Stupid question re: moving distribution board

[ranger]

Firstly, I am not going to do any of this myself as I know my limitations!

I have got costs for my distributor and supplier to move my feed/meter positions and need the tails moving (obviously) and distribution board moving as well.

My question is does the electrician, generally, simply put junctions to extend all the cables from their current length for the extra 1m needed or does it mean a rewire? I am just trying to get an idea of the amount/ease of the work required when I plan the gradual refurbishment of my house as we live in it

 

[Octopus]

Why do you need to move the fuse Board?

Surely longer tails from the meter are required

 

[buzzlightyear]

Firstly, I am not going to do any of this myself as I know my limitations!

yeah.

 

[buzzlightyear]

My question is does the electrician, generally, simply put junctions to extend all the cables from their current length for the extra 1m needed or does it mean a rewire? I am just trying to get an idea of the amount/ease of the work required when I plan the gradual refurbishment of my house as we live in it

maybe you should get a spark in to easy the pain .

 

[ranger]

Sorry, I haven't made sense. I want to move the fuse board (and meter) as it is currently at eye level in a cupboard that is being removed and put at a lower level inside or behind (with access) a kitchen base cabinet.

The meter is going to be moved to an external site so I will need longer tails but what I am wondering about is the fact all the wires for the ring main, lighting etc terminate (coming from above behind drylining) at eye level and I will want them terminating approx 1m lower.

I am just trying to understand what the implications are as the meter move and longer tails will be done first and then the move of the distribution board at a later date as I can afford it, obviously more expensive but means I can programme work as I can afford it

 

[Octopus]

Get quotes from local sparks ..... is my advice

 

[Rpa07]

Agree with above - all the circuit cables can be extended neatly in a safe manner using proper equipment. Get a couple of quotes from recognised electricians, recommendations are good because they’ll need to know what they are doing and do it well.

 

[ranger]

Rpa07, thanks that is all I wanted to know before I went to an electrician and made myself look stupid! Whilst I imagined that was the solution I have no idea how to achieve it and am happy to pay someone with the knowledge and skills to do it

 

[Midwest]

Firstly agree with the previous comments on seeking advice from an electrician etc.

If you are going to the bother & cost of moving you consumer unit (distribution board), I would locate it somewhere more assessable than in a floor unit of a kitchen.

As Rpa07 said; Dependant on the existing circuits you have installed, these can be refed from another point on that circuit, and the old feed from the CU to the first point could be removed, or just rewire the existing circuit feeds. An alternative is to extend the existing cables to the new CU position, using a suitable enclosure with din rail connectors. But that won't relieve you of the existing CU obstruction.

In essence it can easily done, but at cost and some disruption.

 

[SJD]

I would agree with Midwest about avoiding a kitchen base unit. The back of a base unit is a dreadful place to find a consumer unit when you have to work on it, low down, head in the back of a tight cupboard, sometimes can be a nightmare.

 

[Timbo]

As Midwest and SJD said, don't put in kitchen base unit. It will cost you far more in electricians charges later, when you want more work done. Can you locate it in the room above? The cables might be long enough then.

 

[Octopus]

AND bear in mind the cables have to get to the new fuseboard ...... so beware where you might plan to put it due to all the cables that you or your kitchen fitter might drill into later

 

[Deleted member 105166]

The meter is going to be moved to an external site so I will need longer tails but what I am wondering about is the fact all the wires for the ring main, lighting etc terminate (coming from above behind drylining) at eye level and I will want them terminating approx 1m lower.

Do you mean an external meter box position on an outer wall, with the distribution board on the wall behind it on the inside? Generally, meter tails don't exceed 3m.

I am just trying to understand what the implications are as the meter move and longer tails will be done first and then the move of the distribution board at a later date as I can afford it, obviously more expensive but means I can programme work as I can afford it

You will essentially be paying for the job to be done twice. Decide on the new permanent position and do the job once, when you can afford it. A temporary solution would need to be wired and tested, the same as a permanent one.

 

[Midwest]

You will essentially be paying for the job to be done twice. Decide on the new permanent position and do the job once, when you can afford it. A temporary solution would need to be wired and tested, the same as a permanent one.

Can't see the meter move & CU change happening at the same time.

 

[Pete999]

Sorry, I haven't made sense. I want to move the fuse board (and meter) as it is currently at eye level in a cupboard that is being removed and put at a lower level inside or behind (with access) a kitchen base cabinet.

The meter is going to be moved to an external site so I will need longer tails but what I am wondering about is the fact all the wires for the ring main, lighting etc terminate (coming from above behind drylining) at eye level and I will want them terminating approx 1m lower.

I am just trying to understand what the implications are as the meter move and longer tails will be done first and then the move of the distribution board at a later date as I can afford it, obviously more expensive but means I can programme work as I can afford it

Can't see the meter move & CU change happening at the same time.

No nor me