Misaligned neutral wires in Consumer Unit

[Jupiter01]

In a dual RCD unit we have 3 neutral bars: 2 for the RCDs and one for the unprotected devices connected to the main switch. I appreciate that there may be adaptations…

When you do a CU from scratch you can ensure that all the neutral wires match up with the position of the MCB. This is easy to follow. Unlike with the earth bar where I’ve seen (and posted) about a spurious numbering system.

But clearly not everyone is as diligent and I’ve come across CU’s where neutral wires are all over the shop. They are however, connected to the correct N bar ( from the 3 I mentioned). Whilst it’s not tidy and difficult to troubleshoot, does this have any I’ll effects?

I’d be interested to hear if you encounter this much and what you tend to do when faced with this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sparkwright]

You should always put the neutral and earth wires in the correct terminals so they are in the right sequence.

If you don't, as regards earth wires, it will still work perfectly, but makes life hatf in the future, for fault finding or alterations.

Neutral wires will again still work if in the wrong sequence - but if placed on the wrong neutral BAR you can expect some tripping RCDs.

 

[Jupiter01]

How often do you experience this with existing CU’s and if this is common, do you use the available neutrals or insist that the ordering is put right throughout?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Neutrals (and cpcs) in the wrong sequence are a real pain when faultfinding and loop testing. If installing ring final circuits, it's worth identifying the 2 sides of the ring (bit of extra sleeving on the cores)- makes testing loads quicker.
If you want to go really posh, get a set of number sleeves and use them (used to use loads running singles for dimmer outlets in theatres)

 

[Taylortwocities]

How often do you experience this with existing CU’s and if this is common, do you use the available neutrals or insist that the ordering is put right throughout?

Electricians who have been properly trained and who diligently remember and follow their training will do things properly. The numbers on the various termination bars have a meaning. Those are the circuit numbers!

Unfortunately, the race to the bottom has meant that a lot of folk today have rither not been trained properly or just don’t care. And then there’s DIYers who do work inside a CU without proper knowledge.
So in answer to your question

How often do you experience this with existing CU’s

Very often is the answer. And never assume anything is what it says it is!

 

[Jupiter01]

Very often is the answer.

Do you then slip your wires into an available neutral or insist that the ordering is put right?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Who would you insist to? If you are doing the job then it’s down to you.

 

[Jupiter01]

Who would you insist to? If you are doing the job then it’s down to you.

Wrongly perhaps. I assumed some of you were doing paid electrical work. I was trying to establish whether realistically, you would just use the free neutral in that situation or require the board to be put right.

Note that my question relates to an existing and not a new board.

 

[Adam_151]

If you can switch off and its only a few circuits and you can see what belongs to what, then yeah staighten it out of you are feeling helpful.
In most commerical instances often not an option, but shouldn't matter much, you'd be putting the number tags on your new cirucit anyway wouldn't you?, so that one is correctly identfied by number, so your work is in compliance even if the existing is all over the shop

 

[Taylortwocities]

I assumed some of you were doing paid electrical work. I was trying to establish whether realistically, you would just use the free neutral in that situation or require the board to be put right.

It rather depends. In an ideal world we would correct everything that seems to be wrong.
But life isnt like that.
If I was being paid by the hour then you could say to the customer "this boards in a hell of state, do you want me to sort it out?"
Then the customer pays.

If I've given a fixed price then time is MY money and you don't do what isn't actually necessary.

Let's say I want to add a new circuit, the MCB is going in position 5 but some muppet has used the neutral terminal 5 for some other circuit.
What I MIGHT do is move the rogue wire to some other place (it was already in the wrong place, so now its in another wrong place..) that frees up the position 5 that is mine and MY job done PROPERLY.