Renovation- electrician said this box is ok? Agreed

[mrbg07546]

Attached is a picture of current electricity box. We hired a electition doing some reiwiring(for our renovation). We was open to the idea of a full rewrire including changing the electricity box. He says it's not needed. Other electritions said we should change it

What are your thoughts? Pictures attached

 

[deadshort]

Yes, change it. It does not comply with regs and the mcb's are obsolete.

DS

 

[securespark]

Dangerous:

IP breaches where blanks are missing.

Ditto where MCB cover is missing.

Potential IP breaches where cables enter the unit (out of sight).


Not to current standard:

Some circuits not RCD protected, though some may not need to be.

CU not made of non-combustible material.* Debateable, but the regs mention steel and all the manufacturers have use steel in their new boards.

I would agree with DS. Replace it!

 

[mrbg07546]

He has started wiring that's why the wires are in place.

So he is adding some new sockets and going to add a new cooker wire.

So I really need to change it? She your saying anyone having alteration work should change based on this box?

 

[securespark]

What circuit breakers does your spark plan to fit for the new circuits, assuming you keep the original CU?

 

[mrbg07546]

He told me to purchase the below

 

[333rocky333]

the mcb's are obsolete.

DS

Do the current starbreakers not fit then


https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Consumer_Units_Index/Crabtree_Starbreaker_MCB/index.html

 

[ban-all-sheds]

He told me to purchase the below

Why isn't he providing the materials?

Are you sure he really is an electrician?

 

[mrbg07546]

Ok so from this thread I'm concluding it's ok to have this box? As we are only doing modifications however there is a newer one available which will give me some extra protection?

 

[OwainDIYer]

It's nice to have an electrician who's not recommending unnecessary work.

But if you're already having a lot of wiring work done, the electrician will already be doing the inspection and testing of the circuits before he adds to them, so the extra cost of the new consumer unit and labour should be reasonable in the overall scheme of things.

On the other hand if it were correctly installed with no blanks missing there would be no need to replace it.

 

[DaveHerns]

What sort of electrician runs wires through the front of the box?

 

[mrbg07546]

What sort of electrician runs wires through the front of the box?

He's coming back to finish off the work another day. It's still work In progress

 

[sparkwright]

If the whole house is being rewired then change the consumer unit.

If just a few new circuits are being added then keep the old consumer unit, assuming appropriate RCD protection has been accounted for.