New 17th edition amendment 3 consumer unit - metal or plastic?

[OwainDIYer]

You probably need a new consumer unit

Can't see what the circuits are for apart from the cooker, but 1 socket circuit and 1 lighting circuit? No immersion heater ...

Nice to see the covers have been fitted over the replacement MCBs though. That might indicate the rest of the wiring is in fairly good condition.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I think BAS's point was probably that if you had a CU (which did not meed the Amd3 requirements, whatever they may be!) installed before the end of this year then there would never be a requirement to bring it up to 1.1.16 standards, even if it remained in service for 40 years.

I did initially think that all the talk of replacing it was because of the report saying it needed replacing because it was not "Amd 3 compliant".

The problem is that the regulation is so badly written that no-one really knows what it means, so most electricians will undoubtedly 'play safe' by installing metal ones.

IF the CU is to be replaced anyway, and IF the OP does not want a metal one, then he should either get it done before the end of the year, or specify a plastic one made by a company which states that theirs is "Amd 3 compliant".

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Amendment 3 is not just about metal/plastic, there are also requirements for the form of door hinge over the circuit breakers and sealing round the cable holes.

This is how the madness starts and/or propagates.

Owain - why do you believe that?

 

[JohnW2]

IF the CU is to be replaced anyway, and IF the OP does not want a metal one, then he should either get it done before the end of the year, or specify a plastic one made by a company which states that theirs is "Amd 3 compliant".

Indeed - but are we yet aware of any of the latter? If they exist, some manufacturers must think that they have worked out what the regulation actually requires!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Amendment 3 is not just about metal/plastic, there are also requirements for the form of door hinge over the circuit breakers and sealing round the cable holes.

This is how the madness starts and/or propagates. Owain - why do you believe that?

Does anyone know what, if anything BS EN 61439-3 has to say about such matters?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Does anyone know what, if anything BS EN 61439-3 has to say about such matters?

Presumably the same as it did before. Has it been altered?

 

[stillp]

Amendment 3 is not just about metal/plastic, there are also requirements for the form of door hinge over the circuit breakers and sealing round the cable holes.

This is how the madness starts and/or propagates.

Owain - why do you believe that?

Owain, I'd like to know that as well - you're the second person recently I've heard who believes that.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Indeed - but are we yet aware of any of the latter? If they exist, some manufacturers must think that they have worked out what the regulation actually requires!

On the contrary.

There seems to have been a mad rush to promote metal ones.


I did ask earlier (without reply) if 'flame retardant ABS', which one manufacturer has always stated, would be considered 'non-combustible'.
I know no one knows the definition but would anyone consider it non-combustible in everyday usage?

 

[OwainDIYer]

Amendment 3 is not just about metal/plastic, there are also requirements for the form of door hinge over the circuit breakers and sealing round the cable holes.

This is how the madness starts and/or propagates.

Owain - why do you believe that?

I must have read it somewhere .. now where, I cannot find!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Does anyone know what, if anything BS EN 61439-3 has to say about such matters?

A blessed few. But I'd be very surprised if an international standard for the construction of an item would encompass how it was installed.

 

[stillp]

I did ask earlier (without reply) if 'flame retardant ABS', which one manufacturer has always stated, would be considered 'non-combustible'.
I know no one knows the definition but would anyone consider it non-combustible in everyday usage?

Depends on the application and on the flame retardent(s) used. Unfortunately environmental legislation has restricted the use of some effective flame retardents.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Depends on the application

What exactly do you mean by application here?

 

[JohnW2]

Does anyone know what, if anything BS EN 61439-3 has to say about such matters?

Presumably the same as it did before. Has it been altered?

What did it say "before"? I'm not at all sure that, "before" Amd3, BS7671 required CUs etc. to comply with 61439-3, did it? ...

... but if it did, then (probably unbeknown to most) whatever 'non-combustibity' requirements it contains would surely have applied even before Amd3?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Indeed - but are we yet aware of any of the latter? If they exist, some manufacturers must think that they have worked out what the regulation actually requires!

On the contrary. There seems to have been a mad rush to promote metal ones.

Indeed there has - as I implied. However, as I said, IF (as BAS seemed to be implying might be the case) any manufacturers are promoting any of their plastic CUs as being "Amd3 compliant", then my comment stands.[/QUOTE]

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

What Hager claim to 'know' ....

The new regulations, which have now been officially released explain that all domestic consumer units fitted in the UK from January 2016 will have to be made of a non-combustible material. Initially there was speculation that this would include plastic enclosures made from thermoplastic (960°C glow wire) material, however this is classified as ‘not readily combustible’ in the context of this regulation hence would not be compliant.

Kind Regards, John