My Consumer Unit

[uksparks]

Hi,

I thought Id just share what Im doing with everyone.

At present I have a 16th Edition Hager board, its full, its got 18 circuits in it, and a couple doubled up.

I purchased a plastic one 12 months ago to take 20 ways, and was just looking at changing it next week for the plastic one and back dating it.

But having 20 RCBO's in it, its going to be a pain in the --- to get it done and neat and not crammed in...

So....

I am going to order a Hager Invicta 3 8 way board so I can get 24 single phase ways in it, also leaves me loads of space and will not bling on the wall in the garage.

It will also leave a lot of space so that I can fit a surge protector at a later day, just need to by a single phase conversion kit and an incomer but it will look a million times better on the wall and 10 times easier to terminate everything.

The only thing that ill have to do is lengthen a load of the circuits, not all, but a chunk of them, and also extend the 25mm meter tails, I have to admit, im not a big fan of extending tails as I don't like a joint in them, but it will be impossible for me to draw new tails in as they go up the cavity and across and its a non starter. I think if I just double heat wrap them and crimp them well it should be fine.

Anyway, the Invicta board, at least it complies with Amd3.

Ill post photos up when I do it.

Its costing me quite a bit as ill need 20 RCBO's and the board, and kit etc, £650 in total!!

 

[NDG Elecs]

It is very well split down, I cannot think who installed it without looking on the CU label.

The house is 14 years old, so not ancient, I would say it is well thought out.

The things I have added since moving in 16 months ago are these circuits:

LEFT BANK OF RCBO'S
-------------------------
6 CCTV Power
16 Dedicated Circuit for Compressor
16 Immersion Heater
20 Solar Panels
32 Garage Ring Circuit
6 Front Pillar Lights, side and rear
10 Garage Roller Shutters

yes I agree, its totally overkill filling a board up with RCBO's, and nothing has ever tripped, but as I have just bought the house and plan to stay there for 20+ years, I would like to replace it with something good and as separated as much as possible just so I know a fault on lights outside cannot trip my fridge etc..

Its not just that, but I don't know about you but I get off on going over the top like this, its my house and I want it to be bling! Just think, the next person or spark that looks at it should be suitably impressed!

I must admit I went to a small bungalow a while back and they had a merlin gerin all RCBO board installed which was nice to see for a change. I asked who installed it and it was their son who is an industrial spark. Lovely job inside it, but the son could not provide bits of paper to satisfy building control hence the call to me.

 

[shanky887614]

I must admit I went to a small bungalow a while back and they had a merlin gerin all RCBO board installed which was nice to see for a change. I asked who installed it and it was their son who is an industrial spark. Lovely job inside it, but the son could not provide bits of paper to satisfy building control hence the call to me.

probably more like not registered with a scam.

its nice to see these as well

 

[NDG Elecs]

probably more like not registered with a scam.

its nice to see these as well

Yep, he wasn't registered, BC wanted a EICR for the tiny loft conversion they did. Certainly beats see Proteus board!

 

[slingshot2000]

would have the new schneider mcb's are £15 each.

£40+ a pop im guessing for the rcbo's now

I don't know where you are buying Schider mcbs from, but I pay a lot less than2 quid each for them !

 

[shanky887614]

I don't know where you are buying Schider mcbs from, but I pay a lot less than2 quid each for them !

acti9 mate there expensive without an account (i havent bought any thats google)

ic60h for example

 

[uksparks]

Hi,

Just thought id update you, I made a start on changing my board today.

All ok, no problems, Ill be honest, ive not finished testing it off as it took quite a while to get it all on the wall and work out what was what as it was all labelled incorrectly.

Ive still got 3 new circuits to connect, but this is it so far, ill finish it off tomorrow.

Before anyone says it, yes I know the perspex door does not comply with AMD3, I have spoken to Hager and they are shortly releasing a solid steel door that I can buy to fit it that will then comply, so as soon as its available ill swap it.

All in all when its finished, ill be using 22 of the 24 ways. I have not yet labelled it, ill do this tomorrow.

So its gone from this:


To this:




I have still got to tidy it all up, seal the hole at the back with intumescent block. There is a double pole isolator in front of this board if you were wondering as the neutral is not switched at the board. I also have a Hager Volt meter to go in the front of it next to the main switch, and a couple of contactors and buzzers etc so alert me should the power fail to a couple of the circuits.

It is split down as follows:

1: SPARE
2: SPARE
3: Garage Emergency Lights (Above CU)
4. Ensuite's, Master Bedroom, Rear Large Bedroom Lights
5. Security Alarm
6. Smoke, Heat & CO Detectors
7. Landing, Bathroom, Rear Small bedroom, Front Small Bedroom Lights
8. Immersion Heater
9. Garage Sockets
10. Solar Panel Inverter
11. Upstairs Sockets
12. HOB
13. SPARE
14. Computer Socket
15. CCTV
16. Front Pillar Lights
17. Garage Lights
18.Porch, Hall, Downstairs Toilet, Dining Room & Office Lights
19. Kitchen, Utility, Side & Rear Lights
20. Garage Roller Shutters
21. Kitchen & Utility Worktop Sockets
22. Office, Lounge, Hall, Dining Room & Conservatory Sockets
23. Kitchen & Utility Appliances & Boiler
24. Oven

 

[Simlec]

I think you need to put circuit 3 and 17 together don't you!
why don't you put 5 & 6 together ?

 

[uksparks]

I think you need to put circuit 3 and 17 together don't you!
why don't you put 5 & 6 together ?

I have another emergency light hooked off that already on the garage light, the other one was if it all goes off.

I would rather keep everything separated, so 5 & 6 are not going to me put together.

 

[uksparks]

Stupidly I ordered the 4 pole incommer kit instead of the 4 pole which switches the neutral, but am refusing to pay another £65 for it now, there is no point.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Looks good Tom. One thing though, I would of put the rcbo's earth reference leads to the corresponding terminals.

 

[Simlec]

I have another emergency light hooked off that already on the garage light, the other one was if it all goes off.

I would rather keep everything separated, so 5 & 6 are not going to me put together.

? What's the point of the EM light above DB if all goes off? You cant do anything if you have no power.

 

[uksparks]

? What's the point of the EM light above DB if all goes off? You cant do anything if you have no power.

true, but it was more so that I can see the board if I really need to. I've got a few EM lights spare that I didn't pay for so I might as well use them.

 

[uksparks]

Looks good Tom. One thing though, I would of put the rcbo's earth reference leads to the corresponding terminals.

Well, I did contemplate that, I suppose I still could, I suppose it would make removal 10x easier... I just bunched them to keep them out the way to be honest.

im unlikely to ever remove them or do anything with them now so it won't hurt, but yes, it's a valid point.

 

[uksparks]

Just to add to that, these are 6kA RCBOs so the earth leads are quite short and would all have to be extended.