Advice from you electricians please.

[Wendelspanswick]

ive heard about it from the lecci installer whilst doing last job out where it was stated that the new installs have to be within metal consumer boxes to me its back to the old metal consumer units that was once used before instead of the new ones that came in years ago of the plastic ones

during the discussion the fires within the plastic ones was mentioned

I still have a wood and Bakelite fuse board in the workshop!
It is decommissioned though.

 

[brightspark]

The problem of fires in consumer units won't be fully solved by having metal ones anyway, it's the meter tails that usually start the fire as they are often loose in the main switch due to a new meter thats been fitted and the meter installer not checking the connections in the d/b afterwards.
And yes, twin screw terminals would help here too.

thats not the case with the new db- the mains tails and earthwire are fitted through a stuffing gland with a rubber seal that has 3 holes in it to suit the size of the cables and is then tightened upmaking it fire proof -and fixed against movement it also insulates the tails from the metal case if its -- -on a tt system

http://www.theiet.org/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=205&threadid=60687

 

[brightspark]

ive been to a fair few callouts with distribution -boards burning out. some ovesized fuses and -overloaded -otheres with mains tail conections burnt out due to never been tightened up properly in the-1st place. the worst - was the mains tails -overheating and glowing red -pressed against- the casing all melted , i removed all the junk of it in the -cupboard to find clothes smoldering on top of it the punters were happily cooking there christmas dinner along with the db and hadnt a clue . so yes the new boards are a lifesaver and it takes no longer to fit them and only costs a few quid more . if theres any change people grumble but soon accept it and get on with it

 

[brightspark]

here

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=wiska+tails+gromme+tpicture

 

[Kayos]

The problem of fires in consumer units won't be fully solved by having metal ones anyway, it's the meter tails that usually start the fire as they are often loose in the main switch due to a new meter thats been fitted and the meter installer not checking the connections in the d/b afterwards.
And yes, twin screw terminals would help here too.

Meter installers are not allowed to open the CU, any suspect wiring is put into an isolator and the customer is left off supply

 

[brightspark]

Meter installers are not allowed to open the CU, any suspect wiring is put into an isolator and the customer is left off supply

correct any liability is then put firmly on the person conecting it and switching it on

 

[dobbslc]

I just think it's a poor situation where a fully qualified electrician can't legally check the meter terminations are ok and the supply company meter fitter won't check the d/b terminations.
I've seen many dist boards with very loose connections that were just ready to catch fire that could easily have be checked but weren't.
Stupid stupid stupid.

 

[brightspark]

I just think it's a poor situation where a fully qualified electrician can't legally check the meter terminations are ok and the supply company meter fitter won't check the d/b terminations.
I've seen many dist boards with very loose connections that were just ready to catch fire that could easily have be checked but weren't.
Stupid stupid stupid.

it would be verry dificult for the meter guy to check all the db conections specialy when theres 3 old boards conected in with rubber insulation -tails and there not- getting paid-to do it . if i do distribution board replacements and use the same meter tails i just do-it live or sometimes cut- seals of meter and conect new ones in-buy a bag of seals of ebay and away u go no ones ever bothered looking in-42 years

 

[dobbslc]

The seals I've got! It's the crimps I need......

 

[brightspark]

The seals I've got! It's the crimps I need......

the crimps are numbered and stamp it on the seal and issued to to the meter installer so they can tell who last sealed the meter up. if they loose them the police are informed as stolen and another set issued . i just nip the seals up with side cutters and bend the tab a bit no one botheres as long as there on