Studio Consumer Unit

[Engineer54]

I agree there are other issues to address, but only worrying about CU on this thread.

Fin170 is spot on, money is king. Both split board and RCBO soloutions would pass 17th Edition, therefore at £400 less the split board wins.
It's an argument you can have with another sparky, but most customers won't understand the difference, and you have got to remember the customer wont benefit from it looking better, it's for tenanted studio's.

For my house I would go for a full RCBO soloution, but when paying for someone else who does not care, as long as it's safe, that's good enough for me.

And that just about sums up the general standard associated with the electrical industry in the UK today!!!

 

[Silly Sausage]

And that just about sums up the general standard associated with the electrical industry in the UK today!!!

What do you expect, it's Great Britain!
I wish I lived in Germany!

 

[Engineer54]

What do you expect, it's Great Britain!
I wish I lived in Germany!

With not much of a look on ebay i found this... Wylex NH504 5 Way Insulated Consumer Unit 100A DP SWITCH + 5 NHXSBS1 RCBO 17th | eBay

Contacting this company would probably bring down the unit price on ordering 12 units, and/or what the price would be for 4 RCBO's instead of the 5!!
It just proves how much or little effort has been put into costing this project

 

[Michaelwgroves]

I fail to see why upgrading an old CU with a 17th edition compliant CU at the best possioble price for the customer is any endorsement on the state of workmanship in the UK.
There is always a better more expensive way of doing things if budget permits.

What is dissapointing is that the thread has gone off track to personnal insults, please keep it technical.

 

[Engineer54]

I fail to see why upgrading an old CU with a 17th edition compliant CU at the best possioble price for the customer is any endorsement on the state of workmanship in the UK.
There is always a better more expensive way of doing things if budget permits.

What is dissapointing is that the thread has gone off track to personnal insults, please keep it technical.

Is this Technical enough for you?? lol!!

TYPE B - 10kA, Consumer Units, Fuse Boards, Fuse Box, MCB, RCD from Wyeverne Electrical

http://www.shop-we.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/38​

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Check out the cost of the 4 or 6 way consumer unit and 4 times RCBO's.

 

[Fin170]

Wish I could get customers willing to throw money around

Given the average landlord I doubt they would agree that a shower and cooker is essential enough to warrant a few hundred extra pounds spent on them to avoid waiting for an electrician for 1 or 2 days.

And is using a bunch of cheap (look like MK clones looking at the TD line ones) RCBOs really better practise than using some quality known products?

Don't get me wrong I'd prefer all my consumer units be RCBO boards with surge protection, Emergency light above it and a S type RCD on further back up. I explain the risks and give the options every time, but at the end of the day you've got to be realistic

 

[Michaelwgroves]

The Wyeverne gear is interesting this would cost about the same as Contactum split load setup. I think we all agree RCBO is best, but at same price, I'm gonna go with Contactum as you can get Contactum off the shelf anywhere if I ever need to replace an MCB etc in a hurry.

Thanks for everyone's input, it's been an intersting debate.

 

[robsparky1975]

I would drop into the local wholesalers and ask for a price on 12 x 5 way consumer units(100a main switch only) and 48 rcbos,maybe tell them they are competing on price with wholesaler down the road,you might just be surprised what they offer.

 

[Michaelwgroves]

No harm in asking, I will price up both options.

 

[Engineer54]

And is using a bunch of cheap (look like MK clones looking at the TD line ones) RCBOs really better practise than using some quality known products?

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How do you know that those cheaper RCBO's weren't made in the same factory??
Err, wasn't MK a part of the recall problem not so very long ago?? Now that's real quality for you!! lol!! I personally swear by MG/Schneider product's, but even there RCD/RCBO devices aren't any more reliable than anyone else's, of that, i can assure you, ...and they are one of the most expensive names in the electrical industry!! lol!!


Gone are the day's that manufacturers made/produced all they're own products, nearly all now out-source large chunks of the products they sell under the cloak of the company name!!

 

[Michaelwgroves]

I agree the industry is very incestuous, it would be interesting to learn who makes what?

 

[Fin170]

Err, wasn't MK a part of the recall problem not so very long ago?? Now that's real quality for you!! lol!!

That was wylex and friends, although wylex in my opinion have never made anything good. I tend to use Schneider which are branded GET and sold as wilts plus on most white accessories, good quality if confusing. But I can hold anything made by Proteus up against MK or crabtree for example and tell which one I'd rather use irrelevant of price :lol:

 

[Michaelwgroves]

I like Scheider, are you saying you can buy branded Schneider at Contactum prices, if so where?

 

[hasel5]

Where does to actually say you need to have ensure you split the lights in to two circuit and same with power? My take was that as long as not all circuits are disconnected by one rcd then all ok

So in theory lights on one side with say cooker etc and power on other with shower and spread any other between each side

Tin hat on here but in a power cut you lose the lot ant way lol

 

[Engineer54]

Where does to actually say you need to have ensure you split the lights in to two circuit and same with power? My take was that as long as not all circuits are disconnected by one rcd then all ok

So in theory lights on one side with say cooker etc and power on other with shower and spread any other between each side

Tin hat on here but in a power cut you lose the lot ant way lol

Using Commonsense will give you the answer to your query!!