What are the best MCB's ?

[LeeDowner]

I'm swapping my old re-wireable fuses for MCB's but there are different brands and I'm wondering which is best ?

I need a 20A and 3 x 30/32A.

Why is there 30A and 32A ?

 

[Iggifer]

do you mean you're swapping the fuses for the plug in mcbs? or a whole new fuseboard?

30a=32a, it's just the way it was done when we changed from fuses to MCB's

 

[LeeDowner]

do you mean you're swapping the fuses for the plug in mcbs? or a whole new fuseboard?

30a=32a, it's just the way it was done when we changed from fuses to MCB's

I'm swapping the fuses for the plug in MCB's.

I should've also said that it's an old Wylex fuse board, no RCD protection and the fuses slot in with two pins, that's how the new MCB's will have to fit aswell.

I think I read that some MCB's have four pins ?

 

[Robin0577]

If you're swapping fuses for MCBs in a Wylex board then the only MCBs you should be considering are the Wylex ones designed to fit.

This type; http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Consumer_Units_Index/Wylex_Standard_Range/index.html

 

[sparkwright]

Wylex do a plug in replacements for Wylex rewirables.

Since you have a Wylex board, Wylex would naturally be the best breakers...

No real advantage in having them though. I mean, how often do you have to replace a fuse?

A new consumer unit would be more worthwhile, though not a DIY job.

 

[LeeDowner]

Wylex do a plug in replacements for Wylex rewirables.

Since you have a Wylex board, Wylex would naturally be the best breakers...

No real advantage in having them though. I mean, how often do you have to replace a fuse?

A new consumer unit would be more worthwhile, though not a DIY job.

New CU is out of the budget for now. I've been renovating a house for over a year (trying to). If I decided to sell though would a new CU have to be installed and certified in order to pass the survey ?

Regarding the breakers the 20A is to replace a 15A. Maybe you're right about the others, they could stay re-wireable.

 

[RF Lighting]

Just leave the rewireable fuses in place. there's no point in wasting money on buying the plug in replacements which would be better put towards the cost of having the consumer unit replaced.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You cannot change the 15amp fuse for a 20amp MCB without checking that the EFLI is within the limits for a 20amp CPD.
Do you have the necessary test equipment to do that test?

And to which breaker would you be connecting the ring final with no continuous earth?

 

[LeeDowner]

You cannot change the 15amp fuse for a 20amp MCB without checking that the EFLI is within the limits for a 20amp CPD.
Do you have the necessary test equipment to do that test?

And to which breaker would you be connecting the ring final with no continuous earth?

The 15A is going up to 20A on the same circuit that's being changed from radial to ring, wired with 2.5mm twin & earth (check other thread, I'm taking out the old two core). So a 20A ring final (continuously earthed) wired with 2.5mm, all good ?

 

[Taylortwocities]

NO

A standard RING final will deserve a 32A CPD if wired in 2.5mm conductors.

 

[RF Lighting]

How are you going to provide the required RCD protection for this socket circuit which you're modifying?

 

[fireman22]

why arent you mentioning 6A breakers? where are your lights fed from?

 

[flameport]

The 15A is going up to 20A on the same circuit that's being changed from radial to ring, wired with 2.5mm twin & earth (check other thread, I'm taking out the old two core). So a 20A ring final (continuously earthed) wired with 2.5mm, all good ?

Realistically, you need to stop all of these apparently random electrical alterations, since what you are doing and proposing to do will NOT improve anything, and in some cases will make it worse than it was before.

It is exceptionally unlikely you need to convert radial circuits into rings. Even if that were necessary, there is far more involved than just adding bits of cable and replacing the protective device with some other arbitrary type.
Replacing rewirable fuses with MCBs will just waste money. They are not safer or better.
MCBs or fuse values being 30A or 32A is due to the latter being based on the Renard R5 series. The other, older ones are not.

There's going to be a 42" plasma, Xbox, PS3, gaming PC, power amp, and a couple of smaller bits like docking stations powered by those two sockets. Out of curiosity then, what would actually happen ?

Rather than waste money on those optional lifestyle accessories, please get an electrician to sort out the wiring before anything else is done.

While you might want to do this yourself, asking random questions as and when things occur to you is of no use, since there will be many things which you are not aware of, and therefore won't ask questions about, even though you really need to.

8 months ago:

I want some electrical work doing at my house, but my electrician says he can't do anything unless he changes my old Wylex fuse board for a new Consumer Unit, he can't sign the work off as safe when he would know at the time of completing the work that my Fuse Board is well out of date.

They were probably right.
No RCD for anything, and probably several other items missing or requiring attention as well.