Consumer unit, best way to install ?

[Dazza1976]

Hi all, just wondering what method you find best for installing a new consumer unit, wether its an upgrade or a new installation, to get everything looking neat and professional. Im still yet to do one completely and in my college days we only ever installed a small one with one mcb !!

Is it best to start by terminating all the earths, then all the neutrals, and then all the lives to each mcb. Or is it best to terminate 1 circuit at a time - live, neutral and earth and then move on to the next circuit. If doing it the 1st way are you labelling each circuit first otherwise it may be difficult to see which live belongs to which circuit when you get towards the end.

Sorry if i have made this sound confusing, it is the one thing I havent attempted in my experience so far, so any advice would be appreciated, and dont worry im not gonna attempt to do one without notifying or joining a scheme !!

 

[jase]

have a look on the "show us you installs" thread, there are some boards on there where you can see the step by step pics, i tend to strip all the cables, earth sleeving and labelling them as i go and then put them away all the neutrals then the earths the put breakers in and put away lives

 

[Mark_Burgess]

I love doing the new install consumer units, all looking neat straight and tidy.

Then you do an upgrade and you find that the old wires are only just long enough to reach the MCB's and Bars, and it looks a bit messy, but there is not much justification to extend and neaten it all. I do however have green numbered strips in reverse order for the CPC identification, just to try and keep some order within!!

 

[Des 56]

I love doing the new install consumer units, all looking neat straight and tidy.

Then you do an upgrade and you find that the old wires are only just long enough to reach the MCB's and Bars, and it looks a bit messy, but there is not much justification to extend and neaten it all. I do however have green numbered strips in reverse order for the CPC identification, just to try and keep some order within!!

How right you are,I am proud of the standard of my new installs,but looking at the pigs guts I made of a replacement job with some additions today
I looked hard at it and felt like ripping the lot out