has anyone used excel consumer units. What is the build quality like? How are they to install? do they compare to usual brands. MK, Wylex etc. Any information appreciated. Thanks.
excel consumer units Any good?
- Thread starter shaggy81
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I have not fitted one. I did look at one (because the low price £50 surprised me) the plastic case looks no more flimsy than Wylex and seems to have plenty of space for wiring. Looks like you can fit plenty of RCBOs in them if you want. Can't tell you much about the MCBs/RCDs but for no logical reason I would be concerned about them at such a low price.
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The boards look like CPN.
The breakers look like Electrium.
The RCBO's are C type.
Draw your own conclusions.
The breakers look like Electrium.
The RCBO's are C type.
Draw your own conclusions.
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Given that the 'earlier topic' was started just 3 minutes before this one, I presume it was merely a case of a duplicate post (which, as we all know, is so easy to perpetrate on this forum) of which the OP was probably not even aware.
Kind Regards, John.
I have fitted one recently the Excel 8 Way 17th Edition Split Load Unit.
To be honest the quality has not that bad, plenty of room for cables, more than enough knocks, on underside for cable entry.
Came with one spare locking screw for front of CU. A few blanks and the RCD testing notice.
Everything went together easy enough, think it was about £55 fully loaded.
I have definitely had worst boards to fit!
To be honest the quality has not that bad, plenty of room for cables, more than enough knocks, on underside for cable entry.
Came with one spare locking screw for front of CU. A few blanks and the RCD testing notice.
Everything went together easy enough, think it was about £55 fully loaded.
I have definitely had worst boards to fit!
I bought an Excel consumer unit type: 6 Way Split Load Insulated Consumer Unit C/w Mainswitch, 80A 30mA RCD & 6 MCBs some time before last Christmas because the man from Southern Electric who came to give me a free wiring test said it would be a good idea to replace the fuse box that the builder fitted 45 years ago. I only got round to fitting this recently and discovered that the RCD tripped for every circuit I fitted. With daylight running out I connected all the circuits to the unprotected strip and determined to find the reason for the problem at a more convenient time.
When I opened up the box recently and examined the internal wiring fitted by the manufacturer it became obvious to me that the RCD was never going to work as there is no way for the protected Line and Neutral currents to balance. It is wired up incorrectly and both my requests for help on this to the sellers help on their website have got no response.
This model must be the type most suitable for most old houses yet it can't protect properly.
My advice must be DON'T BUY.
im not sure what you mean, you mean there is no neutral bar for the RCD?
or the non-protected bar is joined to the RCD bar?
surely checking the layout configuration of the CU should have been done before even fixing it to the wall? And certainly tightening factory connections should have been done before energising anything
or the non-protected bar is joined to the RCD bar?
surely checking the layout configuration of the CU should have been done before even fixing it to the wall? And certainly tightening factory connections should have been done before energising anything
EXCEL consumer units are just fine. Not my usual brand but I have installed a couple. they are a budget brand, but (per the above) not as bad as many.
Its not their fault that you do not seem to know how to
a) test an installation prior to changing a consumer unit
and/or
b) understand how to configure a dual/split load consumer unit
If you are still having trouble, just post a couple of good quality pictures of your installation and we'll give you some pointers.
Also, let us know what the IR test results were on each circuit.
...or he connected the neutrals of the 'protected' circuits to the wrong neutral bar.
Quite so - and, in any event, what was anyone doing fitting a single-RCD 'split load' CU in 2013? One also wonders what he means by "With daylight running out I connected all the circuits to the unprotected strip". I presume this work wasn't notified!
Kind Regards, John
No - but it is his fault that he went ahead and did something despite having nowhere near enough competence.
I wonder if he knows he's also broken the law?
You know full well that the only pointers which any responsible person should give are
1) Get an electrician
or
2) Get an electrician
or
3) Get an electrician.
IIRC EXCEL leave the neutral bar link in that can connect the neutral bars together.
Always a gotcha that one...
Always a gotcha that one...
The Excel kit came with a single copper line bus. If you need a mix of RCD-protected/unprotected circuits you have to cut this. There was nothing in the kit that said anything about this. Cutting the bus (and making sure there is a decent space between the ends) is the solution I have found.
The original Question was whether Excel units were OK and I posted my opinion. The man from Southern Electric tested my wiring and it passed the insulation test.
As supplied, this unit was not fit for purpose because it did not contain important information. That's my warning to would be buyers.
The original Question was whether Excel units were OK and I posted my opinion. The man from Southern Electric tested my wiring and it passed the insulation test.
As supplied, this unit was not fit for purpose because it did not contain important information. That's my warning to would be buyers.
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I'd be very surprised if they did that. They are not interested in testing the domestic wiring anymore.
That is quite normal, a lot of boards require the live busbar to be cut, to requirements of the load split of the installation
As above, this is normal
Comes with knowing what you are doing, CU should be fitted by those with skill, knowledge and ability to do so, and those people with this, would be aware of the methods required to do perform this task!
You are entitled to that, but not a very informed opinion judging by your displayed knowledge.
did all the other tests conform and were they documented?
I would consider the leaflet contained within the packaging, recommending that the unit was fitted in compliance to BS7671 and by a qualified electrician would be the one the buyers come installer, should be really be taking notice of!
There is nothing wrong with the excel unit, it is the cheaper end of the market and to be honest for the price, I consider a fair piece of kit.
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