Loft conversion circuits

[bigbro]

Hi all,

Advice please...

I am considering having my loft converted but only want to pay for the shell and do the rest myself. Times are hard!!!

I have an old cu that is wire fuse. Will i need to change the cu box and have all the current circuits tested or is there a way to have a secondary cu from my old supply. the loft will need ring, lighting, smoke alarm on three floors to include two current levels and a shower circuit.

I realise that i will pay to have the testing done but really need to keep costs down so the wiring to the cu area i can do.

Any advice greatly received.

Brendan

 

[Engineer54]

Why? Radial of a 40A RCBO to a board in the loft and secondary circuits? I would of had to run a radial for the shower anyway. Its easier what i have done with a CU and in the loft and i havent had to mess with the existing circuits, simples!!!

p.s, ive been to Shanghi, think in 1987. Do they still use bamboo for scaffold? Good food there. :45:

Yes, ...in fact they use bamboo all over South East Asia. It's actually a lot more stable than the metal systems were used too in the West. It also doesn't expand and contract anywhere near that of metal systems and it doesn't get hot enough to burn you in the summer months either... lol!!

As for the food, Yes again, especially if you like hot spicy food, which i'm not a lover of, but there's plenty of other dishes that suits my palate. Plus there's not much that i could buy in the UK that i can't buy in China these days. Hell, there's even Lidl stores over here and a few other well known supermarket chain type stores...lol!!

 

[bigbro]

Ok thanks guys...from all your posts i think the answer is... new cu in the loft with henley block an 60amp fuse and tails...

 

[Engineer54]

Ok thanks guys...from all your posts i think the answer is... new cu in the loft with henley block an 60amp fuse and tails...

Well let's all just be Grateful, that this idiot isn't practicing in anybody else's home.

Failed Electrical Trainee, Don't ya just love um!! ...lol!!

 

[highspark]

Ok thanks guys...from all your posts i think the answer is... new cu in the loft with henley block an 60amp fuse and tails...

Are you part p registered?

 

[Rockingit]

Well, it's your home, your right to do what you want (within regulations) but by my reckoning you've just added £30-40 at least on to your costs, and will end up with some forever-an-eyesore solution.

Have fun, after 110 posts I reckon you will.

 

[Octopus]

Ok thanks guys...from all your posts i think the answer is... new cu in the loft with henley block an 60amp fuse and tails...

I have to disagree.

The answer is get a competant electrician in, do a EICR, replace the existing CU and then work from there.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

lol

 

[mackers]

Well, it's your home, your right to do what you want (within regulations) but by my reckoning you've just added £30-40 at least on to your costs, and will end up with some forever-an-eyesore solution.

Have fun, after 110 posts I reckon you will.

after all these posts regarding this matter wether right or wrong! surley when this was originally suggested by i forget who now! nobody seriously thought the cu would be mounted in the bedroom its self when theres usually plenty of cupboard space formed in a tipical loft conversion to hide it away? LOL

 

[malcolmsanford]

To be honest i have tried my hardest to keep out of this one, but alas I have failed miserably.:lipsrsealed2:

Unless this loft conversion is going to epic proportions are we honestly going down the road of a separate CU for 3-4 double sockets a couple of lights and a shower ................

Did anyone who suggested a new CU do design on there relevant qualifications

 

[41steve]

Hi mate. You can probably ignore all the existing circuits (you should make sure gas and water are bonded). Come out of the meter in 25mm tails (split off the existing tails with a henley block) into a 60amp switch fuse (next to meter) then run a 16mm T&E up to the loft into a 5 way RCD consumer unit. You may find when you get the building inspector to sign off that he wants to see proof that the work has been done by a part P approved contractor. You cannot just get an electrician along to 'sign it off' unless they are willing to claim they have done the work. As far as I'm aware only building control can sign off non part P work.

I dont think this is allowed. Round here they will not connect the supply unless one switch isolates the whole supply, unless things have changed.

I used a 40A RCBO off the main board so the sub main has the 30mA protection.

 

[41steve]

To be honest i have tried my hardest to keep out of this one, but alas I have failed miserably.:lipsrsealed2:

Unless this loft conversion is going to epic proportions are we honestly going down the road of a separate CU for 3-4 double sockets a couple of lights and a shower ................

