Proof that it is possible to install a BG CU tidily.

Dave OCD · Feb 16, 2023

Someone commented fairly recently that all pics of BG boards posted up are usually RAF and generally turn up in the 'Dodgy trade pics' thread.
Here's a picture I just came across of one I did around 5 or 6 years ago - the old days when dual RCD and no SPD weren't considered naughty.

Edit - actually the meter tails don't look very nice and the old plain green 6mm earth cable curled up in the top left corner was left as a draw wire up into the loft.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Proof that it is possible to install a BG CU tidily.

James · Feb 16, 2023

Admin, please move this to the dodgy trade picture thread

all the screw heads are at different angles,
mk style lean to all the breakers
mixed colour schemes but no warning label (how do people stay alive without them?)

can’t seem to post any laughing faces so here they are

ha ha, laughing face, smiley face, tears and laughing face.

@Dave OCD
between you and me, don’t tell anyone.
Nice looking install, good job.

buzzlightyear · Feb 16, 2023

Did you cross your legs when you put your trousers on, bloody hell gommet.

Dave OCD · Feb 17, 2023

It was all done with the end of my right thumb split and bleeding, bloody sore. Does anyone else get that from stripping loads of cables ?

Dave OCD · Feb 17, 2023

Here's an early RCBO one with a bit of a mixture - what was available that week.

(

buzzlightyear · Feb 17, 2023

Dave OCD said:
It was all done with the end of my right thumb split and bleeding, bloody sore. Does anyone else get that from stripping loads of cables ?

Soft boy, I bet you chipped your nail varnish has well,

mainline · Feb 17, 2023

Dave OCD said:
Someone commented fairly recently that all pics of BG boards posted up are usually RAF and generally turn up in the 'Dodgy trade pics' thread.
Here's a picture I just came across of one I did around 5 or 6 years ago - the old days when dual RCD and no SPD weren't considered naughty.
Edit - actually the meter tails don't look very nice and the old plain green 6mm earth cable curled up in the top left corner was left as a draw wire up into the loft.
View attachment 106237

You may find this pic on screwfix before long.

Dave OCD · Feb 17, 2023

Dave OCD said:
mainline said:

You may find this pic on screwfix before long.

Click to expand...

I don't mind if they pay me !

westward10 · Feb 17, 2023

You need to ferrule those neutral flyleads. What if someone wants to use way 10 at the earth bar. Tis neat though.

Dave OCD · Feb 17, 2023

Ferrules would have been ideal but this board was installed around 5 years ago and when we went back recently for another small job all connections were still absolutely solid.
If anyone wants to use that earth terminal - tough !

I guess you're thinking each fly lead should have been in with its respective cpc ? But the reference leads are so flimsy individually it would be difficult to get a decent termination with the larger cpc in the same hole.

mainline · Feb 17, 2023

Dave OCD said:
If anyone wants to use that earth terminal - tough !

Nobody should be messing with Dave's board, unless your BG trained and have a trade account at screwfix

catdog1121 · Feb 18, 2023

Looks very nice but like all these pretty Instagram consumer units it does not appear there would be enough room to move those cables around if needed as they leave them too short, I have been to a few like this that I have ended up having to use a connector to extend it in the consumer unit which is not ideal... Also the cables looks dangerously close to not having double insulation outside of an enclosure..

For me all the cables should be terminated in the correct terminals, breaker 1 should have neutral in slot 1, and cpc in slot 1 etc but then as much spare length given, we could see larger boards in the future so it should reach anywhere in the consumer unit and a bit beyond, makes the next guys job easier..

You can make it neat (Although not as pretty as that) while also leaving plenty of slack on the cables. That second one for example the water and gas have no slack so if you replaced with bigger board it would have to likely go in the wrong earth position..

Dave OCD · Feb 18, 2023

catdog1121 said:
Looks very nice but like all these pretty Instagram consumer units it does not appear there would be enough room to move those cables around if needed as they leave them too short, I have been to a few like this that I have ended up having to use a connector to extend it in the consumer unit which is not ideal... Also the cables looks dangerously close to not having double insulation outside of an enclosure..

For me all the cables should be terminated in the correct terminals, breaker 1 should have neutral in slot 1, and cpc in slot 1 etc but then as much spare length given, we could see larger boards in the future so it should reach anywhere in the consumer unit and a bit beyond, makes the next guys job easier..

You can make it neat (Although not as pretty as that) while also leaving plenty of slack on the cables. That second one for example the water and gas have no slack so if you replaced with bigger board it would have to likely go in the wrong earth position..

But the board has just been replaced, and with spare ways too. So it'll be a long,long time before renewal is necessary again.

mainline · Feb 18, 2023

catdog1121 said:
Looks very nice but like all these pretty Instagram consumer units it does not appear there would be enough room to move those cables around if needed as they leave them too short, I have been to a few like this that I have ended up having to use a connector to extend it in the consumer unit which is not ideal... Also the cables looks dangerously close to not having double insulation outside of an enclosure..

For me all the cables should be terminated in the correct terminals, breaker 1 should have neutral in slot 1, and cpc in slot 1 etc but then as much spare length given, we could see larger boards in the future so it should reach anywhere in the consumer unit and a bit beyond, makes the next guys job easier..

