Fuse Box replacement

[Bioncy]

Hi
Can anyone help, had an issue with electric shower. British Gas have advised that they cannot touch it as the following do not meet current standards:-
Earth to water and gas undersized
Fusebox not to standards
Shower cable requires updating

They have quoted around £700 to replace fusebox
House was built in 1960's so understand need to update, just want to know if cost is excessive.

Thanks
Bioncy

 

[garlicbread]

If that includes Fuse board upgrade, Bonding to water and gas, and rewiring the shower, certificates issued. I would say thats a good price.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Can anyone help, had an issue with electric shower. British Gas have advised that they cannot touch it as the following do not meet current standards:-

Take what BG say with a pinch of salt, get a second opinion of a proper electrician.

Earth to water and gas undersized
Fusebox not to standards
Shower cable requires updating

How have they proved this?
Are you fitting a higher rated shower than existing?
Possible true possibly bullpoo!

They have quoted around £700 to replace fusebox

How big is the property how many circuits?

House was built in 1960's so understand need to update, just want to know if cost is excessive.

It may not, £700 for new board would depend on number of circuits, whether they are updating bonding to pipework, but would get at least another two quotes.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Take what BG say with a pinch of salt, get a second opinion of a proper electrician.

Agreed.

What was the issue with the shower?

 

[DaftPunk]

£700? Youreavinalarf

 

[Bioncy]

Can anyone help, had an issue with electric shower. British Gas have advised that they cannot touch it as the following do not meet current standards:-

Take what BG say with a pinch of salt, get a second opinion of a proper electrician.

Earth to water and gas undersized
Fusebox not to standards
Shower cable requires updating

How have they proved this?
Are you fitting a higher rated shower than existing?
Possible true possibly bullpoo!

They have quoted around £700 to replace fusebox

How big is the property how many circuits?

House was built in 1960's so understand need to update, just want to know if cost is excessive.

It may not, £700 for new board would depend on number of circuits, whether they are updating bonding to pipework, but would get at least another two quotes.

Thanks everyone, house is a 3 bed semi, don't know how many circuits, how would I tell that ?
The shower is 9.5w about 3 years old, its been switching itself off, so changed fuse, but then the electric cord switch stopped working. Called in BG as covered under homecare agreement.

 

[AndyPRK]

Probably needs a new pull cord switch. Fairly common.

 

[sparkwright]

Pictures of the old fuse box(es) would be useful here.

Also would be interested in the size of the shower cable, and the route in which it is run.

Though they may have a point, I would be very sceptical of these 'homecare' services.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Thanks everyone

Well you haven't thus far, the only thanks has been offered to likely the least useful answer, as there are so many variables and in general BG tend to rip their clients off, so probably the quote of £700 is well over and the work unlikely.

The house is a 3 bed semi, don't know how many circuits, how would I tell that ?

A good place to look would be at the existing fuse board, how many fuses/breakers are on it and is it the only board in the property.
If you remove or turn them off, what goes off in the house.

The shower is 9.5w about 3 years old, its been switching itself off, so changed fuse, but then the electric cord switch stopped working. Called in BG as covered under homecare agreement.

I guess you mean 9.5kW? What make/model is it? Some showers are better than others, do you know the cable size and breaker size? This should be detailed on the installation certificate/minor works cert you were issued on installation, and as the requirement for RCD protection was also in place 3 years ago, dare I say," I assume that this is present on the system?". I cannot see what has gone so drastically wrong in the last 3 years that would mean, that all your main earth bonding needs updating and a new unit is required.
With regards to pull cord switch, it could be a loose connection if the mechanism is clicking as normal, if not, very likely that debris from ceiling has got into the mechanism and jammed it, so that would require replacing and at that time, seal the ceiling entry hole up with a silicon sealant, to prevent it happening again.
Sounds to me that BG are giving it you large!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Though they may have a point, I would be very sceptical of these 'homecare' services.

Indeed, I have been on many a job where either the homecare service were trying to rip off the client with unnecessary work or they did not have the correct knowledge on how to diagnose the fault correctly!
I don't know how they get away with charging the monthly/annual fees, they should be on cowboy traders!

Picture Title

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 7 May 2013
• 8

 

[westie101]

Indeed, I have been on many a job where either the homecare service were trying to rip off the client with unnecessary work or they did not have the correct knowledge on how to diagnose the fault correctly!

I've said it before, I've attended a serious incident that could have resulted in a serious house fire and a possible fatality owing to a badly diagnosed electrical fault by a totally unqualified BG employee.

Don't trust them or anything they say!


As with gas, they do not accept that retrospective action is not required when regulations are updated, if it doesn't meet the present day regulation is is unsafe and they will not work on it. Of course they are more than happy to sell you an updated installation so that you can get the original fault fixed!

 

[JohnW2]

As with gas, they do not accept that retrospective action is not required when regulations are updated, if it doesn't meet the present day regulation is is unsafe and they will not work on it. Of course they are more than happy to sell you an updated installation so that you can get the original fault fixed!

Quite so. I suppose it's their prerogative to decide what installations they are, and are not, prepared to work on - but they certainly ought to make it clear to customers that there is no general (legal or regulatory) requirement to update an installation to current requirements.

Indeed, if they are getting work by (untruthfully) convincing people that such work is a legal or regulatory requirement, that would sound very close to fraud to me.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ekmdgrf]

Like any insurance scheme, they will happily take your money but won't be so happy to pay out. British Gas's loyalty is to it's share holders and not to its customers. It's objective is to maximise income and minimise costs. That means avoiding paying out.

In this case they have a fantastic opportunity. Not only can they avoid costs but they can also maximise income by offering more chargeable work. As they have a vested financial interest in condemning your installation, I would take their advice with sack full of salt.

I would read through the small print of your contract. Also get some figures on things. If the bonding is not undersized, ask them what size it is and what size they think it should be. If the cable for the shower is undersized, ask them what size it is and what it should be. If the fusebox is outdated, ask what is wrong with it.

TL;DR: They're just trying it on.

 

[AndyPRK]

I think your best solution is to turn your power off.

Open the shower pull cord.
See if the wires inside are burnt or smell burnt.

Buy a replacement 45A pull cord from screwfix.

Replace said item, and if the wires are burnt, cut back to nice copper.

See if that fixes the problem.


Don't renew BG contract

 

[ekmdgrf]

Oh yes, I did mean to add. Cancel your BG contract, stick the money you would spend on it in a cookie jar marked "emergency repairs".