Did anyone who suggested a new CU do design on there relevant qualifications

The shower has to come off the main board so a CU in the loft is the easiest option off a 40A RCBO. Its easier to wire the loft circuits off that board without messing with the exsisting installation. ie, chasing walls up to the loft and any isolation problems and raising floor boards to connect the cables.

 

[Engineer54]

To be honest i have tried my hardest to keep out of this one, but alas I have failed miserably.:lipsrsealed2:

Unless this loft conversion is going to epic proportions are we honestly going down the road of a separate CU for 3-4 double sockets a couple of lights and a shower ................

Did anyone who suggested a new CU do design on there relevant qualifications

The shower has to come off the main board so a CU in the loft is the easiest option off a 40A RCBO. Its easier to wire the loft circuits off that board without messing with the exsisting installation. ie, chasing walls up to the loft and any isolation problems and raising floor boards to connect the cables.

It's quite amazing isn't Malc, even after 12 pages and 115 posts they still can't quite grasp what there saying, is the wrong way to go about supplying a bedroom in a loft!!

Perhaps you can educate them a little on this one, i've tried as well as others, ...and failed!! lol!!

 

[Dave 85]

It's quite amazing isn't Malc, even after 12 pages and 115 posts they still can't quite grasp what there saying, is the wrong way to go about supplying a bedroom in a loft!!

Perhaps you can educate them a little on this one, i've tried as well as others, ...and failed!! lol!!

You my freind are what is known as a jobsworth

Noone here is suggesting that a house thats half on an old C/U and half on a new C/U is better than a house thats all on a new C/U. It is quite clearly not.
This is beside the point. The client (O/P) has asked for a way to supply the loft without touching the old installation, and that is what they have been given. Being a successful self employed electrician is about being a good businessman as well a a good engineer. And if the client is adamant they want the cheapest option that meets the regulations, then only an idiot would refuse it to them.

Personally I have done a few lofts in my time and have never installed a submain for one. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with having a loft on a submain.

You havn't actually given a single valid reason as to why its such a terrible thing to do. The fact that you might spend an extra £30-£40 on materials is irrelevant compared to the hours of labour saved (for some of us £30-£40 for a single hour labour saved is a good trade off) And it's not as if its going to be on show, pretty much every loft conversion I've seen has storage cupboards down the sides.

And if the RCD trips for some reason, well you dont have to run down 2 flights of stairs to reset it.

 

[Engineer54]

Haha ... i'm about as far away from a ''Jobsworth'' as anything you could possibly imagine!!


I'm Not going to waste any more of my time on this, especially as you say you do one thing yourself, and argue another!! lol!! Save to say, go back and read this sorry tale of a thread and read the basis on what has been written. Then try and convince others that a CU in a loft bedroom is the right way of doing things!!! Because your never in a month of Sundays going to convince me!!....

 

[electromonkey]

Ok thanks guys...from all your posts i think the answer is... new cu in the loft with henley block an 60amp fuse and tails...

...............and live in ignorant bliss with your existing installation.

Have you contemplated carrying out IR tests on your existing installation just to see if there are any nasty surprises lurking should you wish to upgrade your CU?

Personally I would test your existing installation and then make an informed decision based on that.

Better the devil you know I say.

 

[mackers]

You my freind are what is known as a jobsworth

Noone here is suggesting that a house thats half on an old C/U and half on a new C/U is better than a house thats all on a new C/U. It is quite clearly not.
This is beside the point. The client (O/P) has asked for a way to supply the loft without touching the old installation, and that is what they have been given. Being a successful self employed electrician is about being a good businessman as well a a good engineer. And if the client is adamant they want the cheapest option that meets the regulations, then only an idiot would refuse it to them.

Personally I have done a few lofts in my time and have never installed a submain for one. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with having a loft on a submain.

You havn't actually given a single valid reason as to why its such a terrible thing to do. The fact that you might spend an extra £30-£40 on materials is irrelevant compared to the hours of labour saved (for some of us £30-£40 for a single hour labour saved is a good trade off) And it's not as if its going to be on show, pretty much every loft conversion I've seen has storage cupboards down the sides.

And if the RCD trips for some reason, well you dont have to run down 2 flights of stairs to reset it.

dont think anyone is reading our post correctly dave! i to have never done it this way but no one seems able to give good reason as to why its so wrong !!!!!!!!!