You can make it neat (Although not as pretty as that) while also leaving plenty of slack on the cables. That second one for example the water and gas have no slack so if you replaced with bigger board it would have to likely go in the wrong earth position..

Do you mean like this ?

Dave OCD · Feb 18, 2023

Nothing wrong with that, nearly as good as mine.

catdog1121 · Feb 19, 2023

mainline said:
Do you mean like this ?View attachment 106269

That does look like there is enough slack and with the positioning against the wall and the cables coming in more from the left even if you put a bigger board in those cables will clearly reach anywhere.. This is what I mean it can still look really neat although the excess at the back makes it look not as nice but its more maintainable..

catdog1121 · Feb 19, 2023

Dave OCD said:
But the board has just been replaced, and with spare ways too. So it'll be a long,long time before renewal is necessary again.

You say that but things change pretty quick at the moment, I have a rental property that had a new board fitted 2018, then had a new board to the side fitted because an electric car charger was fitted and was AC type RCD, it has no SPD and as said type AC RCD's, on refurbishment I am going to probably change it out so the car charger can be integrated into a new board, there is not enough space for SPD and car charger and even then changing RCD's to type A for some reason is stupidly expensive so will change to RCBO's.. So basically exactly the same as the first board you posted, you could not for example fit a new circuit for smoke alarms without installing and SPD (as its an emergency circuit), then there is AFDD's that may come in...

I have another property from 2003ish that needs replacing as has no RCD on lighting circuits and you cant get the RCD's for that make of board.. My point is with solar and car chargers and all the changes going on you can't rely on "Ill make the cables short but its ok cause it'll be a long long time before renewal is necessary again"...

Why just so you can show some picture on instagram, nobody cares, stop watching Jordan too expensive Artisan, sorry but its my pet peeve is cables unnecessarily short to "Look good", I even see it on sockets, then you go to fit a different manufacturer and you have to extend the conductors cause it wont fit... Maintenance is more important than looks, it should look neat as that makes it easier to maintain but it should also have enough slack for the next guy and the double insulation should come into the enclosure (Even if it makes it look not quite as pretty)..

Sorry but its my pet peeve electricians that show off their "pretty" consumer units with no consideration for the next guy, its poor workmanship. What I think makes a good electrician is when the guy comes in after you and says "Oh thank god the last guy did a good job and left enough slack for me, makes my life a lot easier."

brianmoooore · Feb 19, 2023

catdog1121 said:
Sorry but its my pet peeve electricians that show off their "pretty" consumer units with no consideration for the next guy, its poor workmanship. What I think makes a good electrician is when the guy comes in after you and says "Oh thank god the last guy did a good job and left enough slack for me, makes my life a lot easier."

Agree with the above, and will post it in my defence, if ever one of my installs turns up in someone's post on the "Dodgy trade pictures" thread.

mainline · Feb 19, 2023

catdog1121 said:
Looks very nice but like all these pretty Instagram consumer units it does not appear there would be enough room to move those cables around if needed as they leave them too short, I have been to a few like this that I have ended up having to use a connector to extend it in the consumer unit which is not ideal... Also the cables looks dangerously close to not having double insulation outside of an enclosure..

For me all the cables should be terminated in the correct terminals, breaker 1 should have neutral in slot 1, and cpc in slot 1 etc but then as much spare length given, we could see larger boards in the future so it should reach anywhere in the consumer unit and a bit beyond, makes the next guys job easier..

You can make it neat (Although not as pretty as that) while also leaving plenty of slack on the cables. That second one for example the water and gas have no slack so if you replaced with bigger board it would have to likely go in the wrong earth position..

In defence, there maybe plenty of slack left on the cables in the cavity.

Dave OCD · Feb 19, 2023

I only post pictures [and not often] on here to encourage good workmanship, particularly among the younger lads who don't have much experience. Honestly it's not any attempt to 'show off' at all. And I also wonder why someone would write such a long winded post against a decently installed board - the thing is there are a lot more being renewed by us than newly installed, and the existing cables are often short to start with. My conclusion is that anyone who posts negatively about neat and conscientiously installed CUs are unable to do it to that standard themselves.

nicebutdim · Feb 19, 2023

While I agree with leaving length on cables (often far too much, on my part), I couldn't quite see the reasoning behind criticism of something that can't be seen. The first image in this thread (I guessed this was posted in response to comments in an other thread), shows old colours looped below the DIN rail - whether they extend an inch past it, or if metres are neatly stowed away, is anyone's guess.

MJPD29 · Feb 24, 2023

mainline said:
Do you mean like this ?View attachment 106269

What a mess...

mainline · Feb 24, 2023

MJPD29 said:
What a mess...

I don't know if you're being serious or not.

I can see a few things that could have been better, but I wouldn't say a mess, the pic was to show the wire lengths that it has, it wasn't meant to be a show-piece.

Post #14

nicebutdim · Feb 24, 2023

mainline said:
I don't know if you're being serious or not.

Look at the crease in that polybag.

How standards have slipped!

Dave OCD · Feb 24, 2023

And no washers on the fixing screws , disgraceful !

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