installing new consumer unit

[baldelectrician]

testing??

have has Scottish Power out 3 times to fix poor or non existant earths in the past 2 months. It is very important to test properly and you can only do it with the correct equipment.

Sorry if you feel the site is poor, but do you think I am going to tell someone to carry on regardless without testing- potentially leading to a dangerous situation going un-noticed.

I know a bit about gas (having worked with a company wiring central heatings for a few years) but I steer clear of all gas jobs. The only time I go near a boiler is when I am called out to central heating electrical problems.

 

[Pensdown]

You & I and most of the other pro posters earn a living in a world where we install to the book and test everything and if the customer is paying quite rightly so.

My point. This is a DIY forum and if we want to help we can't transpose our world onto theirs.

IMO We should try and weed out the posters who want to kill themselves and help the others regardless of PP.

 

[Spark123]

It was the OP that asked about the legality.
I am a believer that although Part P is the law (in Engand & Wales), doing the job safely is more important. It is entirely the OPs decision wether or not they comply with the law, I generally add a "please note, this work is notifiable to LABC under part P of the building regs" at the end, if they want to take notice that is up to them.

 

[dingbat]

Pensdown, I'm surprised at your stance on this one. I change a couple of CUs a week on average and none of them are 'like for like' else what would be the point?

In almost every case there are difficulties due to lack of earthing, inadequate bonding, poor access, circuit cable position and length, broken rings or otherwise modified circuits, illogical circuit arrangements, etc...

It is definitely not a DIY job in most instances and the lack of a means of testing precludes advising even the more competent DIY-er from tackling it., Hell, a lot of sparks don't do it well - the one I'm doing tomorrow is a replacement of a replacement, done by a qualified electrician withint the last year (who's now 'disappeared') but bodged in to beggary.

 

[sm1thson]

a CU can be easy or dificult depending on both competancy and the existing installation.

i dont see the problem with the way most posts go (i am a diy not a pro). it seams the posts go:

1) op asks question
2) (as competence generally isnt stated in op, and its impossible to tell online anyway) gets jumped on about safety and regs gets asked questions (such as supply type)

3) depending on answer to 2:
3a)gets jumped on again (as if they cant answer they probably shouldnt be doing it), depending on reply to this can get a bit nasty but does generally take 2 sides to get very bad.
or
3b) op answers question properly and gets the help they need!

lots of DIYers have got lots of help even when purpousfully vialating part P when they have shown that they know what they are doing and dont take pointing at part p as a critism.

 

[bermuda]

Well as i said yesterday i have had the work carried out so no further advice needed but do you pros not think you could give out advice and answer questions and let the DIYer decide for themself on safety. If you dont want to advise then dont say anything.

Sorry for any offence if any caused

Cheers

 

[securespark]

I just got a new dremel drill, can I become a dentist?



It WAS you whose nostrils I had the pleasure of staring up this morning!!

 

[securespark]

IMO if a competent Diyer wants advise on domestic electrical work they should try another DIY forum because this one in going down hill fast.

Anyone who pretends that (with the right advise) changing a domestic CU like for like is difficult has either never done one or they've got their head up their a**e.

Testing? The disconnection times will be better regardless of testing, a split load board with an RCD will improve things no end.....and as for PP, let the poster make up their own mind.

Pens.

That's the biggest load of lobbocks I've ever heard from you, and here's why:


Changing a CU is not difficult. It's the UNDERSTANDING of the why's and wherefore's that is absolutely VITAL.

Why will disconnection times necessarily be better? If the CU had an RCD before, then that will not alter. An RCD will not improve things if there was one already (it may make things worse if there is an earth fault on a circuit wired to the RCD which makes it trip on re-energising- this then requires knowledge and understanding lacking in most DIY'ers).

You have to understand things. You have to understand that a normal split-load board on a TT supply is WRONG. That it is vital to have ring continuity for that circuit to operate SAFELY.

That it is vital the RCD is working correctly. Your scenario of an RCD improving things no end falls flat on it's face if the RCD is sh*gged. And I had one just last week. Fresh out of the box, and it failed to operate.

That it is vital the Ze is checked. That polarity is correct.

For so many countless reasons (I could go on & on), your argument just does not wash.

 

[securespark]

You & I and most of the other pro posters earn a living in a world where we install to the book and test everything and if the customer is paying quite rightly so.

My point. This is a DIY forum and if we want to help we can't transpose our world onto theirs.

IMO We should try and weed out the posters who want to kill themselves and help the others regardless of PP.

Call yourself a "pro" with what you've posted recently? Not in my league, mate.

 

[Pensdown]

Pensdown, I'm surprised at your stance on this one. I change a couple of CUs a week on average and none of them are 'like for like' else what would be the point?

In almost every case there are difficulties due to lack of earthing, inadequate bonding, poor access, circuit cable position and length, broken rings or otherwise modified circuits, illogical circuit arrangements, etc...

It is definitely not a DIY job in most instances and the lack of a means of testing precludes advising even the more competent DIY-er from tackling it., Hell, a lot of sparks don't do it well - the one I'm doing tomorrow is a replacement of a replacement, done by a qualified electrician withint the last year (who's now 'disappeared') but bodged in to beggary.

Sorry, when I said like for like, I meant in the same location.

I completely agree with your comments and I’m not saying there are never problems, isolation being one of the biggest.

I also agree that quite often the installation is as old as the CU and in many cases it may need attention but a few pictures from the posters could identify that.

However, because the sheds are still selling CU’s diyers are still going to install them and IMO it’s better to offer advice than not, after all this is a DIY forum. A few pictures could also identify if the CU change was DIY project or not.

I take the view that assuming the advice is good (which on here and other forums it is) and the CU is correctly installed to that advice it’s not going to make a bad installation any worse, on the contrary, in many cases it may make it better.

 

[delmel]

I just got a new dremel drill, can I become a dentist?



Leave it to someone qualified, as you home insurance will not pay out - unless you can prove your competence

Only if it has hammer action

 

[ringworm29]

Giving this man any help at all and you put his life and his families life at risk.
And like the other spark says this site is going down the drain
If they are not a spark don,t help them.
Would they get help from a gas engineer.
I thought I was amongst proffessionals.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I thought I was amongst proffessionals.

Some people here are.

Some are not.

But one thing they all have in common is that they know what the date is.

 

[securespark]

Never mind the date, while I'm here I'd like to remonstrate with an absent Pens about his insinuations.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This was his last post: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1315844#1315844

Been gone for 2 years, so probably for good.

Let's hope he didn't fall off one of these:

Untitled

• Pensdown
• 9 Apr 2009
• 2