New consumer unit and part re-wiring.. how do you certify ?

[platforminc]

Hi All,


I recently just bought a house, however I noticed that the consumer unit is really new, and the cables around the consumer unit looks quite new as well. However the sockets in the house do not meet the regulations are they are too close to the ground, in fact as low as the skirting.

This will be replaced and the whole house rewired, however I do not want to do any unnecessary work, I noticed that the consumer unit is fairly new. The RCD configuration is as follows.

40Amp - 1
32Amp - 4
16Amp - 2
6Amp - 3

Is this standard ?

Also looking at some of the sockets, the cables look very old etc. So I think its a good idea to just rewire it.

I also have some other questions as well.

Does anyone see any problems with the current location of the consumer unit, its underneath the staircase.
Does the consumer unit need to be changed ?
What kind of bathroom fan is best and does it need a fused spur ?
If a house is re-wired, and a third party comes in to do the electrical inspection, is it possible to still get a 10 years certification.
Does one have to use conduit or a plastic strip material to hide cable before plastering.


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[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I noticed that the consumer unit is fairly new. The RCD configuration is as follows.

40Amp - 1
32Amp - 4
16Amp - 2
6Amp - 3

They are MCBs, the RCCBs are the ones with the yellow test buttons on.

Does anyone see any problems with the current location of the consumer unit, its underneath the staircase.

Not uncommon and as good a place as any.

Does the consumer unit need to be changed ?

No it looks very up to date visually!

What kind of bathroom fan is best and does it need a fused spur ?

I would recommend a timed extractor that function with lights, that has an isolator switch. The size would depend on bathroom sizes and if shower was also used.

If a house is re-wired, and a third party comes in to do the electrical inspection, is it possible to still get a 10 years certification.

It's possible and providing the work was done to a reasonable standard, it should be credited with a ten year next test date.

Does one have to use conduit or a plastic strip material to hide cable before plastering.

No

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

delete

 

[THRIPSTER]

You might want to check whether that MK unit has a faulty main switch if it newish. Have a look at Honeywell/MK web site.

Regards

 

[Taylortwocities]

That consumer unit is probably no more than 5 years old.
Fitting a consumer unit is notifiable work and the installer, by law, should have notified the local authority that a new consumer unit and associated wiring has been done.

As part of your house documents you should have:
A Building Regulations Certificate of Compliance
and
an installation certificate to confirm that the consumer unit installation complies with BS7671. This document will have all of the test results of every circuit in the house.

This should have been unearthed when the vendor replied to the question about the house. He will have had to declare if there had been any electrical work carried out.

Do check your house docs and ask your solicitor where they are.

EDIT. The circuits on the consumer unit should be clearly marked as to what each circuit breaker controls. Also a schedule of these should affixed next to the consumer unit.


PS there are no set heights for sockets etc in existing houses.
New houses do have this requirement, along with others to comply with Building regulations Part M (Disabled access, et al)

 

[rjm2k]

From the "do not use tape" I'd guess it's a repo so there probably wont be any paperwork.

Some LAs have building regs approval listed on their planning portal so OP may find it useful to check online to see if they were done properly.

 

[platforminc]

Thanks everyone for the reply, really appreciate it.
First of all, I do not have any paperwork as per building regs. I didnt know that the council needs to be notified, thought it was only for gas.

secondly its a repo as someone rightly pointed out. Is it ok to have just one 40AMP MCB or is it better to take one of the 32 and replace with a 40 so there is 2 ?

The bathroom is about 5sqm in size, it will have a mixer shower fed off the main boiler. I was thinking of the 150mm extractor fans, will this be sufficient ? I will also like one that is heavy duty, since it will be timed and I dont know the habits of the people that will be living there, I am trying to be one step ahead.

 

[rjm2k]

You will be renting it out?

 

[platforminc]

You will be renting it out?

Yes thats correct.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You will be renting it out?

Yes thats correct.

You have a duty of care to the tenant/tenants (that is a legal requirement)
You need to prove the installation is safe for continued use
That would require employing someone who has clue, what to do!
Don't go messing with the lives of other people!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is it ok to have just one 40AMP MCB or is it better to take one of the 32 and replace with a 40 so there is 2 ?

NO!

What an earth are you thinking of?. The size of the MCBs are calculated with regard to the size of the wiring.
As I mentioned before, those breakers should all say what they are for.

My guess is that the 40amp MCB is protecting a 6mm² cable that feeds a high power device, like a shower or a cooker.

The 32amp MCBs probably protect ring final circuits (sockets etc) and that will be run in 2.5mm² cable.

Lets suppose you did the stupid thing of swopping one of the 32amp breakers for a 40amp one. You tenants move in and there is a short circuit on that circuit with the incorrect 40amp breaker.

Next thing that will happen is

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• Taylortwocities
• 24 Jan 2010
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as the 2.5mm² cannot cope with 40amp. Followed by the inevitable consequences of you being dragged into court to answer charges of manslaughter and gross stupidity.

You need a qualified electrician to carry out an EICR and to provide you with a report on the installation.

 

[rjm2k]

Some tenants bypass the CU altogether

 

[platforminc]

Without a doubt, I wouldnt go making changes to the board as I am not qualified to do so. I was just puzzled as to why there was only one 40AMp MCB and hence the reason for the question. It was purely for my own education which is the reason for coming here.

 

[stillp]

You need to find a competent electrician and ask him for an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) on the property, which should answer your questions as will as giving some confidence that your tenants' lives will not be put at risk.

 

[bernardgreen]

You need to find a competent electrician and ask him for an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

It is not unknown for people whose house is being re-possesed to vindictively damage items so a thorough check would be advisable.