Wylex fuse board

[JohnW2]

A shower with no RCD protection ... not good. Okay, it may have been permitted 20 years ago, but you wouldn't want to leave it like that now.

To be fair, we don't know for sure what is (and isn't) downstream of the CU in the shower circuit. In the 'transition period', it was not uncommon to fit an RCD in the vicinity of the bathroom when a shower circuit was added to a non-RCD-protected CU.

The regs certainly would now require RCD protection for a new shower (or, indeed, for anything new in a bathroom - even if just a light or fan - and a new cable to a shower would probably also require RCD protection), and we nearly feel intuitively that it is not only a 'good idea' but 'highly desirable' (or 'essential'!) that a shower should be RCD-protected (on the basis that wet naked bodies and electricity are a bad mix!). However, I'm not aware of any real evidence that showers actually do present a significant hazard or that anyone has ever actually caused an RCD to operate by touching some conductive part (if they can find one) of a faulty shower. I suspect that there are more injuries, and probably even more deaths, due to people slipping in (or drowning in!) baths than because of anything to do with electric showers!

Kind Regards, John

 

[jc69817]

Hi again guys. This fuse has blown again I think she's over done it again. and the electrician hasn't turned up yet, prob within the next two weeks is as good as we can get.
Would you say if I switch off the main power then disconnect the wires supplying the sockets inside the fuse box then check L to L continuity and N to N continuity, then if it is proven then put the correct (red) fuse back in that this would be acceptable?
I know it's probably not the best idea but would you say this would be ok.
Thanks again guys.

 

[Spark123]

Try another electrician, without being there it is nigh on impossible to say.
http://www.competentperson.co.uk/

 

[mfarrow]

Unless there's cables hidden in insulation, you could very likely safely fit a 20A (yellow) fuse holder in there. That may stop the blowing. If it is a ring the assumption will be each leg can carry 20A anyway! From my experience with radials that will probably suffice.

The other thing which supports the as-discussed new CU is the use of a 40A carrier for the shower, which isn't allowed on that board. The installer would have to have broken off tabs on the base to fit it to that board, which by design (6way 60A) was limited to having 30A max circuits to avoid overloading.

 

[Bosswhite]

At a guess the 15 Amp circuit was for a Immersion Heater . Is the 15 amp fuse plugged into the 30 amp circuit ? .

 

[jc69817]

Yes the 15a fuse is in the 30a carrier.
The mother in law has no knowledge of why or when it was put in there. Which makes me believe it was done without their knowledge, because , trust me she would know.

 

[Echo the husky]

I'd still love to see inside the fusebox when the electrician has a look!

 

[securespark]

On what I can see, I would date that installation to around late 1980's - 86/87?

 

[JohnW2]

On what I can see, I would date that installation to around late 1980's - 86/87?

As a matter of interest, what features are you taking into account, other than the CU?

When I moved into my present house in 1987, I inherited a pile of those Wylex Standard CUs, all of which had clearly been in service for a good few years.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

Not a lot to go on other than the CU.

But the way the two 1 millis are clipped together was common round then.

The CU itself, from my experience:

The Wylex Standard CU began to appear in the mid 1950's.

IVY CU's came in in the late 14th Edition, mid 70's, with wooden bases and 60A switches.

Then in the mid 80's, the wood bases were ditched in favour of moulded ones, still with 60A switches.

Then later still, the switches were upgraded to 100A.

 

[JohnW2]

But the way the two 1 millis are clipped together was common round then.

True. I still have some 'double' (1mm², 1.5mm² and 2.5²mm) clips - I guess they 'disappeared' when people started worrying about 'grouping'?

The Wylex Standard CU began to appear in the mid 1950's.

Indeed - which is why I was wondering why you had speculated about 1986/87. I think that the ones I inherited in 1987 were probably installed in late 60s or early 70s.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

Are yours ivory or brown?

Do they have moulded backs or wooden?

What switch rating are they?

 

[JohnW2]

Are yours ivory or brown? Do they have moulded backs or wooden? What switch rating are they?

I got rid of them donkeys years ago, so have to rely on memory.

Most were brown, although I think a few (particularly smaller ones) may have been ivory. Most, if not all, had moulded backs. I have no idea about the switches.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Echo the husky]

What was the deal with some of the Wylex stuff having the Wylex logo in the inside of the cover instead of the outside?! Any dates there?

 

[securespark]

Don't remember those. Maybe flame could elaborate for us...