Had a custom distribution board built

[Click-Sure]

Loving that board, take a flat section of copper, drill holes willy-nilly and tap a shread into it. Sure you'd be able to get the proper amount of torque on that without the thread getting stripped?

No complliance to British Standards on the part of the manufacturer, thats trading standards issue.

Is the manufacturer a GSSE metalwork student with a big garage and a dad with a load of tools?

 

[mattylad]

Return it as not fit for purpose.

 

[GaryMo]

Is the manufacturer a GSSE metalwork student with a big garage and a dad with a load of tools?

 

[333rocky333]

Looks like the wrong type of lugs used as well, if that is Tri rated stranded cable.

I know we all hate proteus, but they made all the custom boards for car phone warehouse shops.
They include a 24 hour section, a timed section and all relevant contactors, etc.
Believe it or not they are quite well made.

Reg 413-03 may help
Would BS EN 60439 cover it
If you have 16th regs book look at appendix 1 many of the relevant BS numbers are there
If you look inside a made up board, you would proberly find the relevant BS number in that.

You can download the bit about busbars from here
http://www.pandelco.co.uk/forms.htm

 

[Gaz the Sparky]

One thing that really surprised us was the isolator they fitted for the BS60898 rail which was supplied from the main vertical bus bar.
Spot the mistake!

.

Is it me ? or is that a single phase busbar connecting all three phases of the RCD together and a noticeable lack of a neutral

FFS what a pile of sh1te

G.T.S

 

[GaryMo]

Is it me ? or is that a single phase busbar connecting all three phases of the RCD together and a noticeable lack of a neutral

That's the first thing I thought when I looked at it but it's a staggered 3 phase busbar. It's not an RCD, it's a switch disconnecter so doesn't require a neutral. Neutrals for the outgoing circuits are from the terrible attempt at a neutral bar.

 

[JohnD]

I have not seen many custom-built DBs; the ones I have were made by MEM and were things of beauty.

off topic, I saw inside them when I was working in Russell Way, and there was a fault. Around me were a bunch of stooped, withered, care-worn men who were designers of HV distribution systems. When they heard the bang, and the lights went off, they rose to their feet, filled with youthful enthusiasm, and scampered over to have a look.

I suspect they had not been hands-on for many years.

 

[Lectrician]

Interlock would be required, as it looks like there is no intermediate cover?

Shocking build.

250amp? Look at the terminal you have for connecting your neutral!

Tape used as opposed to heat shrink or similar. Awful.

We had a panel build a far while ago. The build was excellent, and it was type tested with a BS.

I will dig out a pic.

 

[Spark123]

What's the intention of fitting the earth bar with insulated pillars?

 

[Lectrician]

Ok - Pic quality awful.

It was made by the 'squitted' firm, Ottermill.

It is a 100amp incommer, with two 80amp outgoers. 25mm tails in from main panel board, and 35mm SWA out to two x submains for off peak heating in an office block.

Contactor control was switched via volt fre terminals presents by DNO. It is now controled by a simple 24hr timer to provide evening boost. Customer has a TP 1200amp supply, and has a single rate supply with excellent terms, so having an off peak tarrif was pointless.

 

[SparkyMarky]

Since we're on the topic of custom DBs, this is one I planned and wrote the specification for a couple of years ago. It was built by one of our general electrical contractors using mainly Merlin Gerin components. It's a two section DB for a computer room, equipped with full fault monitoring (hence the Smart Relay) and Emergency Power Off contactors. The strap across one of the contactors was a temporary safety measure to 'disable' the EPO system for a couple of weeks until the UPS supplying the room was also up and running...

Untitled

• SparkyMarky
• 14 May 2008
• 1

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What I don't understand is this:

a colleague came across a company who builds custom distribution boards

It's as if they've never built one before in their lives, or even seen one...

 

[kkynaston]

Untitled

• SparkyMarky
• 14 May 2008
• 1

Thats electrical p0*n

 

[GaryMo]

Had the replacement distribution board delivered today.
It was custom built by Proteus through CEF. I personally haven't used Proteus products though know of their iffy reputation but this seems to be a good enough build. Certainly better than the previous attempt by another company!

The pictures don't pass on the sheer size of the thing - it's 1520mm wide!

 

[RF Lighting]

What happened with the old panel? Did the company admit it was not fit for purpose, and stop persuing you for payment?