New consumer unit

[Kram]

We had kitchen replaced, required new wiring for oven, so they put new CU in at same time - last week. Old CU's were fuse/mcb type with no rcd devices. Id have preferred RCBO's but he fitted two 80a RCD's with 4 circuits each, no space left in unit! If one trips most of the house goes off. Also I wanted seperate circuit for shed, so I wont trip the house!

One circuit -kitchen sockets, upstairs bedroom socket, bathroom heater, has a fault, so that is currently other side of RCD. Bathroom heater has not worked since the new CU fitted, but that has its own rcd on the wall.

The Rcd's fitted are AC only type and Ive no idea yet jf the lathe vfd will trip it. I provided 3x Wylex RCBO's that are type B that he has not used, they work fine with vfd.

Sorry for long post, he is coming back tomorrow, what are my options? It would be idiocy if the new kitchen needs to be ripped out to fix the fault.

 

[brightspark]

why was the unit changed before the faults were fixed, they should have put a 10 way in instead of an 8 giving a couple of spare ways . now your stuck with putting a garage consumer unit next to the new db with service connector blocks on the tails if you want it kept separate

 

[gaz1]

has he put in 2 cu units or just one main one with split mains power into defferent 80a rcds before the fuses ?

 

[brightspark]

probably just one 18th edition 8 way twin rcd board providing there's enough room id fit a larger one with 2 spare ways for further improvement. there's only a tenner difference in them

 

[Kram]

New is 1 cu unit with split mains power into 2 different 80a rcds before the fuses - yes. Previous units were one old push-in style unit for the 6 main circuits, a seperate 4 way unit for heaters (used to be storage with a circuit for each wire, now two on each mcb. and a single for immersion or shower.

The guy is coming back tomorrow morning. I am renting here, I was at work when they came to quote, but I left suggestions with the owner and when he asked he was told there wasnt space. What are the chances of him taking the new rcd's/mcb's out and replacing with RCBO's for more space? or swapping the unit? probably a lot of effort now he has done it all.

 

[Kram]

 

[mtt.tr]

thats not a nice install! normally you make the bits the customers sees very smart

 

[Kram]

To be fair he hasnt finished, as it is opposite lathe Im expecting some kind of conduit over the incoming wires to protect from chips.

This is the old.

 

[mtt.tr]

like the old badge

 

[brightspark]

that is a 10 way unit not an 8 its got a none rcd breaker fitted to the right hand side 0f rcd and left of mainswitch

 

[Kram]

Yes that breaker is the faulty circuit which trupsnthe rcd's

 

[mtt.tr]

Yes that breaker is the faulty circuit which trupsnthe rcd's

And he left it no rcd protection and left the job, i wouldnt even consider doing that he has left it unsafe

 

[WorkshopChris]

The Rcd's fitted are AC only type and Ive no idea yet jf the lathe vfd will trip it. I provided 3x Wylex RCBO's that are type B that he has not used, they work fine with vfd.

The Wylex RCBO's would not be compatible with the Contactum board.

 

[Kram]

I realise its in the regs not to mix, I assume no problem if a second unit were fitted later of a different brand - ie not electrical incompatabiltiy.

It is bloody stupid that they ran new wire for hobs and reused the rest old wire, they were plastering over the lot so it should have been new.

And he left it no rcd protection and left the job, i wouldnt even consider doing that he has left it unsafe

While true, it had no rcd's before his work - he has not made it worse (unless they caused the fault) and removing the supply for a week was not an option.

Question how would you find and resolve the fault? Im not a sparky. I think I would disconnect each socket on the ring main, and iteratively add more sockets to the ring until find the trip. If it trips with no sockets, it'll be insulation on the first run of wire.To assume it is a single fault rather than bad insulation on the lot...

The furthest socket is a storage room that I am clearing now for his access, but we'd prefer if we didnt need to! Ive checked the socket wiring.

 

[mtt.tr]

I realise its in the regs not to mix, I assume no problem if a second unit were fitted later of a different brand - ie not electrical incompatabiltiy.

It is bloody stupid that they ran new wire for hobs and reused the rest old wire, they were plastering over the lot so it should have been new.



While true, it had no rcd's before his work - he has not made it worse (unless they caused the fault) and removing the supply for a week was not an option.

Question how would you find and resolve the fault? Im not a sparky. I think I would disconnect each socket on the ring main, and iteratively add more sockets to the ring until find the trip. If it trips with no sockets, it'll be insulation on the first run of wire.To assume it is a single fault rather than bad insulation on the lot...

The furthest socket is a storage room that I am clearing now for his access, but we'd prefer if we didnt need to! Ive checked the socket wiring.

I would have tested before the job made good any faults then done the swap over, poor practice in a industry that should be done by professionals.
fault finding isn't difficult for an electrician but its a too involved to explain here

 

[gaz1]

sorry but i find it highly 2 faced

I dont agree on being forced to install a new consumer unit unless you need to add another fuse which the box cant have

cant see the harm in having 2 consumer units old and new

i also dont agree with those that got forced up to a plastic box should have to pay twice for another consumer unit because the plastic is classed as dangerous

shouldnt have changed from metal consumer units in the first place

but corporate industry wanted plastic consumer unit as its the new better than the old metal cu unit

corporate poor practice by the regs and consumer having to pay out yet again

 

[brightspark]

a lot of electricians are under the impression that if u have a plastic consumer unit even the twin rcd ones they have to be changed to metal if you add extra circuits or alter the existing wiring that's not so. there ok to still useif already fitted .where they got mixed up was after the new regs were brought out and you fitted a plastic consumer unit it had to be enclosed in a metal cabinet . stupid regulation as who would go to that extent when u can just bang a new metal one in . anyone fitting a new cooker or oven will find tou get a metal cover to go over the connection plate at the back because thereare that many burning out with faulty workmanship

 

[mtt.tr]

a lot of electricians are under the impression that if u have a plastic consumer unit even the twin rcd ones they have to be changed to metal if you add extra circuits or alter the existing wiring that's not so. there ok to still useif already fitted .where they got mixed up was after the new regs were brought out and you fitted a plastic consumer unit it had to be enclosed in a metal cabinet . stupid regulation as who would go to that extent when u can just bang a new metal one in

new circuits are a little bit more difficult as you should do a new install cert, if only they made it easier for us to decide.

 

[brightspark]

new circuits are a little bit more difficult as you should do a new install cert, if only they made it easier for us to decide.

yes but its still ok you just make note that it is plastic and existing on the cert

 

[dobbslc]

30ma RCD protection on all domestic circuit's came in with the 18th edition regs, what's that mcb doing on it's own next to the main switch? Is it RCD protected?