New Consumer Unit

[rich42]

I am looking at getting my plastic consumer unit replaced by an 18th Edition unit as I need some more circuits adding.

One thing I am unsure of, is how to seal the cable entry holes.

The meter tails would enter a single circular hole and I believe you can buy a gland that will seal this entry.

However, most of my circuits enter the back of the CU, through large rectangular holes, with rounded ends. Can you get anything to prperly seal these holes and cables?

Tnx Rich

 

[TimboTwo]

Leave it to your electrician.

 

[Taylortwocities]

.

Whssign

• Taylortwocities
• 16 Jul 2016

What he said

 

[sparkwright]

Rich, if you're still there, are you planning on doing this yourself, or just taking an interest?

 

[Aragorn84]

And if the electrician bodges it up?

Some guys like clagging intumescent mastic everywhere, but it doesnt actually seem to be a requirement, and makes it pretty horrible if you ever need to do any further work on the board.

IP4X top and IP2X elsewhere is what you need to meet. A hole in the rear of a CU is fine, just make sure any edges are suitable protected.

 

[Taylortwocities]

And if the electrician bodges it up?

You take up the issue with his/her CPS.

 

[rich42]

Many thanks for the helpful reply.

I am not supprised that it only took 14 mins after I posted, for some numpty to say "leave it to your electrician". Some people on here forget the website is DIYNOT, ie DO IT YOURSELF, not book an over priced sparky.

Just before the introduction of part P, I was on a course with a bunch of sparkies, who were rubbing their hands with glee about all the new regs comming in, they said they were going to make a fortune.

That is what seems to be happening. Electrical wiring is now a closed shop, which is pushing prices higher and higher.

 

[TimboTwo]

And if the electrician bodges it up?

Some guys like clagging intumescent mastic everywhere, but it doesnt actually seem to be a requirement, and makes it pretty horrible if you ever need to do any further work on the board.

IP4X top and IP2X elsewhere is what you need to meet. A hole in the rear of a CU is fine, just make sure any edges are suitable protected.

Notifiable works to LABC under Part P Building Regs

 

[TimboTwo]

Many thanks for the helpful reply.

I am not supprised that it only took 14 mins after I posted, for some numpty to say "leave it to your electrician". Some people on here forget the website is DIYNOT, ie DO IT YOURSELF, not book an over priced sparky.

Just before the introduction of part P, I was on a course with a bunch of sparkies, who were rubbing their hands with glee about all the new regs comming in, they said they were going to make a fortune.

That is what seems to be happening. Electrical wiring is now a closed shop, which is pushing prices higher and higher.

Do you have the ability, knowledge and competence as well as the necessary test equipment to carry out the relevant testing of the installation and issue the test certificate?
Failure to have this done properly will probably invalidate your house insurance.
There is a reason electricians invest a lot of time and money in training.
Signed Numpty.

 

[Aragorn84]

Notifiable works to LABC under Part P Building Regs

He didnt ask if it was notifiable, he asked about sealing up holes in his CU.

 

[Aragorn84]

Do you have the ability, knowledge and competence as well as the necessary test equipment to carry out the relevant testing of the installation and issue the test certificate?
Failure to have this done properly will probably invalidate your house insurance.
There is a reason electricians invest a lot of time and money in training.
Signed Numpty.

While what you say is correct, my experience with trades is that actually, a huge number of them have not invested time and money into training and are incompetent.

Theres clearly a few sparks on here that are very enthusiastic and i would imagine will do a good job. But despite routinely seeing dodgy work by other so-called sparks they often seem unable to admit that a vast number of their peers will not infact do the job properly.

Knowing how a job SHOULD be done, can help ensure the work is done properly.

 

[Risteard]

Some people on here forget the website is DIYNOT, ie DO IT YOURSELF

"Actually, it's Do it Yourself - NOT" - i.e. do NOT do it yourself.

 

[flameport]

a bunch of sparkies, who were rubbing their hands with glee about all the new regs comming in, they said they were going to make a fortune.

Doubtful, as notification of works had no effect on the charlatans who didn't bother with doing the work properly, and for everyone else it just increased the costs of doing those notifiable works. The only people making loads of extra money are the Part P competent persons schemes.

Electrical wiring is now a closed shop,

It isn't. All Part P did was make certain types of work notifiable to building control, in the same way that replacement windows, heating appliances and many other things already were.
Nothing changed regarding who is or isn't allowed to do electrical work.

which is pushing prices higher and higher.

There are vast numbers of 'electricians' happy to charge people next to nothing.
Quality work costs more.

The only contribution Part P made to the mess was to encourage various organisations to offer dubious training courses so that people with zero experience and who had never even picked up a screwdriver in their life could become 'qualified electricians' in a week or four and then go out and wreck people's electrical installations.

However, most of my circuits enter the back of the CU, through large rectangular holes, with rounded ends. Can you get anything to properly seal these holes and cables?

It's not necessary to have large holes in the back. Smaller holes can be made. Cables can enter via other surfaces.
There are various ways to seal them such as grommets, gland plates, individual stuffing glands, intumescent mastic, intumescent pads and so on. All depends on the exact situation.

There is no such thing as an '18th edition consumer unit' - that's just a useless marketing term created so that manufacturers of consumer units can sell more of them. Often used by DIY sheds that are selling non-compliant junk.

As for replacing it - the correct process is:

• Full inspection and test of the whole installation
• Repairs where required, which on an older installation will be almost inevitable.
• Main bonding is often undersized or non-existent so that would need to be installed/replaced.
• Once that is done, you can remove the old consumer unit and install the new one. New tails included.
• Then it's testing the circuits for a second time.

On a small installation with only a few circuits and no major problems, it's a full days work.
For larger installations and those with various defects, considerably longer.
For situations where the existing supply isn't adequate for the load, or has some other problem - wait until the DNO has upgraded or repaired it.

over priced sparky.

How much would you expect to pay - both for the consumer unit itself and for someone to install it properly?

 

[JohnW2]

... One thing I am unsure of, is how to seal the cable entry holes .... However, most of my circuits enter the back of the CU, through large rectangular holes, with rounded ends. Can you get anything to prperly seal these holes and cables?

Aside from the question of who should, or should not, be doing such work (particularly in relation to someone who needs to ask questions such as yours), what makes you feel that there is a need to 'seal' around cables that enter the back of a CU?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

There is special edging to go around the hole, but in the main I use the outer of twin and earth,

Sold here if you really want the right stuff.

Clearly you don't need 10 meters, same way as it takes ages to get through 10 meters of earth sleeve however the cost to notify the fitting of a CU means in real terms not worth DIY.