moving the CU

[roukel01]

Customer called today, old re-wirable board and they want it chaging with a few other jobs. No probs, however, they want it moving up the wall into a kitchen cupboard because at the minute its about 500mm from floor level and they want to put a dishwasher in its place.
Is this allowed? I questioned it because of accesability, however the customer said "well the other sparky quoting for the job said its fine"

Your thoughts please.

 

[acat]

Access is for new builds only existing dwellings and extensions to existing are exempt.


Hope that helps


Chris

 

[Guest123]

I wouldn't be happy fixing it to the cupboard itself....mounted directly on the wall with the cupboard cut around it maybe, as long as it remained fully accessible

 

[roukel01]

It'll be fixed to the wall, just in wall unit.
I knew the heights stipulation was new dwellings only and part of building regs rather than 7671, I just had a doubt as to whether the regs state somewhere that switchgear and the like should be accessible, but I suppose a wall unit is accessible otherwide we wouldn't put our grub in it!!

 

[chris gray]

wether its in your kitchen or under your stairs, its just a cupboard

 

[steamboatwilly]

Asked my NICEIC inspector about this very point last year and his view was that the local conditions can override any Regs in certain circumstances. For instance, leaving it behind a washing machine not only makes it inaccessible but also prone to mechanical damage. Therefore, he says make a judgement about where the CU is best placed in the property....it can vary and sometimes the Rags aren't the best way.