New consumer box

[swampydrill]

I have an old style consumer box in my garage whereby you need to change the fuses when they trip, i have a friend who works for an electrical company and is a qualified electrician, he has said that he can change the box out for a new style but as is private he can't provide a certificate, does this matter?, if i had a fire would this be checked or investigate and nullify my insurance??

 

[EFLImpudence]

You will have to notify the Local Authority Building Control before the work starts and pay their fee or

employ a registered electrician who can self-certify.

 

[swampydrill]

Are you saying if i contact local buiding control then i can use a qualified electrician who is doing a bit of work on the side and can't issue a certificate

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, if the LABC agree he is competent to do the work.

Their fees may be more than you think reasonable. It depends where you live.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Are you saying if i contact local buiding control then i can use a qualified electrician who is doing a bit of work on the side and can't issue a certificate

You can use an electrician that is not qualified if you liked.
But in answer to your question yes.
They do charge a fee though, so be ready to turn out your pockets!
Your electrician friend will be expected to perform and document inspection and test results. By means of an EIC and schedules.
Make sure they do a PIR on the system prior to changing the unit, as it could through up faults that the new units do not like!

 

[AndyPRK]

if its just a regular small garage, maybe it is best to leave it alone.

I assume the fuses don't blow.

 

[RMS]

Has the electrician visually checked other aspects of the electrical installation within your property as there could be more important improvements / upgrades required than changing your consumer unit. There are more important reasons for changing a consumer unit other than improving the style.

A Periodic Inspection Report is required to identify where improvements or attention is needed.

if i had a fire would this be checked or investigate and nullify my insurance??

That would be the least of my worrys if I had a fire in my house. Seriously, if you want to improve your electrics and safety within your property then have PIR carried out before investing in a new consumer unit.

 

[swampydrill]

Well the style is 22 yrs old and i work away alot, no disrespect to my wife but if she had lights blow in the evening she may struggle to pull and change fuses, the idea of just resetting a tripped switch is appealing, as regards to a PIR i am sure there are things that may be done differently now but as the house is 22 yrs old i would think wiring etc would still be good. The question regarding a fire was just something that someone else mentioned to me and i wondered if it was correct. Just to reiterate, i'm not living in a delapidated house but a modern one that just nneds a new box.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

as the house is 22 yrs old i would think wiring etc would still be good.

Do you say that because:

a) You have lived there since it was new, you know for certain that when it was built the electrics were done properly and that everything you've done since then was done properly

or

b) It's the mother of all assumptions

?

Just to reiterate, i'm not living in a delapidated house but a modern one that just nneds a new box.

I suspect the answer above is (b), and that you have absolutely no idea if all it needs is a new CU.

Your objection to following sensible best practice and having a PIR done first is what, exactly?

 

[AndyPRK]

Is the CU located in the garage, but powers the whole house ?

Make sure your wife knows how to reset MCB/RCD. As the new one is much more likly to trip than the old one, eg. when a bulb blows.

 

[NewOrder]

If it is a Wylex standard unit couldn't you just swap the fuses for MCBs?

If you're really worried about fuses blowing and your wife not being able to replace them why not just buy another fuse and wire it with the correct grade fuse wire. Then label it lighting only or something. Then if it blows she just needs to plug in a new pre wired fuse.

I would not change a 22 year old consumer unit, it is still new, there are many 1960's ones still in reliable service! The time to change is when other upgrades to the wiring means you need more capacity and perhaps RCD protection.

 

[JB666]

Why can't your "friendly" spark issue a cert or notify the LA of the work he/she has done? Are they employed rather than self employed?

Doesn't matter if he/she is being paid or not.

Any work done shold be tested and certificated and notified to LA (if applicable).

If he/she is registered with a proper body ie Napit, NICEIC, Elecsa etc they should be able to self certify.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Could you not teach your wife how to do it?

Silly me.

 

[swampydrill]

I have lived in the house since new and no new wiring work has been done so i guess i am assuming an electrician of 22 yrs ago knew what he was doing. I'm not sure why the electrician can't issue a certificate, i know he is employed by a local electrical company so maybe his boss doesn't like the idea of work on the side, don't know.
I like the idea Jo of changing the fuses for MCBs rather than the whole unit, will look into that.
My box is a Wylex, doesn't seem to be a model number but 8 fuses, guess this is quite standard.

 

[securespark]

My box is a Wylex, doesn't seem to be a model number but 8 fuses, guess this is quite standard.

You're probably right, it sounds like a Wylex Standard.

Like this?:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Products/size_3/WY804.JPG