MEM consumer unit

[marsaday]

I need to buy a new CU for a house. I have an older board (about 5 yrs old) in the garage which is damaged, but it has the 6 breakers that i need.

Can i reuse these breakers and just buy a new mem board ?

 

[ricicle]

Yes as long as the breakers are the correct ones, not damaged as well and you are competant to do the work.
Do not forget about Building Regulations.

 

[marsaday]

I will be getting a sparky to do it, but i will buy the stuff first.

Do i need RCD protection as well ?

I have a cooker, a combi boiler, the house sockets, the lights and a linked smoke system. I may wire the kitchen on its own circuit if we need to rewire. I don't think we need to, but it may pop up.

So i am going to have 5 breakers, maybe 6.

The house is 3 bed semi.

Ps. I have seen this board on ebay. Will one rcb be fine for my needs. I think i only need one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MEM-EATON...1880?pt=UK_Burglar_Alarms&hash=item1e76b991e8

 

[LearningSpark]

What earthing system does your house have?.

 

[marsaday]

Not sure at mo. Only checked it out yesterday.

Sparky coming this week to have a look. There is the bonding on the water pipes.

The cabling is not new, but not old. Certainly not black stuff. Could be 15-20yrs old.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Do check with your sparky before you buy anything.

In general, I find that it is a nightmare when customers buy their own materials. It often wrong. A few mcbs wont cost that much, why cut corners for a few bob?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will be getting a sparky to do it, but i will buy the stuff first.

Prepare to be disappointed.

Do i need RCD protection as well ?

Of course you do.

What makes you think that you are competent to design electrical installations when you are ignorant of things like that?

So i am going to have 5 breakers, maybe 6.

Not enough.

Ps. I have seen this board on ebay.

Unsuitable. Just how many non-RCD circuits do you think you may have?

Will one rcb be fine for my needs. I think i only need one.

Please just leave it to your electrician.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can buy fully loaded boards, dual RCD protection, 10 ways.
For £60-70
http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-sentry-10-way-dual-rcd-board-with-2-rcds-10-mcbs/92791
Why bother bother complicating things?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You can buy fully loaded boards, dual RCD protection, 10 ways.
For £60-70

And your electrician can buy them for less.

Why bother bother complicating things?

Why bother making the job more expensive?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ps. I have seen this board on ebay. Will one rcb be fine for my needs. I think i only need one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MEM-EATON...UK_Burglar_Alarms&hash=item1e76b991e8[/QUOTE]

Just took the time to look at that board.

It does not meet the requirements of today's wiring regulations.

It might have done about 5 years ago, but things have changed.

 

[mfarrow]

Just took the time to look at that board.

Unless you put RCBOs on the non-RCD protected side, in which case those circuits would be better protected than on a dual-RCD consumer unit.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Just took the time to look at that board.

Unless you put RCBOs on the non-RCD protected side, in which case those circuits would be better protected than on a dual-RCD consumer unit.

Which is, of course, true.

But (IF YOU READ THE ORIGINAL POST) his whole reason for chosing MEM is so he can re-use a handful of second-hand MCBs he has in the garage.