Moving CU and meter.

[Greenie9657]

Hi All

Not sure if this is possible without costing me a fortune but i thought id ask anyway. Im about to have a porch built and was wondering if i could move the CU and meter into there? At the minute the meter and the 1750s consumer unit is under the stairs. (ive only just moved into the house).Ive got to upgrade the CU anyway so just thought id pose the question. I reckon i know the answer already though. it'll cost a bomb! The mains cable comes from the front and underground anyway.

thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

You are right, it will cost a bomb.

Firswt off, yhe electricity company are the only people who can move the feed and the meter.
They will want the meter to be housed in an external box too.

Expect the cost for this to run into four figures. And you'll have to do your own digging to reveal the electricity feed cable - you won't want to do that with a pickaxe!

Then you'd need to have the fusebox moved, or rather it will need to be upgraded to one that meets today's regulations.
So that will mean that every circuit in the house will need to be diverted from under the stairs to the porch area, and that may not be easy.
So allow another £500+ for that bit.

Still interested? I thought not.

 

[Greenie9657]

Thanks for reply. Beginning to lose interest ill have to admit. Is there a reg that says new cu installations cannot be in an awkward place, ie under the stairs? If not then the new consumer unit might has well stay where the old one is. Just hope there's room as the one I have at the minute is only 6 fuses but the one I want to get fitted is a 15 way Wylex.

 

[flyingsparks]

No under the stairs is fine. As its existing and not a new build. New build require them to be 1200mm to the top from the floor.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You'll need a registered electrician as fitting a new consumer unit is NOTIFIABLE .

When your electrician fits the new one, under the stairs have hime put an emergency light under there too. Then you'll be able to see the consumer unit if the lighting mcb pops.

As I am curious. You currently have 6 circuits to your existing fusebox. You want to have a new 15-way board. What will the 9 new circuits be for?
Have you thought about the practicalities of running cables from under teh stairs to other parts of the house? In my experience this isn't so easy, unless the house has a void under the ground floor.

 

[Greenie9657]

Hi

At the minute i have the old style fuse box with 1.cooker, 2.up sockets, 3.down sockets, 4.immerssion heater (not fitted), 5.up lights and 6.down lights.
I like to totally modernise it with a Wylex (maybe MK) DB with the option to future proof. I was going to seperate the kitchen onto its own mcb, outside lights, smoke alarms, Garage, attic electrics (sockets),

so theres another 5 with i suppose 3 spare for future expansion.

All the floors are boarded so getting under them isnt that bad. I dont think they'll be much problem with routing the cable but the attic wire might prove to be a pain.

 

[JohnW2]

All the floors are boarded so getting under them isnt that bad. I dont think they'll be much problem with routing the cable but the attic wire might prove to be a pain.

Any airing cupboards or suchlike upstairs? Things like that (or even built-in wardrobes in bedrooms, or other cupboards) often provided fairly easy routes up to attics.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

... the 1750s consumer unit

I forget to comment on that - the Science Museum might pay you a fortune for it

Kind Regards, John

 

[Greenie9657]

Hi John.

I might get easy access under the floor on the landing as we have yet to decorate that area so I was thinking of just going straight up the wall.
Saying that I could take it through a built in wardrobe through surface mounted conduit. Good option there matey.