Can't find a consumer unit....!

[timhoward]

This is getting embarrassing - I've been looking for a sub-main consumer unit in a church for an hour now.
I've found the incomer. There's a nice old Crabtree board with black breakers, one of which is a 50A for "Hall DB". It's a split level site and the hall is downstairs, and the fat 10mm T+E cable goes off in this direction. Turning the breaker off isolates the rfc circuit I need to tap into and while it's looking unlikely it's RCD protected and I need to know and probably remedy this.
I could easily prove it isn't of course, a simple high current Zs, but either way I'm stuffed - if it is RCD protected I need to be able to reset it, and if it isn't I need to find the board and change it!

I've just swallowed my pride and phoned the guy that did the last EICR, who laughed and said "glad it's not just me, I couldn't find it either, and I put it down as an agreed limitation!" (so an entire floor wasn't tested....hmmmm!)

In desperation I've shorted L+N at the supply to it and measured the resistance of the lighting circuit downstairs, and narrowed it down to one corner of the building.
If I ever find it I'll report back...

 

[timhoward]

Have you checked the attic spaces ?

Good shout but no attics - the entire top half is like a traditional church with exposed eaves and beams.
I'm pretty certain it's above a ceiling that was once accessible but has been boarded and plastered.
Didn't have inspection camera with me .... of course!

 

[westward10]

Old concealed cellar.

 

[timhoward]

Old concealed cellar.

It's funny you should say that. There was a basement once, but it got bricked up when they changed the heating. "Many years ago" was best answer I could get. Next time I'll take along camera and mastech cable tracer, and see if there's any evidence of the feed heading down even more. I really hope not!
All this for 2 extra sockets downstairs....

 

[westward10]

I have had this twice with concealed cellars.

 

[littlespark]

If you can’t find it, and no one knows where it is… how easy is it going to be adding a couple of sockets?
It’s going to lead to a board change, as wherever it is, it’ll be no bigger than a wylex 4 gang with rewirable fuses….
Going to need rcd etc…


My bet is it’s still hidden behind the woodwork…

 

[telectrix]

Certainly will!

Btw it's not the "churchy" bit...that is all upstairs. It's just a kitchen, some toilets, 2 large meeting rooms and a creche which is all downstairs (or ground floor depending on which door you go in)

View attachment 93996

kevin strikes with cupboard built over CU???

 

[littlespark]

Maybe it was that bearded bloke? I’m sure his dad was a posh joiner

 

[brianmoooore]

Turn the power off at the 50A breaker, arrange a dead short on one of the circuits from the missing DB, station a few helpers around, then get someone to switch the power back on. DB will be where the big bang comes from.

 

[timhoward]

Turn the power off at the 50A breaker, arrange a dead short on one of the circuits from the missing DB, station a few helpers around, then get someone to switch the power back on. DB will be where the big bang comes from.

I was actually thinking of reversing the polarity at the 50A breaker and joining the 0.09ohms lighting wire N with some 10mm bonding wire back to the MET.
The short length of 1.5mm N that is actually L becomes the fuse and where the fire starts is where the CU is?

 

[DefyG]

Access trap in the floor?

 

[suffolkspark]

I'm voting for "It's in the haunted bricked up basement"
Can we start a poll ?

 

[littlespark]

There is a recently resurrected thread on daft places to find a fuse box…. Could add a photo there if this turns into “supremely daft” territory.

 

[Moley]

It's in the library with the lead pipe and Professor Plum. Then again I could be getting confused with something else.

 

[timhoward]

It's in the library with the lead pipe and Professor Plum. Then again I could be getting confused with something else.

No mate surely Rev Green with the candlestick in the cellar?!

 

[pc1966]

I'm voting for "It's in the haunted bricked up basement"

Would it be next to a Cask of Amontillado by any chance?