UK Help identifying parts on an old Victorian house consumer unit

ilikemyhouse1 · Feb 15, 2023

Hi! I know the basics on a modern consumer unit, but I'm not sure on this old panel here.

Could you help me know what I'm looking at?

Seeing two big fuses there.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Help identifying parts on an old Victorian house consumer unit

MJPD29 · Feb 15, 2023

Open the cover on the right on brown board and there's probably a couple of rewritable fuses under it. Left hand board appears to be rcd/mcb possibly for electric shower or newer circuit. Top right is incoming fuse and cutout. Looks like it's time for an upgrade!

Dustydazzler · Feb 15, 2023

As above...

Where is says FUSE on the brown fuse box will be 1 or 2 re-wire able fuses

davesparks · Feb 15, 2023

I'd say the brown unit could be a 45A or 60A use feeding another fuseboard somewhere

brianmoooore · Feb 15, 2023

davesparks said:
I'd say the brown unit could be a 45A or 60A use feeding another fuseboard somewhere

A Wylex 145C or 160C IIRC.

ilikemyhouse1 · Feb 15, 2023

Thanks! Clears some things up. Top right being a cutout, where the mains comes in, feeding into the meter.

brianmoooore · Feb 15, 2023

The lower left enclosure would fail an electrical inspection as C1 'dangerous'. It has a DIN module blanking piece missing, allowing access to exposed live parts.

ilikemyhouse1 · Feb 15, 2023

Yeah it's in an old house I'm thinking of buying, with a plan of getting a complete rewiring done.

davesparks · Feb 15, 2023

It is likely the installation is of an age where rewiring is probably sensible.

I'd want to know what's going on with the tanking though before buying, that suggests there's been some serious damp issues in the past!

brianmoooore · Feb 15, 2023

If the wiring is as old as that Wylex switch fuse, then yes, although it may be more a case of lack of wiring rather than deteriorated wiring. Back when that would have been fitted, the norm might have been one socket in each downstairs room (possibly two in the kitchen), one on the upstairs landing, and one light in each room.
That Wylex unit probably feeds a fusebox elsewhere, which, for all we know, might be a modern unit, connected to all new wiring (although I very much doubt it).

pc1966 · Feb 15, 2023

Clearly the wall to the right was not present when it was originally installed, in fact, possibly not when the cut-out (grey thing from the DNO = distribution network organisation = electricity network) was fitted either?

A rewire sounds like a very good idea. Even if the cable is still in good conditon it is very unlikely to have enough sockets / lights where you want them for a modern home.

ilikemyhouse1 · Feb 15, 2023

Thanks all! Yes definitely a rewire would be the way to go. Get some modern parts.

davesparks · Feb 16, 2023

pc1966 said:
Clearly the wall to the right was not present when it was originally installed, in fact, possibly not when the cut-out (grey thing from the DNO = distribution network organisation = electricity network) was fitted either?

I suspect the wall was probably there, but as evidenced by the edges of the plastic tanking system it has been tanked, battened and boarded adding a couole of inches to its depth.