Straight consumer unit switch or not?

[RF Lighting]

The main problem I tend to encounter on upgrading a non-RCD CU is borrowed neutrals or a dead N>E short, both of which can be easily tested for. Occasionally you'll find a N>E reversal.

I don't routinely carry out an EICR as part of pricing for a CU swap. It simply isn't viable. A few quick tests and a look at the installation flags up any major issues, and normally tells you what you're going to encounter when you start the work and get into properly testing out the installation.

I price a few running repairs into every swap. You win on some and lose on others, but it balances out in the end.

 

[ericmark]

I have two Wilex boards like you describe which are until the end of the year compliant with current regulations. OK I swapped fuses for MCB's and each board if fed from a RCD one could say since built before 1994 they are not consumer units since there was no such thing as a consumer unit when fitted but nothing wrong with the installation.

Adding RCD protection today easiest way is to swap to a modern consumer unit rather than use old fuse board but as said RCD's do highlight problems I had to fault find at my daughters house when she had a new consumer unit turned out to be a neutral wired caught by the fixing screw and you needed a magnifying glass to see it.

Cookers, fridges and other appliances may have slight faults which build up and the question is should you pay the extra and have RCBO's fitted or do it on the cheap with just two RCD's.

For my father-in-law who does no DIY and does not have any children in the house likely a waste of money adding RCD protection. But in my case with a son who took up ham radio as a hobby the RCD was very necessary. In the last 20 years I have had one time when it may have saved me for injury. I was chasing a channel for the fridge water supply unaware the two way lighting strappers went horizontal and I went through cables with hack saw blade. OK I was at fault cables were in safe zones but just did not expect horizontal cables.

The point is it was the lighting circuit which has only been covered with RCD protection since 2008 and it was before 2008 when I had accident. So if I had only followed regulations it would have not been protected anyway. Clearly I have got RCD on all circuits and it's been there since 1992 but £300 ~ £800 is a lot of money and it does really depend on your stile of living.

 

[ericmark]

The main problem I tend to encounter on upgrading a non-RCD CU is borrowed neutrals or a dead N>E short, both of which can be easily tested for. Occasionally you'll find a N>E reversal.

I don't routinely carry out an EICR as part of pricing for a CU swap. It simply isn't viable. A few quick tests and a look at the installation flags up any major issues, and normally tells you what you're going to encounter when you start the work and get into properly testing out the installation.

I price a few running repairs into every swap. You win on some and lose on others, but it balances out in the end.

Interesting method and I am sure it works out OK. Problem I find is when some one had a fault and does not find it out until 2 months after the work. First return was always FOC customer relations mean it's good policy but the faulty freezer de-frost element is so hard to prove only way is prove the rest.