Mini RCBO's or whole new consumer unit?

[oly]

I've completed building extension to our kitchen which included:

• extending the wiring of one 32A ring, adding about six dble sockets.
• reduced number of sockets (by about 2) and extended cabling slightly to re-complete another 32A ring.
• extended wiring of one 6A circuit by adding approx 8 downlighters.

My question is: should I add mini RCBO's to the relevant circuits (all or just the 32A's?) or have a new consumer unit fitted? Cost is a factor, but perhaps an up-to-date CU would be an advantage if we ever have to sell the house?

The exist consumer unit is a 10-way MK Sentry one, about 12 years old. It has no built-in RCD's though I do have a separate RCD-protected 32A garage unit.

Cheers for any advice!

 

[flameport]

If RCBOs will fit in the existing CU, then fit those.
Otherwise it's a new CU.

What is a 'mini RCBO' ?

 

[JohnW2]

What is a 'mini RCBO' ?

I suspect analogous to the 'M' of MCB. For some reason, we talk of MCBs, but not MRCBOs

Kind Regards, John

 

[RF Lighting]

MCB is not a term recognised by BS7671.

 

[oly]

That's my ignorance, I should have typed just RCBO : (

 

[JohnW2]

MCB is not a term recognised by BS7671.

That is true - but (a) we weren't talking about BS7671 and (b) BS7671 must be one of the very few 'people' who don't talk about MCBs!

Kind Regards, John

 

[kai]

The people who write BS7671 are out of touch with the Real World! Everyone else calls them MCB's including the manufacturers themselves who stamp MCB at the front of them!

201601-MY-WYLEX-FUSEBOX

• kai
• 12 Jan 2016
• 1

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I've completed building extension to our kitchen which included:

• extending the wiring of one 32A ring, adding about six dble sockets.
• reduced number of sockets (by about 2) and extended cabling slightly to re-complete another 32A ring.
• extended wiring of one 6A circuit by adding approx 8 downlighters.

Did it include getting Building Regulations approval?

My question is: should I add mini RCBO's to the relevant circuits (all or just the 32A's?) or have a new consumer unit fitted?

How can you have got to this stage without having already made that decision?

Who did the electrical design?

You say you have "completed" the extension - does that mean that you have put a non-compliant, and arguably illegal, electrical installation into use? Who carried out the necessary testing before and after energising?

Cost is a factor, but perhaps an up-to-date CU would be an advantage if we ever have to sell the house?

So would a valid EIC and a completion certificate from Building Control - do you have either of those?

The exist consumer unit is a 10-way MK Sentry one, about 12 years old. It has no built-in RCD's

Then you should not have added any new sockets, or any new concealed cables.

 

[oly]

I've completed building extension to our kitchen which included:

• extending the wiring of one 32A ring, adding about six dble sockets.
• reduced number of sockets (by about 2) and extended cabling slightly to re-complete another 32A ring.
• extended wiring of one 6A circuit by adding approx 8 downlighters.

Did it include getting Building Regulations approval?

My question is: should I add mini RCBO's to the relevant circuits (all or just the 32A's?) or have a new consumer unit fitted?

How can you have got to this stage without having already made that decision?

Who did the electrical design?

You say you have "completed" the extension - does that mean that you have put a non-compliant, and arguably illegal, electrical installation into use? Who carried out the necessary testing before and after energising?

Cost is a factor, but perhaps an up-to-date CU would be an advantage if we ever have to sell the house?

So would a valid EIC and a completion certificate from Building Control - do you have either of those?

The exist consumer unit is a 10-way MK Sentry one, about 12 years old. It has no built-in RCD's

Then you should not have added any new sockets, or any new concealed cables.

Thank you for all replies...

The build work is being done with build regs approval and I will have a final testing done prior to EIC and completion certification.

The electrical design was done by myself after consultation with a qualified electrician who has inspected the new wiring along the way (and before it was covered up).

The electrician suggested either adding RCBO's to the individual circuit on exist consumer unit or replacing whole consumer unit, obviously a much more expensive option, hence my post here, to see if the consensus would be "Replace the whole unit" or otherwise.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The exist consumer unit is a 10-way MK Sentry one, about 12 years old.

The older MK Sentry boards do not have much room for RCBOs. You may get one or two in, but it will be a squeeze.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The build work is being done with build regs approval and I will have a final testing done prior to EIC and completion certification.

And that is what Building Control are expecting? If you did not tell them that you were doing the design and construction, and getting someone to do some testing, you may find that they will refuse to issue a completion certificate.

And as I said - the work that you have done needed testing before you first applied power to it - did that happen?

The electrical design was done by myself after consultation with a qualified electrician who has inspected the new wiring along the way (and before it was covered up).

And is he going to certify that he did the design? You mentioned an EIC above - I can't see how you can get one of those.

The electrician suggested either adding RCBO's to the individual circuit on exist consumer unit or replacing whole consumer unit, obviously a much more expensive option, hence my post here, to see if the consensus would be "Replace the whole unit" or otherwise.

Shame he didn't point out that that should have been done much earlier in the process.