Obsolete MCCB panel board

[atm84]

A new extension requires a new TPN mcb dis board and I was looking at serving it from the existing MCCB panel board but breakers for it are obsolete and there aren't any breakers that can be retrofitted into the board.

Who would:
1) suggest the whole MCCB panel board is upgraded and serve the extension DB from the new panel board

Or

2) split the tails after the meter and fit some Lucy blocks; serve a new switch fuse unit and serve the extension DB from the switch fuse. And keep the existing MCCB panel board well alone.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated?

 

[Leesparkykent]

I would give the customer the option after discussing it with them.

 

[Welchyboy1]

Ebay is good for obsolete mccbs

i would prefer the switchfuse option if ebays no good

 

[atm84]

Thanks for your response. The customer wants the cheapest but a compliant installation. If I'm being honest I don't want to go the eBay route as the MCCB will not be backed by manufacturers warranty and you don't know where the MCCBs have been stored for last 'x' amount of years.

If the panel board was replaced then that's going to be a large cost and a lot of work; not to mention having to test the existing outgoing ways which may inherit problems. Splitting the tails, however will mean that by rights I'll need to liaise with the DNO to pull the fuses which is another hassle.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Thanks for your response. The customer wants the cheapest but a compliant installation. If I'm being honest I don't want to go the eBay route as the MCCB will not be backed by manufacturers warranty and you don't know where the MCCBs have been stored for last 'x' amount of years.

If the panel board was replaced then that's going to be a large cost and a lot of work; not to mention having to test the existing outgoing ways which may inherit problems. Splitting the tails, however will mean that by rights I'll need to liaise with the DNO to pull the fuses which is another hassle.

And you will have to provide/install a single point of isolation for the whole installation if you split the tails.

 

[atm84]

Is that a regulation can you point me to that please. That would mean I would need to install two switch fuses. One for the Whole Installation and one for the extension DB which is remote from intake.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Is that a regulation can you point me to that please. That would mean I would need to install two switch fuses. One for the Whole Installation and one for the extension DB which is remote from intake.

537.1.3 & 537.1.4. It wouldn't necessarily have to be a switch fuse providing the single point of isolation, a main linked switch would more than likely be fine. Obviously you will need a switch fuse for the sub board.

 

[shanky887614]

why not ask the client about installing a busbar chamber if they have enough capacity left from there supply.

this will future proof it and i would recommend bs88 rather than mccb for this as they will be more robust over time.

im sure no one here would be bothered about using a 30 year old bs88 when a 30 year old mccb might be questionable.

i would get as many posible solutions together and give them to the client

 

[Welchyboy1]

537.1.3 & 537.1.4. It wouldn't necessarily have to be a switch fuse providing the single point of isolation, a main linked switch would more than likely be fine. Obviously you will need a switch fuse for the sub board.

From how it interprets that reg on the esc website it's not quite as literal it sounds apparently

 

[Leesparkykent]

From how it interprets that reg on the esc website it's not quite as literal it sounds apparently

Do you have a link?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Seems to me that there is only ever different interpretations, when someone wants to do something that is prohibited.

 

[atm84]

Cheers lee sparky. Shanks you know I have been having that same discussion this week - busbar chamber vs MCCB panel boards. A lot of older installations that I come across tend to have bus bar chambers whereas nowadays everyone tends to fit MCCBs. But MCCBs get outdated. A switch fuse has greater longevity but can take up more space.

 

[shanky887614]

Cheers lee sparky. Shanks you know I have been having that same discussion this week - busbar chamber vs MCCB panel boards. A lot of older installations that I come across tend to have bus bar chambers whereas nowadays everyone tends to fit MCCBs. But MCCBs get outdated. A switch fuse has greater longevity but can take up more space.

i dont mind mccb boards but.

i don't however like the main supply going straight into them because it makes it anoying in the future, busbar chamber with isolators/fused isolators fed off it is my prefered method to feed mccb boards etc.

i guess my preference is kind of down to the fact i do a lot of work in hospitals where the supplies etc tend to get moved around a lot during constant building work

 

[atm84]

I agree. I always like to see a switch fuse/ isolator adjacent to a DB.

 

[Welchyboy1]

Do you have a link?

I have just tried to find it however since i last looked the esc have just redone the website, now it seems more aimed at consumers rather than the electrician

i have found

IEE Guidance Note 2 - "Isolation & Switching", p.40






"It is permitted for an installation to have more than one electrical installation. Therefore one 'main switch' is not required to isolate all consumer units simultaneously provided the consumer units have an integral main switch.

does consumer unit extend to TPN mccb panel boards too?