Ancient Fusebox, old CU & Cable Problem

Smokey85 · Feb 23, 2012

Hello AllI am looking for some advice, my girlfriends CU needs to be replaced and removed.She had two extra rooms fitted to the apartment (which converted an old hallway into part bathroom), and her electrics have been left in a sorry state. Currently choc-blocked to death, even on the CU.Its currently in a position which does not meet the 17th Edition, its about 20cm from a sink (seperated by a MDF panel), and 10cm from an immersion heater which only has one element, (the top is missing, and there's no sacrifical anode).Its a little like this:Meter Service Fuse E7 (Outside in meter box) > Very Old WireFuse Box (actually in bathroom with no dead-front) > 60A Cable with ChocBlock (cable comes out behind fusebox and into immersion heater cupboard, a chocbloc then attaches it to the cu ) > 16th Edition CU (10cm next to immersion heater in cupboard / 20cm away from Sink seperated by MDF panel) > ServicesI've bought a new CU 17th Edition Compliant (Wylex Dual RCD with 7MCBs and 1 RCBO).There should be no problem fitting it to the top of the cupboard corner, and I plan once supplies are isolated to literrally feed the cabling straight from the Meter to the new CU (to get rid off the old CU and Ancient deathtrap FuseBox). The problem is the service wiring, it simply is not long enough to reach the extra meter of the top corner of the cupboard.Is it a requirement to place all new wiring to the cooker, lighting, sockets etc... Or would it be possible to use service connector blocks or something else which can withstand the cable current(open to suggestions) for the 1m more cable I need.On compleation we then need a PartP Sparky to certify the installation, so we can rent the place out.Current Estimates for the work have been very varied £700, £750, £1200, £1750... So is it possible to extend cable or will it need re-wiring? The later sums of money are a bit to much, and the first two (not impressed with abilities - they are not options).Any thoughts?Many thanksSmokey

Edd · Feb 23, 2012

telectrix said:
unless you intend to work live .

personally, and it's only my humble opinion, but how the hell could he work if he was dead. :jester:

some of the sparks ive worked with might as well have been!!! infact i think i could have got more work from a corpse..

HandySparks · Feb 23, 2012

trev said:
If not NAPIT offer a scheme whereby you can notify a few jobs via them...

I think that this scheme (Just 8 ?) was discontinued some years ago.

Dave 85 · Feb 23, 2012

Smokey85 said:
I am doing the work myself. I will then get an electrician to test & inspect it. The question was the best was to extend service cable by a meter. Smokey

Carefull mate, you cant go saying things like that on this forum, you'll get eaten alive by the 'rules are rules' brigade.

To answer your question, there is nothing wrong with extending cables with correct sized JB's. If you're gonna get a sparky to test, cert and register it then find one and agree with him first because not all sparks will be willing to do this (it's not entirely legal). If the tails from the meter aren't long enough then replace them. You'll have to cut the seals off of course and the suppliers don't like that but IMO if they should've given us DP isolaters if they didn't want their stuff tampered with.
But thats a whole different thread.

Smokey85 · Feb 24, 2012

Thank you all for some solid advice - I will have a look at Henly Blocks and Adaptable Blocks with the DIN rails. I am going to have a word with the council about the notafiable electrical work and see how possible that it, if not I will fall back to chatting with the electricans. Telling them the plan and then using them to wire up the CU to the meter. No I would not work live - thats in an unecassary risk (if I can't get an electrician out, I will phone the comnpany for a temporary disconnection). In response to the question I have a calibrated and in date - Flukes 89 and Meggers MIT420, the MIT injects a voltage so not a problem. Many thanks Smokey