show us a meter pic!
I will aim to do that. Haven't got one on my phone yet.
show us a meter pic!
It does if you want to comply with section 314.Does a normal install need RCBOs?
In the sense that we've ben using plastic ones for decades, he's right. It depends to some extent whether you are planning to rent or sell the house; if the latter, a prospective buyer might well try to beat you down in price if, assuming it's after after Jan 1st, it then has a 'non-compliant' CU!He did talk about 2016 but said the metal thing wasn't that important...
Yes, as I and others said, that seems pretty likely.... like you guys, he looked at the picture I provided (on my phone) and said that it looked "interesting", made comments about the "incomer" and "meter" and suspected some of "it" was likely to be redundant.
No, it certainly doesn't "need" them. There are some advantages, which you can discuss with your electrician, and the only real downside is cost. If you're going to rent the property, RCBOs might reduce the risk of you getting a 3am phone call about most of the house's electricity having died!Anyway, on TLC Direct... the Consumer Unit itself in metal doesn't appear to be massively more expensive, am I missing something? I guess it gets much more expensive as you add £25 RCBOs. Does a normal install need RCBOs?
I'm not sure that a lot of people would agree with that, not the least becasue it would mean that most UK domestic installations were non-compliant with the regs. 314 is incredibly vague, and can probably be satisfied by having a couple of battery-operated (or battery backed-up) lights - and they would give 'protection' in the event of a power cut or service fuse blowing - something that no RCBO can doIt does if you want to comply with section 314.Does a normal install need RCBOs?
You are asking questions but giving no answers so I would say start again and explain exactly what you have. How many lighting circuits, how many ring finals, does it have electric shower, oven, hob, what type of heating and the list goes on. Once we have a picture of what you have then maybe we can give answers.
Lights are mentioned, but are not relevant to the highlighted parts below.314 is incredibly vague, and can probably be satisfied by having a couple of battery-operated (or battery backed-up) lights
"Minimize inconvenience" [why do the spell in American?] is about as vague as it could get, so there will be a vast range of interpretations of (i) - but when the subject is discussed here, the main 'inconvenience' (and potential danger) usually mentioned is of a house being "plunged into darkness" by a fault on some other circuit. At the other extreme, some may regard it as 'inconvenient' having all the sockets on a final circuit dying as a result of a single fault, so even your RCBOs might be non-compliant in their eyes!Lights are mentioned, but are not relevant to the highlighted parts below.314 is incredibly vague, and can probably be satisfied by having a couple of battery-operated (or battery backed-up) lights
Do you really believe that the majority of UK domestic installations are non-compliant with BS7671 (for this reason)? As I implied, one can even argue that there are ways to make a single RCD (covering all circuits) setup compliant with 314, but the great majority appear to be happy that a dual-RCD CU does comply. I'd be interested to hear others' views about this!With dual RCDs, a single fault results in multiple circuits being disconnected, causing significant inconvenience.
Why? Are you suggesting that, in a TN installation, the MCB is likely to trip before an RCD/RCBO does, or what?On to this we also have supply type TT is likely to trip RCD's more than TN and one ...
One doesn't really have to consider DP RCBOs if all final circuits are RCD- or RCBO- protected. The problem with TT only arises if there are some unprotected final circuits, such that an up-front Type S RCD has to be installed. If all circuits are RCD/RCBO-protected, that is not necessary....has to consider neutral earth faults and should double pole RCBO's be used.
... and also on how you (or the occupant of the premises in question) define "inconvenience". As I said, one person might regarded it as 'inconvenient' that all sockets on one circuit dies because of one fault, whereas another person might not regard themselves as being particularly 'inconvenienced' by loosing most of their electricity (or all of their lighting)!Minimising inconvenience. ... It obviously depends on how you define minimise.
No.I may be wrong, but I really don't think many electricians would regard a dual-RCD CU as being non-compliant with 314 - do you?
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