To replace or not - consumer unit

[ukheather]

I have a 63amp consumer unit by Hagen which is over 10 years old at least. I have an 9.5kw electric shower and was thinking of replacing itwith the same 9.5kw or maybe a 10.5kw. I was told it would cost £150 to do as I an getting a bathroom done at the same time.

He said it doesn't need to be replaced, so it is up to me.

I struggled a while ago to find a MCB fuse for it as nothing quite fit.

Should I just get it replaced?

I think he said he would replace it with a 80amp if I wanted, would this be ok for the shower?

 

[JohnD]

Personally, if it's only 63A and you have an electric shower, I'd take this as the opportunity to upgrade to a new, split load 100A CU with the shower and sockets on an RCD, and a few extra ways for future expansion. 63A is not enough for a shower and a ring, and definitely not if you have an electric cooker as well. A 12-way CU costs a bit more than a 6-way, but nowhere near double. £150 may not cover this as it maybe a more thorough, better quality solution than your builder had in mind.

You'll see quite a few posts on here where the installation has been upgraded bit by bit over the years, and you end up with an assortment of bits and pieces of different ages and standards. Yours wont be that bad yet, but take this opportunity to keep of that path. Make sure it's done by a proper electrician who can test it and give you a certificate.


Amuse yourself by looking at the picture associated with
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43345
(and that's not the worst)

 

[ukheather]

I don't think I need an 12 way though. No electric cooker, only shower, plugs and lights.

What do you think?

I don't know what size he was going to put in although there might not be enough room for a 12 way anyway.

Is 80amp enough for plugs, lights and shower? (9.5 or 10.5 kw) that is what he was going to put in.

 

[JohnD]

(edited as our posts crossed)

You're right, you almost certainly don't need a 12 (I've got one, but I've got a 3-storey house with two electric cooker circuits, and I'm a lunatic). You might get by with only 6, the rest of the CU is just an empty space in a plastic box, which costs very little but will save any upheaval if/when a need arises for any more (you don't install MCBs for the spare ways, they are just blanked off). The more floors you have in your house, the more circuits you need.

The 100Amp main switch in a CU is very common these days, 80Amp would probably be quite adequate.

Upstairs sockets; downstairs sockets; upstairs lights; downstairs lights; immersion heater; shower; (working light in the cupboard on separate circuit so you can see what you're doing if the lights fail); (shed); (garage); (outside sockets for mower/barbeque); (spare way for electric cooker if you or future owner decides to have one); (separate circuit for smoke detectors maybe); (spare for future use)

 

[ukheather]

Thanks, I think I will take this opportunity to change it.

Many thanks

 

[Adam_151]

to me it sounds like you have a modern CU, but the incommer is a 30ma 60A rcd? ignoreing the fact that using a 30ma rcd as the main incommer is far from good practice (having the lights go off when it trips could be dangerous, if you happen to trying to carry stuff down the stairs at the time, etc)

What size is your service fuse, if its 60A then I'd recommend having the board uprate your supply, and then the incommer of the CU should be changed to one that can switch the higher load.

As regards to finding a breaker for it, ad far as I'm aware the design of hager CUs hasn't changed, and as hager are very much still in business, obtaining the appropiate breaker should be as easy as pie

 

[ukheather]

Sorry all I know is it is a 62amp breaker I think.

Would changing the consumer unit change everything you mentioned?

I am a total newbie when it comes to electrics.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I don't think I need an 12 way though. No electric cooker, only shower, plugs and lights.

What do you think?

I think that the items on the list below may not all apply to you, but they are worth looking at to get you thinking:

1. Upstairs sockets
2. Downstairs sockets
3. Kitchen sockets
4. Circuit for appliances
5. Cooker circuit
6. Non-RCD circuit for F/F
7. Non-RCD circuit for CH boiler
8. Dedicated circuit for hifi
9. Dedicated circuit for IT equipment
10. Upstairs lights
11. Downstairs lights
12. Immersion heater
13. Shower
14. Alarm
15. Supply for outside lights
16. Supply for garden electrics
17. Supply for shed/garage

Plus any peculiarities brought about by your house layout & construction - e.g. in mine because of solid floors and where the rest of the sockets are, I have a radial just for one socket in the hall, the doorbell and the porch lights.

Plus a few spares on RCD & non-RCD sides for expansion beyond that for future unforeseen needs.

 

[JohnD]

Best to get a 24-way then!



edited to say,

BTW I just looked up the price of empty CU boxes to compare cost of different sizes (MK is a top-quality brand)

8 module (room for main switch plus 6 mcbs) £13

16 module (room for main switch, RCD plus 12 mcbs) £17

These prices exclude switch, RCD and MCBs, and your electrician will charge you a retail price, but this is to support my view that you may as well get a big one if you have room. Labour to fit is unchanged.

With all the innards it's about £70

 

[ukheather]

Thanks guys, you are all so helpful!

To be honest I think he was supplying and fitting for £150

 

[Lectrician]

Bet he was going to install a CU with RCD main switch - sounds like it to me. They only come readily in 63/80 amp versions.

Badger him for a split loader, and ask about the earthing system, and main equipotential bonding.

 

[Adam_151]

Supply and fit a CU for £150 is a very good price, it involves quite a bit of work, because as every circuit is being worked on effectivly, the full range of tests have to be carried out on all circuits, is if they had just been installed. Are you sure that he is doing the job properly and not just doing a swap with no tests and no cert?

 

[ukheather]

Bet he was going to install a CU with RCD main switch - sounds like it to me. They only come readily in 63/80 amp versions.

Badger him for a split loader, and ask about the earthing system, and main equipotential bonding.

Is there anything wrong with those... that is probably what he would install as mine is a 63 so he is probably just upgrading it to the 80

 

[JohnD]

That sounds like a very fair price, but for a modest amount extra you could have a much better installation.

 

[ukheather]

Supply and fit a CU for £150 is a very good price, it involves quite a bit of work, because as every circuit is being worked on effectivly, the full range of tests have to be carried out on all circuits, is if they had just been installed. Are you sure that he is doing the job properly and not just doing a swap with no tests and no cert?

Don't they usually test? Should I ask for a certificate?