Is this Consumer Unit setup safe?

[c_smith]

A couple of years ago, I had my consumer unit replaced. The old one was sited right underneath my boiler and had became all rusty due to a water leak which the previous occupants had not bothered to get fixed.

To prevent any potential problems in the future should the boiler develop another leak, I got the electrician who fitted my new one to move it away from the boiler. The cables were not long enough to reach the new consumer unit, so he said he would use the old one as a junction box and extend the wires from there.

I've since discovered that there is now a spaghetti junction of cables under the floorboards that were not there before, some of which have been connected up using plastic block connectors.

Having read through some of the other posts in the forum, it would appear this is not the ideal way to extend the cables to the new consumer unit. It is certainly not neat, but my main concern is whether it is safe or not.

Could anyone advise me regarding this from the attached photos and if it's not safe, what kind of price would I be looking at to have it rectified by a qualified electrician. I live in the Lanarkshire area just outside Glasgow.


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[Softus]

It strikes me as very wrong to have put a boiler vertically above the CU and the incoming supply fuse/meter.

Moving the CU hasn't made anything safer, and seems to have resulted in some suspect connections hidden under the floorboards.

If it were in England, and it were my house, I'd consider moving the boiler and sueing the surveyor for the cost of doing it - you should never have been allowed to buy a house in that state without your eyes being fully opened. Are the Scottish laws so different in this respect?

 

[mst]

na thats absolutely awful, looks like a diy job to me!

i can do that and im not a spark,also wheres the bonding etc.

awful!

 

[bernardgreen]

There appears to be cables coming out of the old consumer unit, are these connected in there ? with no fusings

This is appalling and who ever did it needs to be named and shamed.

Bernard
Sharnbrook

 

[c_smith]

I looked into the regulations surrounding the siting of the boiler above a consumer unit back when I discovered the leak. Apparently there is nothing that specifically prohibits this.

I can assure you it's not a DIY job - I can change a switch or a socket, but I wouldn't even consider touching the fuse box. The old guy that done it was a retired electrician who was a friend of the father-in-law. Maybe that's the way they done it back when he was in business.

Can anyone recommend a GOOD electrician in the Glasgow/Lanarkshire area who would be able to sort this for me?

 

[Spark123]

There appears to be cables coming out of the old consumer unit, are these connected in there ? with no fusings

This is appalling and who ever did it needs to be named and shamed.

Bernard
Sharnbrook

Looks like it is a metal clad CU, can you see an earth to it too? The only earth I can see from the DNO knockout heads under the floor, doesn't appear at first glance to go to the new CU either .

 

[RF Lighting]

I don't get why the tails have been joined in the old cu, when they actually pass the meter to get there, and they only appear to be 16.0mm².

Did you get a certificate for the work?

As already said there is no bond to the gas, and therefore probably not to the water either.

As there is still a joint straight under the boiler you are now worse off than you were before this bodger had a stab at your wiring.

 

[davy_owen_88]

I don't get why the tails have been joined in the old cu, when they actually pass the meter to get there, and they only appear to be 16.0mm².

Because the guy who did the work didn't want to remove the main fuse and replace the tails coming directly from the meter? Not uncommon when a diy'er does a job or they can't be bothered getting the DNO involved to pull the fuse...

Also 16mm tails are common on 60A supplies - recently had a meter change and isolator switch fitted and 16mm tails were used.


Anyway, my opinion on the situation is that its a complete mess. I'd get the DNO out to fit an isolator switch and when hes there ask him to connect the tails from the new consumer unit to the switch - that solves one problem.

Then get an electrician in to upgrade/install the main bonding to water and gas and test out and remedy the mess under the floorboards.

 

[festa]

Wow,what a mess
First off i would contact your local DNO as (as mentioned above) the boiler shoulnt have been sited directly above the electricity intake,as if water gets in there your left without any power at all.
The DNO may offer to extend their main intake as far over as they deem safe but this WILL cost you big time,then get a qualified spark to get rid of the old consumer unit and all that unsafe wiring under your floor boards.
Your` friendly spark `wont have issued you with any certificates for his `work` as,in the state its in i cant see it passing a number of inspection/test results.
If still in business,i would contact the engineer who installed the boiler and tell him that unless the boiler is re-sited ,in a safer place you are willing to sue for negligence.

 

[Softus]

If still in business,i would contact the engineer who installed the boiler and tell him that unless the boiler is re-sited ,in a safer place you are willing to sue for negligence.

Sue the plumber? Are you crazy? There are preventative measures that can be taken to mitigate the risk of water damage to the electrics, and they don't involve an expensive and disruptive re-siting of the boiler.

 

[festa]

Me....Crazy ...NEVER

Yes preventing the water coming down the wall could be considered with suitable barriers or enclosures......
BUT .....
The electrician who wired up the boiler AFTER it was installed ABOVE the main intake SHOULD have made the plumber aware of the potential risk involved .
The plumber SHOULD have issued a receipt/certificate for the boiler installation and followed ALL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS and similar to ours `PREVENTION OF MUTUAL DETRIMENTAL INFLUENCES` should have been adhered to.

 

[TopTrumper]

If still in business,i would contact the engineer who installed the boiler and tell him that unless the boiler is re-sited ,in a safer place you are willing to sue for negligence.

Sue the plumber? Are you crazy? There are preventative measures that can be taken to mitigate the risk of water damage to the electrics, and they don't involve an expensive and disruptive re-siting of the boiler.

something like this
http://www.forthehorseofcourse.com/stall-stable/Heavy duty bucket-l.jpg

 

[c_smith]

Davy, when you say get the DNO out to fit an isolator switch, where do I contact them? Do I just phone my energy supplier, or would I contact Scottish Power? And how much will they charge me for this?

 

[JohnD]

You only need to contact the company you buy the electricity from (write to teh address on teh bill). They will quite likely pass the request onto someone else, but it is their job to know who, not yours.

I always recommend a brief businesslike letter rather than a phone call will will end up in a call centre in Kurdistan or somewhere.

 

[c_smith]

I phoned my supplier today and they're going to fit an isolator switch for £35. I take it that's reasonable? First appointment they could give me though is 16th January.