MCB replacement question

[AndyPRK]

well spotted Ban.

How an "ex electrican" can do such a bad job I don't know!

All that copper!
Wrong size mcb's
bad bus bar

 

[DaveHerns]

I bet the C U he took out was better than the "new" one. Maybe he had a customer lined up for Lori's old one?

 

[phatboy]

That blank at position 8 looks like it can be removed by hand without opening the CU, and also why is there no circuit for downstairs sockets, but there is for lighting?!

 

[Taylortwocities]

That blank is a standard Wylex blank. Blame Electrium for that!

Many houses (mine included before i "got" at it) have separate circuits for up and down lights, but only one ring final for all of the sockets.

 

[LoriT71]

For what it's worth - these are some photos of the old fuse box that was here when I bought the house. So I guess I'm marginally better off now than I was 11 months ago (only just!).

 

[333rocky333]

And from that it looks like the old cooker cable was connected to a red 30 amp fuse, not to say the circuit aint been altered since hence the 6a mcb

 

[LoriT71]

PS the prepayment meter is also gone now. It was there when I bought the house. x

 

[Taylortwocities]

The old board was unsafe - you can see bare copper - live parts that can easily be touched - behind the main switch.

So, the new consumer unit is marginally safer from that point of view, but it is not right at all - for all of the reasons given in the previous posts.

 

[paulieg1988]

I think some people need to calm down a little bit,
YES the board looks crap, yes, there's a 6 amp circuit for the cooker, yes he's left far to much copper showing on incoming tails, yes there appears to be no rcd and NO I wouldn't recommend you change the mcb yourself, but some people are making it sound like the house is about to burn down at any minute, which is rediculous, 30 years ago barely any houses had an rcd fitted, and alot i go to still dont, but guess how many 30+ year old houses are still standing... many would be my guess.
Realistically if you supplied the mcb yourself an electrician would come and fit in under 15 minutes, including the relevant checks and tests, so max £40 maybe

 

[deadshort]

I suppose it depends on where you set your professional standards.

Kind regards,

DS

 

[ban-all-sheds]

some people are making it sound like the house is about to burn down at any minute, which is rediculous, 30 years ago barely any houses had an rcd fitted, and alot i go to still dont, but guess how many 30+ year old houses are still standing... many would be my guess.

Please explain how, exactly, an RCD reduces fire risks.

Realistically if you supplied the mcb yourself an electrician would come and fit in under 15 minutes, including the relevant checks and tests, so max £40 maybe

Please don't assume that all electricians have the same low standards as you.

 

[333rocky333]

Please explain how, exactly, an RCD reduces fire risks.

They try to drum that into you on the 17th update course and I seem to recall there was even a question about what size RCD cannot be regarded as protection from fire.

Voltimum even put on there website

"Despite the importance of the use of RCDs, research by Electrical Safety First (ESF) has provided some shocking statistics that highlight the fact that the UK is failing to exploit these simple and inexpensive devices to make every home safe. While ESF reports that 41% of all fire-related injuries are caused by electrical origin, over 40% of owner-occupied UK homes are not protected by RCDs. Those homes without RCDs are at risk of electrical injury, fatality or a house fire due to an electrical fault.

In addition, government figures estimates that 20% of electrical fires could be prevented by an RCD, highlighting the need for a greater take-up of electrical safety measures."

 

[EFLImpudence]

I note that it says "government figures estimates that 20% of electrical fires could be prevented by an RCD".

Are they suggesting one up front RCD should be fitted to installations?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sorry, Rocky & EFLI - but I asked for an explanation of how, exactly, an RCD reduces fire risks.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Are you meaning that on non-TT installations they don't?