Upgrade base fuse of new CU from 45amp to 60amp

[Reynardine]

The meter outside my flat indicates it is supplying electricity to my flat rated at 60 amps. However, when an electrician recently installed a new CU in my flat it was installed with just a 45amp 'base' fuse.

I'm concerned that if all my electric heating, cooker, hob, shower, dishwasher and lights run at once that this will exceed 45amps. Although the loads for these are split across 4 different circuits each protected with an MCB I can't help feeling far happier with a higher rated base fuse.

Questions :

a) Can I ask the electrician to come back to remove the CU cover and upgrade the 45A fuse to 50, 55 or 60 amps?

b) If my CU detects more than 45Amps is being drawn how will it behave? Will it trip all MCBs at once or will it pick one MCB at random and just trip this ?

c) Do I have a valid concern or should I stop worrying about my CU base fuse !

 

[ColJack]

define "base fuse"? there is no such term used and is entirely made up by you so we need to know what you mean by it..

no your CU will not "pick a breaker at random to trip", nor will it "trip all the breakers at once".. they aren't that clever..

post a photo of your CU, close up and in as much detail as you can muster..

 

[sparkyspike]

Did your electrician say that your supply needs to be increased to 60A?

 

[securespark]

I think the OP has found the cutout labelled at 60A, but the spark has fitted a CU with a rating of 45A.

Either that or the submain is fused at 45A.

OP: can you take a picture of the CU and the meter/cutout so we can see what you can?

 

[Steve]

b) If my CU detects more than 45Amps is being drawn how will it behave?

It'll blow up.

Will it trip all MCBs at once or will it pick one MCB at random and just trip this ?

it wont matter, see above.

Please take this post lightly, its a joke.

 

[ColJack]

steve, please don't post such rediculous comments in an attempt to scare the OP...

a CU will NEVER blow up...

it may melt and catch fire under certain fault circumstances...

 

[Steve]

steve, please don't post such rediculous comments in an attempt to scare the OP...

a CU will NEVER blow up...

it may melt and catch fire under certain fault circumstances...

I have edited it.

 

[Aragorn84]

presumably by "base fuse" he means the isolator...

 

[Taylortwocities]

Reynardline, has that 45amp fuse ever blown?
Are you planning to add soemthing that needs high current?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

a CU will NEVER blow up......

Of course it will.




























































If you fill the empty spaces inside it with C4, and insert a detonator powered by one of the circuits.


























































Note - this is not a joke, but neither is it to be taken as a suggestion to fill the empty spaces in your CU with C4, wire up a detonator to it, and see what happens.