Which consumer units are best

[messimagician]

I have a very old Wylex fuse board which is need to bring up to current standard Amendment 3.

I believe my property is supplied using a TN-S

I'm looking for a new consumer unit that is 11 or 12 way but not sure which brands are best as I plan on going for all rcbo.

So far I've seen Schneider, Hager and Wylex units

Schneider do one called Resi9 that's top of range but can't find any places that sell them, I can only see the Easy 9 for sale

Hager do one called Design 30

Wylex seem well stocked but I hear their rcbos are over sensitive and trip a lot, also they have had a recall in the past so I'm not sure on their quality in today's climate

I'm just wanting some advice on what you guys like to install, money isn't an object so I'm not after any budget stuff

Can anyone post pictures of their installs, be it cabinets or new metal consumer units

 

[shanky887614]

Seeing as i need a new board away, not enough ways plus no rcd protection, it makes perfect sense to upgrade plus these new regs are coming in whether people agree with them or not.

So Hager 30 seems to be a favourite
Does the Schneider boards have a metal cover or plastic covers? the resi9 doesn't seem to be sold in many places online
No one mentioned Wylex, do people avoid these now ?

Oh i should mention that i will not be attempting to do this work myself in any case, a fully qualified electrician will be doing it, hopefully one who will provide a nice and neat install

the acti9 ones will comply i recon with a metal door

the mc wylex boards look alright ive not fitted on yet though (10 way split load)

this is the first pic i found

 

[messimagician]

Acti9? Why do these Schneider CU's have so many different names.

The only two I have seen advertised are the Easy9 and Resi9 although the Resi9 seems like gold dust

That Wylex one looks OK, which CU would you need for all rcbo's that can be mixed with mcb's? There are so many variations

 

[shanky887614]

Acti9? Why do these Schneider CU's have so many different names.

The only two I have seen advertised are the Easy9 and Resi9 although the Resi9 seems like gold dust

That Wylex one looks OK, which CU would you need for all rcbo's that can be mixed with mcb's? There are so many variations

acti 9 are the old merlin? i think


im quoting skeltons old post from a different thread

Easy9 is just rebranded Square D. Complete rubbish IMHO. Acti9 on the other hand, the rebranded Merlin isobar gear, absolutely lovely stuff!

 

[uksparks]

Its not always about the hopeful benefits of a no seized up functioning RCD at the time of fault, but having old 3036 rewireable fuses is a pain in the bum for most people. So if anything I would want shot of them for MCB's, but thats me.

What I say to people is this who have old 3036 boards.

"What you have is on the old side, but I am not suggesting its dangerous. Just because its old doesn't mean its defunct and needs ripping out. Its like the wires running round your house, they may be old, but unless they show signs of deterioration why replace them. The only time I would advise you to perhaps look at rewiring part of a circuit or house is when you want to make more changes to the circuit which out weigh the time to just rewire the circuit.

The main difference between your old rewireable fuse box and a brand new latest specification Hager board, be it metal or plastic is that you have no RCD protection at the moment, which is going to help save your life in the event of a fault, and you have fuses that you have to rewire instead of just push a switch back up.

The new one also looks a lot nicer and will be properly labelled so you know which circuit is which.

If you would like to continue with your old fuse box, thats fine, but should you want to add any more circuits, you may need to then think about upgrading it as you have no space left in it, and the other issue is, should you want any electrical work carried out in your house such as new socket outlets and cables flush in the wall and so on, then unfortunately this work would need to be RCD protected, which then leads you back down the new consumer unit route.

Should you wish to upgrade, you have two options, you can either have a plastic consumer unit, or a metal consumer unit, both of which are excellent bits of kit, I only fit good quality products, the board I would fit would be made by a French company called Hager, they are very good, unfortunately some people charge the earth and fit cheap tat, Ill probably charge you less and will certainly fit a much better consumer unit.

The option of metal or plastic is basically to do with the latest Amd 3 of the regulations, although i don't have to fit a metal one at present, I do like to give people the choice. As of January next year, consumer units have to be made out of a non-combustible material, and the general concensus at present is that the only non combustible material is metal, but this is open to debate, but thats how it is at present. The reason that its going this way is because of fuse box fires where conductors have not been terminated properly, generally this is caused by inexperienced electricians over hardware failure. the point of it is, the fire would hopefully be contained within the consumer unit instead of it melt and spread.

If it was me I would upgrade the fuse box to the latest spec, I notice you have small children running around, and I would say that having RCD protection on your sockets is going to be better for them than not doing so should they poke something in a socket. Only last week (this is dead true by the way) my son had my keys and poked one in the earth terminal fully in at the top and switched it on, it would have only taken for him to poke another one in the live at the bottom and it could have been potentially fatal should there have been no RCD. An RCD is not there to be relied up on, but more of a "its better to have it than not" in the event of a fault.

Anyway, ill leave it with you, if you want that swapping out for a new one let me know."

 

[stevethesparks]

Only last week (this is dead true by the way) my son had my keys and poked one in the earth terminal fully in at the top and switched it on, it would have only taken for him to poke another one in the live at the bottom and it could have been potentially fatal should there have been no RCD. An RCD is not there to be relied up on, but more of a "its better to have it than not" in the event of a fault."

If my Son done that I'd rather fit MK outlets rather than rely on an RCD, IMHO MK have the best child proof shutters.
Theres no guarantee that a child or anyone receiving a shock would trip an RCD, and I'd prefer not to put that to the test.

 

[uksparks]

If my Son done that I'd rather fit MK outlets rather than rely on an RCD, IMHO MK have the best child proof shutters.
Theres no guarantee that a child or anyone receiving a shock would trip an RCD, and I'd prefer not to put that to the test.

It was in a 4 way bar at my mother in laws house. How is an MK outlet going to make any difference? Surely if you poke something in the earth at the top its going to open the shutters? I have MK Logic DP throughout my house, changed them all the week I moved in.

 

[stevethesparks]

Look at the spec, they do not open with just the earth pin inserted.

 

[stevethesparks]

I believe these are the MK Logic plus

[/IMG]

 

[uksparks]

Well thats a new one on me, I can't say as I have ever really tried poking stuff in them! That's good then!!

 

[davesparks]

Acti9? Why do these Schneider CU's have so many different names.

The only two I have seen advertised are the Easy9 and Resi9 although the Resi9 seems like gold dust

That Wylex one looks OK, which CU would you need for all rcbo's that can be mixed with mcb's? There are so many variations

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

 

[shanky887614]

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

a db is a consumer unit, just another name for them.

you get single and tpn 10 way+ consumer units under acti9


acti9 are merlin gerin
easy9 are square d

 

[Andy78]

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

Or put another way, Acti9 is the series derived from the extremely popular and high quality Merlin Gerin Multi9 range, and Easy9 is some ---- derived from the old SquareD domae/qwikline garbage.

 

[DPG]

I would take a consumer unit to be a final board feeding circuits feeding current using equipment. I would take a distribution board as a main board feeding maybe several sub-boards or consumer units. Daz

 

[shanky887614]

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

a db is a consumer unit, just another name for them.

you get single and tpn 10 way+ consumer units under acti9


acti9 are merlin gerin
easy9 are square d

Or put another way, Acti9 is the series derived from the extremely popular and high quality Merlin Gerin Multi9 range, and Easy9 is some ---- derived from the old SquareD domae/qwikline garbage.

told ya dave

 

[davesparks]

told ya dave

???? 3 pictures of catalogue pages for acti9 distribution boards?