Myunderstanding is that Electrium have recalled MCBs with 17 date codes across 7different brand names that they produce. It is mainly MCBs that have beenrecalled not CUs. Just 3 types of NEWLECCUs have been recalled. Ifyou found out about the recall from your wholesaler they probably only told youabout the 2 or 3 brand names that they actually sell, not all 7. Are there morebrands? I wonder… Thedate codes relate to manufacture between April 2009 and Feb 2010. This does notmean that MCBs fitted after Feb 2010 are not affected, any 6A,10A or 16A MCBfitted since April 2009 to today could be affected. Some suppliers were slow topick up on the recall and were still selling the individual MCBs after Feb2010. Also, I keep a stock of MCBs for extra circuits like alarms, boilers,etc. As well as buying individual MCBs, I bought loads of cheap Wylex boxes inthat period and mixed and matched the MCBs to the particular job. Hence some ofthe duds end up in the stock box. Since they don’t have a sell by date they getused at any time. It is even possible that electricians still have them instock. I think that you need to check every CU installed since April 2009unless you know you bought the CU well after Feb 2010 from a reputablewholesaler and didn’t swop out or add any 6, 10 or 16A MCBs to the CU. Can you remember?? Electriumtell me that for their Crabtree brand, “only Loadstars are affected”. I don’tuse Crabtree, but I think that Loadstar MCBs fit into other plug in typeCrabtree boxes like the Starbreaker. Imay be wrong here. Someelectrician friends of mine have retired; one has gone to work as an in-houseelectrician in a large company. They are not involved in the recall!!Somecontractors tell me that they don’t keep a record of the manufacturer when theyfit CUs or extra MCBs for showers, alarms, etc. They only way forward here isto visit every job the check the CU.
I am not sure what the actualproblem is with the MCBs, some overheating? Some catch fire? Some don’t complywith the B curve? I guess this saga will be with us for a while yet.
