UK Adding another DB

richo106 · Feb 4, 2020

Hi

Just a quick one, I am a qualified electrician but i haven't been on the tools for a while and won't be doing the work but just trying to help a friend out.

Basically they are having a new kitchen diner and they currently have gas hob and small single oven which are fed off the ring main. They are wanting an electric induction hob (7.2kw) and combination oven (3kw) so i said they would need 2 new separate circuits for these.

However they have no spare ways in their DB (older style 6 way DB with RCD) ideally they would need a DB upgrade but in the past someone has installed the combi's boiler in front of it (amazing) and can only just get in turn reset an MCB.

But they have 100A main fuse with 25mm tails that is split already one to the main DB and one to 60A large switch that has a 45A fuse in that just has the garage SWA supply to it, my question is it just possible to replace this 60A switch to a small 4/5 way DB single RCD that will house garage supply (down rate to 20A) Hob circuit (40A) and Oven circuit (20A)

All advice and options welcome

Thanks

NDG Elecs · Feb 5, 2020

Given the cost of adding new ccts and a sub board it would not be prohibitively more expensive to change the entire board instead.
The gap looks a lot more than 50mm or so to me unless the photo is playing tricks on me! Wouldn't fancy changing it myself as does look tight to work in, but not impossible...

Dustydazzler · Feb 5, 2020

That’s one of those board changes you just look at and sigh.
the limited access would almost certainly put off 99% of busy sparks unless they were desperate for the work...

richo106 · Feb 5, 2020

Thanks for all the replies, i know best case would be to do a DB swap but this is not feasible with the boiler in its current location. Can't even get a stubby in let alone a drill to mount a new DB/JB

So would a second DB not be another solution in this instance? It has 25mm Tails already and would only have a 3 circuits on it

He is panicking now about the cost of moving the boiler

Mike Johnson · Feb 5, 2020

Of course you can have a second DB, but I would be tempted to use the existing DB as a junction box and fit a new full size DB in a more convenient place as James suggested on page one.