Comments/Advice - C/U Change

Jamie · Sep 24, 2014

A CU change I did today

Comments / Advice on what to improve on are welcome

I had limited cable length, otherwise the live's on the RCD'd circuits to the left would have been neater, but I did the neatest I could with the time I had.

Starting from the top, to (bar writing dates on the test stickers, and connecting the shower cable in which was still behind the wall) finished at the bottom.

I hate how the manufacturer leaves the RCD tails with copper showing! That is probably my only pet hate with the Hager split RCD boards, otherwise they are good to work with. I know they are older boards and should be putting in a RCBO board given they are more up-to-date, but the boss is "cost cutting".....Not my choice, I hate split boards, but hey ho I am just the employee :53:

Jamie

(God knows why there is flexible conduit in there......)
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Richard Burns · Sep 25, 2014

Looks like a good bit of work there, the only thing that would worry me is that the sheath of the cables for the outgoing circuits does not enter the enclosure so you would have unsheathed cables inside the wall somewhere. I cannot see from the original picture if the sheath was accessible in the first place.
What is the small cpc in the far right of the earth bar? a bit small for bonding:smiley2:
I hope there was a busbar cover, that is something I usually find beside me once I have got the CU all neatly done up!
Other than that no problems and much better than many you will see in future!

Jamie · Sep 25, 2014

Yeah, I need to get some of them i.d number loops, I just don't know the name of them or where to get them? The PVC is just shy of the wall, so would probably need these

The CPC to the far right is just to earth the enclosure, it goes to a stud onto the back of the C/U, So didn't want to take up any of the other terminals as they are numbered for circuits, and one of the bonding ones was spare so put it in there.

I don't have any busbar covers (if you mean the small ones to go over each bit that sticks up), don't the blanks that I put in later on count as them, as they attach onto the din rail and not just the c/u cover? I thought the small busbar blanks where for 3ph boards only as the blanks from them can come out easily?

Richard Burns · Sep 25, 2014

By ID number loops do you mean cable markers?

These are available from most wholesalers or somewhere like RS components.
However whilst they are useful I am not sure why they would be needed here.
If the sheath of the cables is just up to the wall then it is probably just OK as the wall can be part of the enclosure, however slipping a bit of heat shrink over the cables to extend the sheath for an inch or so might help, but probably not worth it now.

Next question, why do you need to earth the plastic CU? no problem with the cable being there but not sure of the purpose, thanks.

The bus bar cover is the strip of plastic that goes in front of the bus bar to prevent inadvertent contact, but I was wrong on this because the Hager ones are the insulated busbars. The terminal shrouds are nice but not generally necessary and as you say the (proper) blanks work as well as, if not better, than these.

Jamie · Sep 25, 2014

Yeah that's the ones

The C/U is metal, with a plastic cover only

Jamie · Sep 30, 2014

Another C/U change today

A bit of a state when I opened the cupboard, I didn't expect to see four C/U's all crammed in there for a small house haha.

Neatened it up a bit, Taking onboard peoples advice etc...I am ordering a core ID set so I can number the cores for each cable (L/N/E) if it's not possible to see the cable entering the C/U....

Did a bit of continuity testing with my fluke between N-E, N-L & E-L on all circuits to check for any problems just before terminating them into the board, should have done it as soon as I got to the job really. (Any advice on pre C/U change tests? I hear a lot of people do this, what tests do you carry out, all circuits?)

Advice/Comments welcome

I have blurred out parts as they had the address/sensitive info on them bits :smilewinkgrin:

Jamie

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Jamie · Sep 30, 2014

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Finished for the day and locked it off to continue tomorrow....(Pesky joiners and plumbers going around, so no doubt they would be flickering with things trying to get a socket working without my signs/lock off kit being there haha)

Paul.M · Sep 30, 2014

Very good work Jamie, I like it.

Doing a C/U change tomorrow with a couple of extra circuits. Have not been able to open up the 3036 board yet but I have got Zs readings and all are good. Cant shut down power to the office unless out of hours, doing it at 6am!!!!!!!

I'll take pictures and post them up on here so you can all compare! No pressure Paul!!! As a trainee you are allowed to make mistakes whilst you are on your learning curve, the Mentors will have a field day if I cock up :rofl:

Well I have thrown my hat into the ring without knowing what I have to work with. I love this job, it's sssooo interesting

Jamie · Sep 30, 2014

Thanks Paul

That would be good to see mentor work too

Paul.M · Oct 1, 2014

Jamie said:
Thanks Paul

That would be good to see mentor work too

I dug my own hole with this one, the job was a nightmare! All but two cables needed extending, only had Neutral 25mm tails (my mistake, I did not check lol), site light lamp blow on me, back up battery 5w LED sight light no power + no charger, office/shop opens in 2 1/2 hours for it's first day of trading!!! An estate agents without computers or a telephone system is useless lol. No wholesalers for 8-9 miles and they are not open yet, just had to make do with what I had in the van at the time so this is not my greatest effort to be quite honest but here it is.

How many minor faults can you see? I'll explain about the lighting later on

Plonker 3 · Oct 1, 2014

All looks pretty good Jamie, but onething I would do is with the back entry KOs jig them out to gove yourself more room to bring the cables in as it does look a little tight with a couple of the cables.

Paul.M · Oct 1, 2014

Old C/U

New C/U (almost complete)

My "bodge job" extension of cables..... Dont rip me to shreds too much lads, I only had an IP box and some Wago's in the back of the van. No glands!!! Yes I know, sorting it out in the morning. A din rail would have been perfect but the job needed doing, it is safe and the computers worked on time.

^^^ message to the Trainees, this is how not to do it ^^^^ :rofl:

Jamie · Oct 1, 2014

Dillb said:
All looks pretty good Jamie, but onething I would do is with the back entry KOs jig them out to gove yourself more room to bring the cables in as it does look a little tight with a couple of the cables.

Thanks Dillb, About the KO's, I was just concerned about leaving holes going out of the consumer unit into the wall, is there is some sort of fire safety regulations that would apply? I will take out a few more KO's in the future and bore holes into the wood and space the cables out a bit more so it's easier to work with them, but you could easily push/pull the cables from how they where there, it does look a bit tight though (especially once I got onto the lighting circuits with the singles...)

Well I was back today to finish the job off, had to start the day by getting a breakfast as I didn't fancy sitting doing the C/U starving, the first year apprentice had one too, I didn't eat both of them, honest!

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First time i've done a C/U with singles cable in, I tried to make them as neat as possible.., it's basically like working with 2.5mm as it's double insulated 1.5mm!, but the way it's wired there's about 5 line conductors in each lighting circuit's MCB...

All done and tested

This has took me 2 full days to do, is that reasonable? baring in mind that is a full test too, and I was still sitting in the van filling out paper work afterwards

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Jamie

Paul.M · Oct 1, 2014

Those breakfast in a tray swimming in a sea of beans is really making my feel hungry. Fanta! wtf????

Very good work (better than mine lol). With the singles, treat them like 25mm singles. Take a bit of the outer sheath off to identify the conductor. Think there is a reg saying min 30mm but dont quote me on that????