an unfinnished circuit...come on be honest it's external lighting isn't it

Dont you just hate it when the insulation creeps back when you bend the tails

Oh yes indeed I do. I find it easier to bend the tails in to the cu trim to length for the switch, then worry about the making tidy outside the cu.

Neutrals are correctly numbered on rcd side

No they're not....what about the spare 50amp, that should be way 10 on the neutral bar.

 

[Cremeegg]

Can you tell me where I can get double insulated tails that colour?

The ones I always use have a grey outer sheath that I cut back close to the termination to show the coloured inner sheath.

 

[oldman2]

Comms, No not lighting with a b40 mcb on it and 6mm out of the cu. Its for the ......

The numbering is correct as if the 50amp was way 10 that would mean its got 15 ways and its only got 14
The problem with numbering comes from the cu being supplied with only 5 ways on the rcd side and I needed 6 so slide everything along a bit and presto you have 6 ways but numbering will be wrong as way 10 is supposed to be on the non rcd side.
If I use way 10 which is now spare (combi boiler shower not elec any more) I will have to remark the numbering for the ways on the rcd side and shuffle the neutrals all up one place.

I was suprised that nobody mentioned yet the lack of Caution sticker for BS7671 mixed colours. Its there just wasnt when I took the pictures

Creameegg the tails were from City electrical factors, proof in case someone thinks im not using real double insulated cable

View media item 11581

 

[Cremeegg]

Thanks Oldman2 - one more reason to add to why I never use Chitty.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I was suprised that nobody mentioned yet the lack of Caution sticker for BS7671 mixed colours.

I was going to mention that, honest....

And the 110V socket. Presumably you've got a 110V plug on your 230V plasma cutter, for some reason.

I guess all that's left is to wonder if there should be a shroud or cover over the bus bar, or if that's just par-for-the-course Contactum quality.