Rewire Completed

[ryanj]

Finished rewire now, ScottishPower came early today and installed a new cut-out and the existing meter onto my board, I was instructed to install new 35mm2 tails between where the new service drop was to be and where he would install the cut-out and I left him a small 16mm2 earth tail from the earth block (don't want any bare strands for earth ).

He just removed the old tails and installed a new drop (interesting to watch), and connected by tails to the drop with some interesting looking connectors. Fortunately, there was already PME available on the line, so he didn't need to install any more rods.

Here's some pictures:-

Whole board. (1000mmx450mm).

The top of the fuse carrier was broken, so only the bottom one was sealed, but the seal is so loose, the fuse can be pulled out?

Existing meter, rated at 20-80amps.

New isolator, I installed.

Earth block, all 16mm2 to bonding.

Period Inspect and Report label

New consumer unit.

Questions:-

1. The meter is rated at 20-80amps, what does this actually mean?

That it won't register less than 20amps, or more than 80amps?

2. I got a rating of just under 0.15ohms for the Loop Imedannce (the prospective fault current was just under 4kA), is this about right, or should it be lower?

 

[plugwash]

hmm whats that black stuff on the larger cables?

 

[ChrisRogers]

where do the tails before the cut out go?!

 

[ryanj]

hmm whats that black stuff on the larger cables?

That black stuff, would actually be brown heatshrink on the 10mm2 cables. I couldn't get them in harmonsized colours, so I did that to them, to keep everything nice.

where do the tails before the cut out go?!

The board is spaced of the wall, they disappear into the cavity wall, and eventually end up outside, where they join onto the overhead drop.

 

[Lectrician]

Who installed the tails to outside?? The rec would normally use a concentric, especially with PME.

Why did you choose to have a seperate earth bar, you could have combined it in the CU??

Loop impedance is very good, 0.35 is the max for TN-C-S supplies.

20-80 amps. 80 amp is the maximum load, I am unsure why they state 20amp min load, the meter will deffinantly still record below 20amp, although maybe it is calibrated at 20amp and above?? Anyone know??

What are the circuits left to right??

 

[ryanj]

Thanks for the feedback Lectrician.

Who installed the tails to outside?? The rec would normally use a concentric, especially with PME.

They told me to install the tails to where there new overhead drop, I haven't saw one done any differently.

Why did you choose to have a seperate earth bar, you could have combined it in the CU??

Got me there! I think it may have something to do with MK's earth terminal bar, it is very flimsy, and it'll pop out of it's base with little force. Also, the terminals on the consumer unit bar are pretty small. It's also a neat way for the main earth supply to be terminated.

Loop impedance is very good, 0.35 is the max for TN-C-S supplies.

Good.

What are the circuits left to right??

[code:1]
1. Cooker 40amp MCB 10mm2
2. Shower 40amp RCBO 10mm2
3. Kitchen Sockets 32amp RCBO 2.5mm2
4. Downstairs Sockets 32amp RCBO 2.5mm2
5. Upstairs Sockets 32amp RCBO 2.5mm2
6. Shed Subdistro 32amp MCB 10mm2 (with 10mm2 SWA for overhead)
7. Immersion Heater 16amp MCB 2.5mm2
8. Freezer 16amp MCB 2.5mm2
9. Central Heating 16amp MCB 2.5mm2
10. Lights + Doorbell supply 6amp MCB 1.5mm2
11. Lights + Shaver + Extact 6amp MCB 1.5mm2
12. Smoke Alarm 6amp MCB 1.5mm2
13. Doorbell XFMR 1.5mm2
14. Doorbell XFMR[/code:1]

 

[plugwash]

umm just where it the doorbell transformer fed off?

 

[toasty]

Nice job, well done mate, it looks really neat.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

umm just where it the doorbell transformer fed off?

Off the busbar by the looks of it - presumably DIN-rail mount transformers like those have internal protection and so don't need to be fed via an MCB? Never looked at them in earnest - no space in my CU to spare for that - mine is on a fused spur from a handy socket in the hall....

 

[ryanj]

umm just where it the doorbell transformer fed off?

It's fed from the first lighting circuit, if you look carefully you can see a secondary piece of 1.5mm2 going into the MCB.

Off the busbar by the looks of it - presumably DIN-rail mount transformers like those have internal protection and so don't need to be fed via an MCB? Never looked at them in earnest - no space in my CU to spare for that - mine is on a fused spur from a handy socket in the hall....

It stated it must be fed from no more than a 6amp MCB.

Nice job, well done mate, it looks really neat.

Thanks

Also, you notice the RCBO's have different switches than the MCB's? Is there any MCB's still made like the RCBO's?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Also, you notice the RCBO's have different switches than the MCB's? Is there any MCB's still made like the RCBO's?

There is maker (can't remember.... MEM???) who makes add-on RCD modules to put on MCBs to turn them into RCBOs, so they end up looking the same.

Also, I think that Siemens devices all have the same switch appearance.

 

[Lectrician]

MEM and BILL (now MEM Eaton), do clip on RCBO 'PODS', and also the full RCBO's (just a pod on a breaker). They look identical, as the MCB forms part of the RCBO.

MEM is my preffered manufacturer for distribution kit, great quality.

I can see the second 1mm feeding the bell leaving the breaker, but not going down behind the dinrail??

 

[ryanj]

There is maker (can't remember.... MEM???) who makes add-on RCD modules to put on MCBs to turn them into RCBOs, so they end up looking the same.

Also, I think that Siemens devices all have the same switch appearance.

It would just attach where the output cable would have attached too? Where would the test button go?

I can see the second 1mm feeding the bell leaving the breaker, but not going down behind the dinrail??

Just the way, I had the camera, here it is in a different perspective:

And here is one with the flimsy busbar shield removed:

Thanks, for the feedback!

 

[plugwash]

only other thing i would say is you left no room for expansion

 

[ryanj]

only other thing i would say is you left no room for expansion

Yep.

The doorbell transformer wasn't actually planned to be installed there. I suppose if there is any need for expansion, it could be moved quite simply.

And while I remember, another question, what is that annoying little flashing light on the meter? It reads "800 pulses/kWh". A flashes 8 times per 1/100th of a kWh.