IPXXD Consumer Units

[D Skelton]

Out of interest Paul, what do they propose to do about the plastic protective devices sitting in a nice big rectangular opening of the steel enclosure?

Serious question.

 

[davesparks]

All this crap when the real answer is to install mains powered interlinked smokes in the same room/location of the fuseboard.

madness, unnecessary expense and complexity when smokes will do

The real answer is to use decent quality materials and install them properly

 

[netblindpaul]

There is one upside if the decision IS back to steel.......DIY is capable of punching a hole in an ABS enclosure with the wifes knitting needles, but metal you at the least need some proper tools to make a hole in.

The CU manufacturers have put a bunch of knockouts in the CU's so it is easy to make holes in them it seems,
Mind, if you don't want 20mm/25mm (possibly) dia. knockouts then tough.
I asked of these holes aligned with say those in a 25mm dp backbox.
The answer, we had not thought about that!

 

[netblindpaul]

Out of interest Paul, what do they propose to do about the plastic protective devices sitting in a nice big rectangular opening of the steel enclosure?

Serious question.

Nothing apart from put a metal cover over them.

 

[Leesparkykent]

From what I have heard you can use a plastic CU , and install it in a metal enclosure as well , also the term competent person is being removed as well to qualified...

Hopefully in time this will move nearer to JIB grading..

I heard the term competent person is changing to instructed person.

 

[D Skelton]

Nothing apart from put a metal cover over them.

Is that stipulated in regulation anywhere. Has it been made clear? That all enclosures need to be made of non combustible materials, and any combustible part that penetrators the non combustible housing must also be covered with non combustible material?

 

[netblindpaul]

There is a descriptor of what constitutes a consumer unit, that is back, front & cover.
So these 3 parts must be basically "steel", the remaining issue is the penetrations, and that is totally unclear AFAIK.

You have already read all this though Damien, I'm not going to change my tune!

 

[D Skelton]

There is a descriptor of what constitutes a consumer unit, that is back, front & cover.
So these 3 parts must be basically "steel", the remaining issue is the penetrations, and that is totally unclear AFAIK.

You have already read all this though Damien, I'm not going to change my tune!

Unclear is just the start of it lol!

I don't expect you to change your tune, what I do expect is for you to realise that this requirement is going to be as wet as it comes. It's gonna end up being another one of those grey areas that can be exploited by loop holes because it isn't clearly stipulated one way or the other.

It isn't the end result that bothers me, whether I have to fit metal boards or not is immaterial considering %99 of the boards I fit are metal anyway. It's the ar$e about face way they have gone (and will probably continue to do so) about this that grinds my gears.

In all honesty, this industry aint gonna improve any time soon. That is at least until the bods at the IET can actually put together a set of regulations that actually mean something. And by that, I mean every single requirement is absolutely water tight. All this meddling from the schemes means that this simply aint gonna happen until they're out of the picture.

I'm wracking my brain here, and I simply cannot think of a set of standards, statutory or non statutory, that is open to such interpretation!

With regards to metal boards. I just want them to make up their damn minds! Lol

 

[Octopus]

Out of interest Paul, what do they propose to do about the plastic protective devices sitting in a nice big rectangular opening of the steel enclosure?

Serious question.

Again, i quote Tony Cable, no plastic cover for the mcb's, so a metal cover it has to be.

this is complete madness.


campaign for smokes, not metal cu's

 

[Leesparkykent]

I wonder what will happen with regards to pvc conduit and the like being installed in to the metal consumer unit.

 

[D Skelton]

I wonder what will happen with regards to pvc conduit and the like being installed in to the metal consumer unit.

Won't be allowed, it will have to be a steel coupler onto the board. After that, it's a free for all! Lol

The mind boggles!

Edit: Just speculating lol

 

[Leesparkykent]

Won't be allowed, it will have to be a steel coupler onto the board. After that, it's a free for all! Lol

The mind boggles!

madness

 

[Simlec]

It is a bit mad, all the plastic ones been installed now will become a C3 on future reports.

 

[infinity]

Why would you install a metal ccu in a house now? If someone tried installing An ugly metal cu in my house I'd send them packing.
A nice plastic cu looks much better in you house , it doesn't by any means make you a rough electrician installing plastic, but you must be a damn fool if your going round installing metal consumer units in people's homes. Bloody ridiculous

 

[Simlec]

Why would you install a metal ccu in a house now? If someone tried installing An ugly metal cu in my house I'd send them packing.
A nice plastic cu looks much better in you house , it doesn't by any means make you a rough electrician installing plastic, but you must be a damn fool if your going round installing metal consumer units in people's homes. Bloody ridiculous

Its not a new thing.