I'm looking to put a second consumer unit in my loft, to feed the loft (lights, a couple of computers, network switch - nothing heavy), and the first floor (lights and sockets) of the house - No real easy way to run twin and earth within the house, and the existing wiring is black/red and well past it so want to replace with new runs. The existing CU, meter, isolator, henley block are all under the stairs, with an outside wall so easy enough to take a new feed from the henley, out of the wall, up to the loft and then into the new second CU.
1) The roof at the top of the wall i would run the wires up, is a HIP, so mounting the new CU on this will not be easy to install or maintain. The only flat vertical wall is on the other end of the loft space - approx 6m straight line, a shared brick wall. Should I put up a board on the HIP side, to mount the CU onto or run it all the way across the loft and mount onto the shared brick wall? Loft floor is covered in solid insulation so running the wires under the boarded floor is likely a no go - it would have to go up the joists and across the ceiling.
2) 1st floor will be standard household stuff - hair dryers, hair straighteners, tv's, computers etc, along with lights - most likely LED's Possibly a heat recovery unit for air exchange. No electric shower, put possibly washing machine and tumble dryer. What size cable should I look to run (taking into account the run will be approx 8m from ground floor henley to CU if its in the HIP side, or approx 14m if on the wall. I'm thinking 10mm SWA with RCD under the stairs, and metal isolator in the loft, before going into the CU? - in the future I am looking to externally insulate the wall, but will ensure sufficient gap is left around the cable. (box approx 50mm square?)
3) with the floor of the loft covered in solid insulation, can I use conduit to come up along the wall, and through the insulation? Once its in the loft, its it better to run against the floor joists on top of the insulation? there is approx 15mm gap between the floor insulation and the boards on top. Or is it better to get the wires out and then run on the roof joists to the next socket/CU?
Your thoughts and criticism is appreciated!
1) The roof at the top of the wall i would run the wires up, is a HIP, so mounting the new CU on this will not be easy to install or maintain. The only flat vertical wall is on the other end of the loft space - approx 6m straight line, a shared brick wall. Should I put up a board on the HIP side, to mount the CU onto or run it all the way across the loft and mount onto the shared brick wall? Loft floor is covered in solid insulation so running the wires under the boarded floor is likely a no go - it would have to go up the joists and across the ceiling.
2) 1st floor will be standard household stuff - hair dryers, hair straighteners, tv's, computers etc, along with lights - most likely LED's Possibly a heat recovery unit for air exchange. No electric shower, put possibly washing machine and tumble dryer. What size cable should I look to run (taking into account the run will be approx 8m from ground floor henley to CU if its in the HIP side, or approx 14m if on the wall. I'm thinking 10mm SWA with RCD under the stairs, and metal isolator in the loft, before going into the CU? - in the future I am looking to externally insulate the wall, but will ensure sufficient gap is left around the cable. (box approx 50mm square?)
3) with the floor of the loft covered in solid insulation, can I use conduit to come up along the wall, and through the insulation? Once its in the loft, its it better to run against the floor joists on top of the insulation? there is approx 15mm gap between the floor insulation and the boards on top. Or is it better to get the wires out and then run on the roof joists to the next socket/CU?
Your thoughts and criticism is appreciated!
