Safe? Legal?

[pinheadplanet]

Looks like the earth comes out of the Consumer Unit and goes into a little connector strip, then comes back to the big cable, is that the PILC? See attached.

The switch saying shower is the actually the switch for the Oven! It looks to me like it's had a sticker on it and then there's some colouration from plaster dust which is also on the rest of the fuses. Doesn't look to be 'burnt' to me, have a look there's a close up photo of it here.

Thanks

 

[ericmark]

An EICR would give a C1 for that installation and the inspector would not be permitted to leave without making safe, the picture of the consumer unit could be used in a collage lecture to show the dangers of using blanks which are push fit. Clearly no one is daft enough to stick their fingers in the hole left by the missing devices and touch the live bus bar, however it would be classed as immediate danger. at 66p not expensive, however I question if these could be removed without the use of a tool. If they simply push in could they also be removed with finger nails behind them?

 

[pinheadplanet]

You don’t have fuses. They are MCBs.

MCB's yeah, that's what I meant . So it's not burnt/overheating right? Looks ok?

 

[endecotp]

I thunk RF was concerned about the connection at the end of the earth wire behind the “safety electrical earth” label. It’s not very clear in the photo because of the label.

It looks to me as if the strands have been unwound and half go to one side and half to the other, and it’s probably OK. But give it a prod and see if it’s a good connection.

 

[pinheadplanet]

I thunk RF was concerned about the connection at the end of the earth wire behind the “safety electrical earth” label. It’s not very clear in the photo because of the label.

It looks to me as if the strands have been unwound and half go to one side and half to the other, and it’s probably OK. But give it a prod and see if it’s a good connection.

Seems pretty solid to me. Exactly as you say, unwound and half half in each direction.

 

[chivers67]

That does not contain any RCDs, and far more importantly - those massive holes in the front should not be there, live parts are exposed.

At least the Clear blanks are there to prevent putting a finger in there i guess

 

[ericmark]

The holes need to be filled with the appropriate blanks. They should have been there since that consumer unit was installed.

That is also my concern, I have seen blanks which have to be angled to fit in the lid and once the lid is refitted it is impossible to remove the blank, however my google for blanks for that consumer unit came up with click in type, some are OK, you would still need to remove lid to remove them, others a child could remove with just their fingers.

A plug in RCD is better than nothing, but all sockets that could be used for outside items should have a permanently installed RCD, preferably in the consumer unit. That has been a requirement for almost 30 years, suggesting no one has inspected or tested anything there for a very long time.
The 32A shower MCB appears to have overheating damage on the top edge.

I have had RCD protection in my house since around 1992, however it was not required, and for an installation designed before 2001 it is still not required. And it is design date that matters not when installed.

As said the blanks are less than £1, there is no excuse for no blanks, even insulation tape over the hole would help. A RCBO for Contactum is not really expensive at £16.07 as to if worth fitting them in a plastic box not so sure.

The problem as I see it is to change a consumer unit needs registering so some one needs to go into your home, but to change a MCB for a RCBO does not, so can be done DIY, so with Covid lock down it may be better to fit a RCBO, however not worked with Contactum so can any one confirm will the RCBO fit in that board?

 

[SUNRAY]

The new blanks I'm tending to see now are metal and have to be twisted into the opening with the lid off.

 

[RF Lighting]

Seems pretty solid to me. Exactly as you say, unwound and half half in each direction.

Having seen your new photos, the connection looks sound and as I’d expect it to be. The actual copper is a little longer than usual which is why I wondered if it had dropped out of the clamp, but all looks good. Well not good but not unsafe apart from the missing blanks mentioned earlier.

 

[SUNRAY]

Seems pretty solid to me. Exactly as you say, unwound and half half in each direction.

Thanks for the update. I still say it was a good spot by RF.

 

[securespark]

Absolutely.

What is the 40A MCB marked "MAIN" feeding?

 

[pinheadplanet]

It's the sockets, upstairs and down.

Absolutely.

What is the 40A MCB marked "MAIN" feeding?

 

[securespark]

Yikes.

Should be 32A or less, depending upon the cable size.

 

[pinheadplanet]

What could happen? It won't trip a lower ampage because it's rated 40A?

 

[endecotp]

What is the 40A MCB marked "MAIN" feeding?

It's the sockets, upstairs and down.

But there are 32A MCBs marked “upstairs sockets” and “downstairs sockets”....

Are you certain about “MAIN”? What happens if you turn off one of the “sockets” MCBs?