shower protection/consumer unit?

[neilw]

Hello,
Can anyone tell me what the difference between a 'shower consumer unit' and a bog standard consumer unit is? I've seen them selling as 2-way as well so it isn't just because they only have one breaker

Or is it just a marketing term? they all seem to cost more than standard 1 or 2 way units.

e.g.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CPSP2.html

Thanks.

 

[ricicle]

That's about the crux of it. A 'shower consumer unit' is just an enclosure with an RCD and MCB.

A consumer unit is the general name for what is the 'mains panel' in a domestic situation.

 

[wingcoax]

If you are considering fitting a 'shower consumer unit' DONT! You will have to tap into either your existing consumer unit ,or (if fitted) henley blocks, either qill require the power to be turned off to do safely.

 

[ericmark]

Consumer unit = Type tested distribution unit. With one out put it is not a distribution unit so not a consumer unit it is a overload and earth leakage connection unit basic a big version of an RCD FCU.
You may ask what difference does it make. Well under Part P you need to register fitting a consumer unit with the LABC.
So if there are two or more outputs it is a consumer unit but one output a connection unit.
As to difference in real terms showers use a lot of power so the RCD is rated at 63A with a garage consumer unit likely the RCD has a much lower rating.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You may ask what difference does it make.

What difference does it make?

Well under Part P you need to register fitting a consumer unit with the LABC.
So if there are two or more outputs it is a consumer unit but one output a connection unit.

I think that's a dubious distinction.

Specious even...

 

[ericmark]

Consumer unit (may also be known as a consumer control unit or electricity control unit). A particular type of distribution board comprising a type-tested co-ordinated assembly for the control and distribution of electrical
energy, principally in domestic premises, incorporating manual means of double-pole isolation on the incoming circuit(s) and an assembly of one or more fuses, circuit-breakers, residual current operated devices or signalling and other devices proven during the type-test of the assembly as suitable for such use.

That I agree does say one or more. But:-
Distribution board. An assembly containing switching or protective devices (e.g. fuses, circuit-breakers, residual current operated devices) associated with one or more outgoing circuits fed from one or more incoming circuits, together with terminals for the neutral and circuit protective conductors. It may also include signalling and other control devices. Means of isolation may be included in the board or may be provided separately.

Now this clears it up a bit so a single fuse but a number of switches would also be a distribution board so the definition is allowing for some odd system that has switches and fuses.

We all know what to distribute means as to supply a single device could not be considered as distributing.

Under the BS7671:2008 fitting a FCU on a ring main will generate a new circuit.

Circuit. An assembly of electrical equipment supplied from the same origin and protected against overcurrent by the same protective device(s).

The FCU is an protective device so it is by definition a new circuit. However the Part P regulations will allow one to fit a FCU other than in special locations without informing the LABC. There for it must also allow the fitting of a miniature circuit breaker doing same job as fuse.

I am not against the idea of Part P. However it is very poorly written based on an old outdated wiring regulation and as a result of course full of holes. The idea that a utility room does not need notification but a kitchen does is silly. Why having a food preparation area makes anything more dangerous I fail to understand. If it was dependent on water that would make sense but not food preparation.

A room with a cooker, and sink is not a kitchen unless it has a counter to prepare food on. Would not having a sink have made more sense?

A gas fitter can work in his own home without having to be registered and likely he will be anyway as the person is registered not the firm. But with Electricians you can work on domestic all day long and still can't work on your own house. Where is the sense in that? Especially when you meet the LABC inspector who going by the one I met are clueless.

But in this case as wingcoax says the only way is to connect to existing consumer unit so still not permitted.

 

[neilw]

Cheers.

Don't panic, I have no thoughts about wiring it myself, I just wanted to know what a 'shower consumer unit' was. When I bought my house about 10 years ago I rewired the house entirely myself and got the electric board to connect my consumer unit.

I'll be getting my builder/electrician to do all the work this time round, but I just like to look around and source things myself sometimes

I'm having a loft conversion and thought instead of extending my current consumer unit and pulling through three cables (lights, ring, shower) for the loft I'd get him to put a unit in the loft.

Then I saw that you can now buy this shower unit and figured it was just a fancy term for a 1-way consumer unit with RCD and a breaker but then I saw you can get 2-way ones and thought, hmm. is there something more to it?

 

[dingbat]

Ericmark. Is it an age thing with you; all the rambling?

What a load of tosh you dream up at times.

 

[bernardgreen]

Ericmark. Is it an age thing with you; all the rambling?

What a load of tosh you dream up at times.

Please Dingbat.

Do not shoot the messenger, take it up with the people who wrote the poorly written messages.

 

[dingbat]

Ericmark. Is it an age thing with you; all the rambling?

What a load of tosh you dream up at times.

Please Dingbat.

Do not shoot the messenger, take it up with the people who wrote the poorly written messages.

BG:

1. ricicle answered the OP's reasonable question in the first reply.
2. wingcoax then waded in with certain assumptions about the OP's intentions and circumstances. (I decided not to get involved!)
3. Then, for no apparent reason - yet again - ericmark, aroused from his morning nap, dreamed up some inane complications, which he expounded at great length. He does it all the time. He gets in the way. And he's often wrong.

See, he does it here: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=257466

No messengers shot.

 

[dingbat]

I'm having a loft conversion and thought instead of extending my current consumer unit and pulling through three cables (lights, ring, shower) for the loft I'd get him to put a unit in the loft.

A very reasonable approach.

But let your spark (not your builder) source the kit he wants to use. Nothing worse than trying to fit equipment supplied by the client on a cost basis (the only reason most clients would even consider doing that).

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Ericmark. Is it an age thing with you; all the rambling?

What a load of tosh you dream up at times.

I found this post to be unnecessarily unpleasant and vindictive.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Consumer unit (may also be known as a consumer control unit or electricity control unit). A particular type of distribution board comprising a type-tested co-ordinated assembly for the control and distribution of electrical
energy, principally in domestic premises, incorporating manual means of double-pole isolation on the incoming circuit(s) and an assembly of one or more fuses, circuit-breakers, residual current operated devices or signalling and other devices proven during the type-test of the assembly as suitable for such use.

That I agree does say one or more.

Then there's no more to be said - an enclosure with 1 RCD and 1 MCB is a consumer unit.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Then there's no more to be said - an enclosure with 1 RCD and 1 MCB is a consumer unit.

So, an FCU? Is that a consumer unit?

 

[dingbat]

Ericmark. Is it an age thing with you; all the rambling?

What a load of tosh you dream up at times.

I found this post to be unnecessarily unpleasant and vindictive.

Wait until you've read a few of his posts and you'll change your mind.