Best Consumer Unit Make / Model

[FatAlan]

Would be interested to know from the experienced practioners out there what is currently considered the best domestic single phase make of CU.
I say this from purely selfish point of view as I’m about to embark on a 4 bed house refurb and likely to go for RCBOs.
Opinions based on access, user friendliness, quality etc. Any CU tarts out there that would consider a particular make / model the dogs b****cks of CU’s?

 

[richy3333]

Hager for me or M2 if customer wants a cheaper RCBO option.

 

[123]

All I fit is BG in Domestic. My main wholesaler has a couple of 5 figure a month contract solely for BG Boards for Housing Exec work, some Dual and some RCBO. The returns for faulty parts is tiny given the volumes sold.

 

[123]

Hager have just brought out a compact RCBO for up to 32A...If it was my house I would be putting these in.

What you need to know about our Reduced Height RCBO - http://www.hager.co.uk/news-exhibitions-case-studies/blog/circuit-break/what-you-need-to-know-about-our-reduced-height-rcbo/72306.htm

Got any part numbers on that Lee? I heard they ditched it as it wasn't performing as they wanted it to?

 

[Leesparkykent]

@123

RCBO Domestic RCBOs - http://www.hager.co.uk/product-catalogue/energy-distribution/protection-devices/rcbos/rcbo-domestic/38597.htm

 

[123]

@123

RCBO Domestic RCBOs - http://www.hager.co.uk/product-catalogue/energy-distribution/protection-devices/rcbos/rcbo-domestic/38597.htm

Cheers @Leesparkykent , having spoke to my main wholesaler rep who has spoken to hager rep looks like these aren't released yet and it could be that none are even made yet.

(I've been looking a compact RCBO for the past few days, my rep had been in touch with hager already, not everyone responds after 9pm lol)

 

[MJPD29]

I think contactum are good , I've never had an RCD or RCBO fail trip times like I have with BG and MCG. Cost effective, good to fit, AND the cover actually fits unlike a lot of others!

 

[Leesparkykent]

That's a shame..all stuff online indicates they was released on the 27th of September.

 

[Pastyspark]

Hager all day long. See Hager stuff still working that have been installed for years.
Do a lot of caravan work and inspections. Used cheaper rcds on hookups as a cost saving to the customer but date them now on installation so we can track how old they are. We've changed some faulty ones after 2 years.
Installed a caslec board once and had smoke coming out of the rcd before we turned the mcbs on.

 

[jackhammerJIM]

hager for dual rcd . Control gear for rcbo . Tried an mk months ago breakers looked like the leaning tower of pisa so never again .

had 2 contactum rcbos fail trip times on an eicr recently can't be more than 5 years old

 

[einstein]

BG cheap’n’cheerfull

 

[NDG Elecs]

Hager for me. Wouldn't touch BG CUs anymore. Carp.

I personally don't see the need for all RCBO boards in most domestic situations. Oldies perhaps not a bad idea, and possibly if the cct cables are generally on the wain (but that's another story really).
I have a Crabtree starbreaker at home, RCDs test fine and never get nuisance tripping, with 50% of the cables probably 40 years old.
In your situation Alan I would probably go for a high integrity dual Hager board with room for several RCBOs if you must!

 

[NDG Elecs]

I swapped to the Leudens, Wilts, control gear kit when we went to and3

Populated rcbo boards is all I'll got these days as I hate dual RCD boards.

No issues to date

What I really hate about dual RCD boards is the untidiness of the neutral and live link fine stranded cables. RCBOs would be tidier for sure. Might have too look at fitting a starbreaker for my next board change!

 

[Ian1981]

Hager as they don’t change their mcbs unlike Crabtree with its star breaker and loadstar types that they did, same with wylex changing theirs all be it they are from the same parent company.
Schneider do terrible consumer units and I hate their 3 phase dbs (kq range)with the earth bar right at the top.

 

[Toneyz]

hager for dual rcd . Control gear for rcbo . Tried an mk months ago breakers looked like the leaning tower of pisa so never again .

had 2 contactum rcbos fail trip times on an eicr recently can't be more than 5 years old

Probably because they aren't being tested with test button quarterly and contacts sticking.

 

[Dave OCD]

What I really hate about dual RCD boards is the untidiness of the neutral and live link fine stranded cables. RCBOs would be tidier for sure. Might have too look at fitting a starbreaker for my next board change!

I'm not sure about that mate, with a fine stranded neutral and earth reference tail on every RCBO I find it trickier to make them look as neat as the dual RCD boards.