Consumer unit replacement issue

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Coldcut, Jun 27, 2018.

  1. fire

    fire Well-Known Member

    Poor young lad would have to go out and buy a new toolset...:D
     
  2. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select

    You DO NOT need Two Consumer Units - what you require is a Dual Tariff/Supply CU. MK Sentry range can be used for it.

    One supply comes in at the left and supplies the various circuits. A second supply (E7) goes to a second incomer halfway along and that provides connection to the heaters.

    You will be best upgrading to give additional protection with an RCD or RCBOs and as you may only have four circuits, I would suggest using RCBOs to minimise disruption of it trips.

    Is your meter close by?
     
  3. Coldcut

    Coldcut Member

    Can you link me to such a Dual Tariff/Supply CU?
    If it has RCD protection,lets say it has dual,then is MCB'S ok to use or RCBO'S?

    The meter is in my hallway of my flat right next to the front door,so is that close enough?
     
  4. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select


    Several around - your electrician would be able to make a suitable choice or will build one from standard components. Sentry no longer supply as standard so MK may be ruled out. Reason I asked about proximity of meter, is that it may be necessary to run new feeds.
     
  5. fire

    fire Well-Known Member

    If you buy a Wylex high integrity NMII unit then you can just build it how you want.

    You split it with two main switches, one for the first incomer and the second for the other.
    nmiix4506.jpg

    You just arrange whatever you want on the DIN rail and wire it neatly as per the circuit design.

    I use the Wylex NM range, picture is of the NM2 or NMII range.

    If you need 3 main switches you just add it in.

    consumer-unit-dual-multi-tariff-2-or-3-main-switches.png

    My point is exactly what Pollowick said, you can do it all in one consumer unit. You do NOT need two separate units.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2018
    Pollowick likes this.
  6. Bazza

    Bazza Screwfix Select

    Any choices of which consumer unit and how and if new supply cables need to be run are questions for your electrician.

    I am curious though, what response or choices are your neighbours making. They must be in the same boat?
     
    fire likes this.
  7. Not always the case Peter,he could end up with a 50 year old 5 day or 5 week wonder who thinks microbore pipe is going into the consumer unit.

    He needs a time served tradesman with a good bit of pyro experience.

    They have even taken pyro off the AM2 for Apprentices nowadays,it is becoming a dying art.
     
  8. Coldcut

    Coldcut Member

    Thanks,i'll find out what my neighbour had.
     
  9. fire

    fire Well-Known Member


    I'd have said it is a dead art already. It was on the way out back in the 90's when i was doing my C&G
     
  10. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select

    Find out if several neighbours want to do an upgrade - you cannot be the only one. Then, work together to find one electrician who will have to repeat the same job several times and you may be able to negotiate a discount.
     
  11. Sparkielev

    Sparkielev Screwfix Select

    Can you still get a potting tool for the pyro ? Most sparks wont have one, i would serously consider just getting eicr done if it has no C1 orC2 faults the leaseholder cant argue
     
    fire likes this.
  12. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    I've still got all the tools in my shed somewhere, I think the compound might be past its sell by date though by now.

    If I was doing that I'd try and leave the coupler attached to the pyro gland and undo the bush from inside the old fuse box and reattach the same way. Would'nt surprise me if it was 2 core with the sheath as the earth. either way being very careful not to disturb the pyro cores more than neccesary.

    I seem to remember some pyro was imperial as well and the pots you can get now wont screw on to it.
     
  13. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Coldcut, could you possibly post a photo of the incoming mains where the meter is located? Those pyros don't look big enough to be main feeds in to the board they are more likely to be circuits out. But I would need to see where the main feed is coming in to be sure.
     
  14. robertpstubbs

    robertpstubbs Screwfix Select

    Looking at a 1982 Lease:

    1: It requires the Lessee to "Keep the ... Flat ... electrical ... apparatus ... in good substantial and tenentable repair and condition ... and protect the ... other ... parts of the Building". It doesn't specfically say IMPROVE or UPDATE but it could possibly be interpretated that way.

    2: The Lessee has to compy with national and local laws, regulations, and authorities.

    3: The Lessee can't do anything to affect getting insurance, but isn't required to actively do anything to enable getting insurance.

    Obviously your Lease may differ.
     
  15. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

  16. retiredsparks

    retiredsparks Super Member

    Shall i get my dusty pyro tools out and show you youngsters how its done ?
    The other problem is...are the ccts from the board also pyro.....if that are and feeding storage heaters....when the time switch comes on...the 30ma RCD might drop out !
    All further advice will be charged at premium rate plus VAT....lol
    RS
     
  17. Sparkielev asked if you can still get the potting tool,not the crimping tool.That is why I mentioned about screwing the pots on.
     
  18. robertpstubbs

    robertpstubbs Screwfix Select

    I've got a 50 year old box of sticks of MICC compound. Will they still be usable?
     
  19. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select

    Given teh age of teh tools and potential user, I would suggest a premium rate that was applicable at the time of original use - shall we saw £1 3s 2d per half day - no VAT, just Purchase Tax!
     

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