Consumers Units

[Pete999]

During a beer induced sleepless night, I began thinking about some of the pictures I had seen earlier on a different Forum, some were very tidy and some not. It got me thinking, how many of you guys cable tie the conductors together when connecting up the CU? not for me, but that's my choice.

The second thought is how many of you actually carry out dead tests prior to connecting up the CU? to avoid screwing up the nice tidy conductor dressing.

Thirdly I saw one unit with pictograms instead of actually writing on the unit, you know a picture of a lamp for lighting, a cooker for cooker circuit, I'd like to get some can anyone send me a link? or can you get them at the wholesalers?

 

[jaypp]

I don't cable tie but saw it in iLight boards recently which looked very presentable. I try not to have too much slack in the board as it can make it awkward and less tidy, but try to leave some elsewhere for the next person. Testing can differ with each job, but agree IR plus others (not only dead) are sensible before stripping out. Another is checking appliances work. Am with spartykus in that it's not too disruptive when done, circuits are 'there' and R1+R2 is easier for radials. (of course, pre-testing should have been carried out prior!!!!)
Our wholesaler has given me sticker pack before but might not have been a stock item. Got some part used ones if you want them, obviously the 'usual suspects' (up/down sockets/lights etc) missing!

 

[NDG Elecs]

I never tie the cables together.
If I'm doing a board change then dead testing gets done before the old un is even off the wall.
If it's a new install I usually test before the cables are dressed in as I find it easier!

Yep, agree there. If no pre-tests can be done (usually on an emergency board change for me) then I will get a high integrity board and dead test as I strip it down. If problems are found they are put on an MCB until I can get back and resolve (to get it on a RCD). I always forewarn of this possible issue arising.

I nearly always do thorough testing beforehand, but as Spartycus says dead tests can be done without much ruffling of the cables.

Never cable tie, and I too like the pictograms. Why not email Crabtree or Hager and see if they can send some out gratis? Say you are a loyal fan/customer!

Whilst I do like all RCBO boards and have fitted a few myself I think they are overkill a lot of the time. There's loads of installs I go back to a year or two later, and there is rarely issues with RCD's and nuisance tripping I find. Maybe I'm lucky!

 

[davesparks]

Don't get too hung up on the little stickers, all you really need there is the numbers as you are going to fix a detailed circuit list at or near the board anyway in accordance with the regs.

I've never found a need for cable ties in little boards, but have found they help in bigger boards whilst working (A 24way TPN board full of SP circuits in 1.5 or 2.5 can get a bit unruly). Generally they can be removed once the board is finished though.

 

[Rockingit]

Like Dave ^^^, I'll occasionally use some ties during construction and then remove after.

 

[GMES]

1. never tie wrap in domestic but do it in industrial, commercial due to there being more cables/ plus the need to drill into the board for additional circuits in future.
2 dont use the pictograms
3. Always dead test before i dress them in
4. On domestic new installs i always draw an A4 sheet showing all socket points in numeric order, same with lights etc, always useful in future fault finding for me or the next guy, all this gets put in a plastic folder along with certs and of course the invoice.

 

[Pete999]

I don't cable tie but saw it in iLight boards recently which looked very presentable. I try not to have too much slack in the board as it can make it awkward and less tidy, but try to leave some elsewhere for the next person. Testing can differ with each job, but agree IR plus others (not only dead) are sensible before stripping out. Another is checking appliances work. Am with spartykus in that it's not too disruptive when done, circuits are 'there' and R1+R2 is easier for radials. (of course, pre-testing should have been carried out prior!!!!)
Our wholesaler has given me sticker pack before but might not have been a stock item. Got some part used ones if you want them, obviously the 'usual suspects' (up/down sockets/lights etc) missing!

Thanks for the offer, think I'll take a trip to the wholesalers see if they have some

 

[Engineer54]

Whilst I do like all RCBO boards and have fitted a few myself I think they are overkill a lot of the time. There's loads of installs I go back to a year or two later, and there is rarely issues with RCD's and nuisance tripping I find. Maybe I'm lucky!

How can you call individual circuit protection ''overkill''?? This has been the standard arrangement virtually since the conception of DB's. In reality it's what you now call the 16th and 17th ed etc, CU's that are basically nothing more than a compromise based solely on cost. Why else would anyone contemplate accepting/allowing a fault appearing on one circuit, be allowed to affect several other circuits?

Oh, and Yes you have been lucky, as finding an earth fault on a typical twin RCD CU, is far more involved than on an all RCBO CU/DB.... Straight away, you know on what circuit the fault has occurred... lol!!

 

[Kate]

Ooops??

 

[Rockingit]

One thing I do do, that I've never seen elsewhere, is to write the cct description in shorthand on the top of the MCB/RCBO body with a fine sharpy (so hidden when the cover goes back on) as that way you're not constantly having to crane your neck afterwards to see what's written on the cover when working inside the board!

And yes, always dead tests before dress (ideally before the board is even on the wall).

 

[imago]

I've started using the labelling machine to label the cables just before they enter the CU. I use the black on yellow ones as they're easy to read but don't look out of place as long as (like everything else) they're kept neat.

I also use them on cables just before they enter a JB. Down lights for example where you have half a dozen switched feeds.

 

[Eddiesparks]

Soft IR test N-E with loads connected

R1 +R2 you can put link between busbar and earth bar (not for RFCs) obv with main switch off! Then flick up mcbs one by one for each circuit. Good technique someone showed me.

 

[Amp David]

Always dead test first, thats the most part of the job. Im in the trade to make money, so as long as the finished job is neat that'll do. These guys who have time to make there cu's so theres not a cable out of place either work for someone else or dont mind spinning the job out

 

[davesparks]

Neat and tidy working methods take no longer than messy ones if you know what you are doing.

Personally I wouldn't allow someone who has a "that'll do" attitude to do any work for me.

 

[Meggerman]

Always dead test first, thats the most part of the job. Im in the trade to make money, so as long as the finished job is neat that'll do. These guys who have time to make there cu's so theres not a cable out of place either work for someone else or dont mind spinning the job out

I don't think it takes any longer to make a neat job of it. Also, the way I see it, the DB is the single item that has the most time spent on it from the Electrician on that job. Every time I open a cover on a DB it is a shop window of the installer.

 

[Amp David]

No ones mentioned messy work methods. As long as a job is neat and the next guy along can see whats what to test. Just makes me wonder when you see these dbs with every conductor exactly the same length and every thing cable tied together.