New circuits wired into a plastic consumer unit

[TJC1]

Had to install a ring main & cooker circuit for a new kitchen we have been doing.

The consumer unit is hager split load but is plastic. There is no room in the cupboard to add another board and the customers dont want to pay for a board change.

I guess i could just note on the form saying customers did not want to change to metal?

 

[Baddegg]

Best hope the judge ain’t got that book then Norah eh?

 

[davesparks]

Excuse me i don't say "MUST".
I say to them it needs to be changed to comply to the current regs.
Most of them take my word.
You can be mad at my way of working but that is me very keen at safety so i do it ~100%.
Uou can sceream as much as you want but that is how i have been trained to carry out my work.
I don't carry out sub standard work.
I rather not do it than loose my credibility.

Yeeehaaaaa ride 'em cowboy!

 

[chrisdungan]

Where would you stop though? There are many reg changes/additions that have been made over the years - do you recommend they update their installation to comply with all of them?

why change it?????
If it's in good condition
not electrically unsafe
AND
it was legal at the time it was installed
it is deemed legal now.
that's it

 

[DPG]

why change it?????
If it's in good condition
not electrically unsafe
AND
it was legal at the time it was installed
it is deemed legal now.
that's it

Errr, that's my point.

 

[rustynails]

not only that, but scaremongers ( get rich quick cowboys) are telling the public that their plastic CUs are "illegal".

I had that same thing the other day, a new consumer unit had been replaced in a rented property and had been told that plastic consumer units were illegal. However, a metal dual rcd cu had been fitted which would have almost certainly improved the safety of the electrical installation.

Now, I have never said that a plastic consumer unit is illegal to anyone as I seem to remember the first regs question was that the wiring regulations were non-statutory. However, what is illegal is when you do not meet the requirements of Part P and EAWR those are statutory.

When adding to an old plastic consumer unit like most have said certain work has to be done to unsure that its electrical safety has not been compromised or needs improving.

 

[Andy78]

I had that same thing the other day, a new consumer unit had been replaced in a rented property and had been told that plastic consumer units were illegal. However, a metal dual rcd cu had been fitted which would have almost certainly improved the safety of the electrical installation.

Now, I have never said that a plastic consumer unit is illegal to anyone as I seem to remember the first regs question was that the wiring regulations were non-statutory. However, what is illegal is when you do not meet the requirements of Part P and EAWR those are statutory.

When adding to an old plastic consumer unit like most have said certain work has to be done to unsure that its electrical safety has not been compromised or needs improving.

Which bits of the EAWR or part P require a plastic board to be changed to a metal one when additional circuits are being added ?

The opinion of the IET:

If I install a new circuit and the existing consumer unit is plastic, do I have to upgrade the consumer unit to a metal one after the 1st January 2016?

No, when installing a new circuit to an existing installation, after 1st January 2016, providing there is a spare way on the existing consumer unit, or if you utilise an existing way, there is no requirement to upgrade the consumer unit from a plastic product to a new metal type.

Source:
Consumer units: a brief overview - https://electrical.------.org/wiring-matters/issues/59/consumer-units-a-brief-overview/

 

[rustynails]

Which bits of the EAWR or part P require a plastic board to be changed to a metal one when additional circuits are being added ?

I’m right in saying the part p and eawr are statutory documents. Like I said in the case of adding circuits dependent on the necesary checks and IMO dependent on the amount of work you are doing to the consumer unit it I would install a metal consumer unit to meet current regulations on a case by case basis.