Trainees, Show Us Your Installs

[Lister1987]

Just a question about changing Consumer Unit as they say that cutout fuse belongs to DNO so you should never try to interfer with it but honestly speaking all sparkys change CU as soon they pick up the job so am wondering how do they perform this if the CU does not have linked main switch?

Officially you call the DNO and they'll either send someone out to pull it (and fit an isolator if paid) or if your DNO operates such a scheme whereby thry give you authority based on your CPS membership - Some will let NICEIC pull and reaseal, others don't.

The way I see it EAWR trumps any 'thou shall not pull DNO fuse', but I would still notify of my intent, now if thry want to upgrade all th service heads for those with integral isolation turn great but until thry do, we have little option

 

[Charlie_Don't_Surf]

I realise this is an old thread, but for what it's worth, I thought I'd add my first board here as well. Tiny I know, but I did it start to finish, including a core hole through the back of the wall, without damaging any of the cables, and then feeding them all up and through the new hole. To be fair, given my very modest amount of experience in the industry, I was happy with the outcome, and my gaffer never pulled me up on anything. Open to any feedback / constructive criticism though!

 

[westward10]

Seems a neat job, why the two cables in the 6A RCBO?
Is the 20A a ring final?

 

[Charlie_Don't_Surf]

Seems a neat job, why the two cables in the 6A RCBO?
Is the 20A a ring final?

Re the 6amp RCBO, I think this was because there were two lighting circuits in the property. Is that unusual? It was a very small property so it was deemed appropriate to plumb them both into one breaker

Re the 20amp, I honestly don't recall. Tbf I should have added a disclaimer in the OP that I was advised about which circuits should go into which RCBOs (obvs I have awareness of basic differences of what needs to go where, but when it comes to whether to combine circuits into one breaker or not, I still defer to advice from my seniors).

 

[littlespark]

I take it the busbar gaurd was added post- photograph?


Penny washers on the screws… why?

The rear surface is usually pressed so the holes, and then the screwheads are below the flat surface of the back face of the board… reducing the risk of a cable getting pressed up against the countersunk edge is a screw head.

 

[SJD]

Penny washers on the screws… why?

The holes in Fusebox housings are a little large for the range of screws I typically use (no 8's) so I add washers to avoid the risk of the screw pulling through - but not penny washers, ones that sit into the recesses.

 

[westward10]

Re the 6amp RCBO, I think this was because there were two lighting circuits in the property. Is that unusual? It was a very small property so it was deemed appropriate to plumb them both into one breaker

Re the 20amp, I honestly don't recall. Tbf I should have added a disclaimer in the OP that I was advised about which circuits should go into which RCBOs (obvs I have awareness of basic differences of what needs to go where, but when it comes to whether to combine circuits into one breaker or not, I still defer to advice from my seniors).

I suspect the two lighting circuits have interconnected neutral conductors which would result in the RCBOs tripping if you split them. This was common on 70s properties on the stairs lighting and should be rectified as all the lighting is now on a single protective device so if you have a fault all the lighting is lost.

 

[davesparks]

2 cables in the 1 RCBO is suspicious and suggest a borrowed neutral is being bodged around rather than actually being repaired. There's many possible reasons why, maybe to avoid damage to decor, maybe a temporary solution until the fault is found.

My only criticism is that there are no spare ways on the busbar, it looks like it has been cut down in length.