Small sized consumer unit

[pdixon]

Dear All,
I need to replace a 30+ year old fuse box with a new consumer unit. Unfortunately, the fuse box is 200mm in height and there is no room for anything bigger.
Looking online and in the local DIY and electrical wholesalers I can only find consumer units that are 230mm high.
Does anyone know of a consumer unit suitable for an average house which is less than 230mm high? Width and depth don't really matter. Ideally I'd like the new unit to 150mm but whatever I get can't be more than the 200mm of the current fuse box otherwise it just won't fit

Thanks,

Paul.

 

[telectrix]

as width and depth don't matter, put it on it's side. i.e.portrait, not landscape.

 

[pdixon]

telectrix,
Thanks but the width is always greater than the height so turning it around would make the resulting unit higher, not lower.
For example, this unit is about as small as I've found. It's only 6-way but might do for the house although I'd prefer 8 way:
MK Sentry 6-Way 8-Module Insulated Consumer Unit Enclosure - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys
Note the dimension w234 h230 so if I turn it around then the height would become 234 instead of 230.
An 8 way unit would be wider than 234 so would be even higher when turned around.

Paul.

 

[telectrix]

sorry, misread your post. is it in an enclosure that could be made larger?

 

[pdixon]

telectrix,
the main electricity supply enters through the kitchen floor which is made of stone.
The incoming cables enter through the floor to the main fuses and then up to the meter. I can't touch those.
Immediately above the meter, with no clearance is the 200mm height fuse box.
Then immediatetly above the fuse box, with barely a few mm clearance, is the kitchen worktop.

The replacement consumer unit needs to fit in the gap between the top of the meter and the bottom of the kitchen worktop which is about 203mm although I'd prefer the new unit not to be such a tight fit as the current fuse box.

So the new consumer unit isn't in an enclosure, it's under the kitchen worktop. There is no more room vertically but there is plenty of room horizontally if needed.

Paul.

 

[telectrix]

could you not then fit longer tails and move the CU to the side of the meter? reading your last post, i think this is the answer

 

[pdixon]

telectrix,
if no one knows of a smaller height consumer unit then I may have to resort to that but a smaller unit would be so much easier. I just don't understand why they don't exist!

Paul.

 

[Lofty]

Hi,
They are probably this height to allow you to fit RCBO's which are 'normally taller than MCB's however I have seen a couple of manufacturers who have started to produce RCBO's that are the same height as their MCB's so POSSIBLY their new enclosures MAY be shorter in height as well. The manufacturers are GE and Hager. Try checking out their web sites.

It's just a thought.

Cheers,
Lofty

 

[nickblake]

Try a Deopke with RCBO's loaded they do a compact CDU a Pig to wire but might just fit

 

[pdixon]

Lofty,
thanks for the suggestions. I looked at the 2 websites but no luck, all units are the same height.


Nick,
you might be onto something there. It looks like Deopke do consumer units as low as 205mm in height. Ideally I'd like something smaller still but at least that one is virtually the same height as the current fuse box so it should squeeze into the space available.
Their website also mentions an even smaller unit at 186mm. It's no longer in production but I might be able to find one somewhere.
Thanks,

Paul.

 

[ringer]

Good call Nick - Doepke enclosures are 205mm high so might just be ok for you

 

[Spudnik]

I have just had a look at that brand and they do look very, very small!

Must admit, i would just relocate "standard make" CU to the side or some where nearby, and extend the circuit tails in an enclosure that would fit the space.

By the time you faff about with a smaller & "pig to wire" CU, you could have done the above IMO.

 

[pdixon]

Just an update for those interested.
I e-mailed a supplier about the Doepke unit and got no reply. Some companies mustn't need the business.

At the same time I contacted my electricity company, Atlantic Electric and Gas, which is part of Scottish and Southern Energy, via their website, to ask how much it would be to upgrade the main fuse as it's only 60A at the moment and what it would cost to fit an isolation switch. The company replied in 3 days with an appointment next week to come out and upgrade the main fuse from 60A to 100A and install an isolation switch. Both free of charge.

I then asked if it was possible to move the meter a few inches at the same time and they said no problem! As long as it doesn't need moving more than 6 inches then they'll also do that free of charge at the same time. More than 6 inches they say I'd need to contact my "local distribution centre - Northern Electric".

If things go to plan next week it looks like I'll be able to fit in a standard consumer unit after all. I assumed moving the meter would have been expensive, hence the need for the small consumer unit.

Paul.

 

[ringer]

That's lucky. Thanks for posting the info.