Consumer unit move?

[Vitesse]

I have a customer who has a decent 17th edition Wylex split CU installed in a bungalow in an outside toilet but it is part of the main fabric of the building. Difficult to describe as I have never come across something like this. Not an outside loo from donkeys years ago that tended to be a little shack attached to the main house.

Imagine a right angle corner to the house at the back, you turn down the side of the house and there is a meter cabinet and next to it a door that opens into a toilet room, no access into the house from it. My first question was to ask why? The owner said to pee into!!!! But fair enough, I am thinking why not just walk into the main house for a pee. Anyway I digress the CU is located in a cabinet in this little toilet room and every time the RCD trips they have to walk outside the back door into the garden and into the toilet room to reset the RCD.

So they want the CU moved from this little toilet room to inside the main house into the utility room. On the adjoining wall to where the CU is now is the utility room inside the property. It literally means labelling up the circuits making a hole in the plasterboard ceiling for the cables, mounting the CU reconnecting the cables in the breakers. No extensions of the circuits t&e or meter tails needed, it is literally a move of the width of a wall in the roof space.

I am am not making any changes to the circuits or CU, other than moving it. I would like to issue a cert of some description for their peace of mind. But what should I issue.? Minor works or a full blown major and charge accordingly? I did ask if they had any previous certs issued from whom the CU was changed 6 or 7 years ago but they cant remember.

 

[HandySparks]

...and next to it a door that opens into a toilet room, no access into the house from it. My first question was to ask why? The owner said to pee into!!!! But fair enough, I am thinking why not just walk into the main house for a pee.

It's so that the gardener doesn't have to take his boots off to enter the house (maybe).

I am am not making any changes to the circuits or CU, other than moving it. I would like to issue a cert of some description for their peace of mind. But what should I issue.? Minor works or a full blown major and charge accordingly? ...

I did a CU move recently. Luckily it was an all-RCBO board (a few years old), so no need to contemplate changing it. I did an EIC with all the tests I usually do on a board change.

 

[Darkwood]

You would be disconnecting circuits in order to move the board so as an Electrician you have a duty to ensure the circuits you reconnect (i.e. - all of them) are safe to do so and this can only be done by doing the usual test procedure as if you were upgrading the board. This is my opinion anyway, consider an electrical accident caused by a dangerous circuit that was existing but you made live again during the relocation, been the last one to be involved working on the circuit then the responsibility would fall on your lap.

I'm open to others suggestions here but I live in the 'protect your own butt' world

 

[NDG Elecs]

I think this is a bit of a grey area, though someone on here will probably give a good reason as to why it isn't so. In some respects it is not much different to changing a light fitting but I would issue a full EIC. For their peace of mind yes, but more importantly for your peace of mind mate.

Also, why is the RCD tripping, and how often.....the RCDs on the board in my house have not tripped once in the last five years that I recall. And yep they haven't seized up, and they do trip when tested....!! The RCD tripping is a cause for concern in my view and warrants a full test.

 

[Octopus]

Eic....

why would you think a MWC would be appropriate?

 

[telectrix]

as 6same as what they said ^^^^. full set of tests advised.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I have a customer who has a decent 17th edition Wylex split CU installed in a bungalow in an outside toilet but it is part of the main fabric of the building. Difficult to describe as I have never come across something like this. Not an outside loo from donkeys years ago that tended to be a little shack attached to the main house.

Imagine a right angle corner to the house at the back, you turn down the side of the house and there is a meter cabinet and next to it a door that opens into a toilet room, no access into the house from it. My first question was to ask why? The owner said to pee into!!!! But fair enough, I am thinking why not just walk into the main house for a pee. Anyway I digress the CU is located in a cabinet in this little toilet room and every time the RCD trips they have to walk outside the back door into the garden and into the toilet room to reset the RCD.

So they want the CU moved from this little toilet room to inside the main house into the utility room. On the adjoining wall to where the CU is now is the utility room inside the property. It literally means labelling up the circuits making a hole in the plasterboard ceiling for the cables, mounting the CU reconnecting the cables in the breakers. No extensions of the circuits t&e or meter tails needed, it is literally a move of the width of a wall in the roof space.

I am am not making any changes to the circuits or CU, other than moving it. I would like to issue a cert of some description for their peace of mind. But what should I issue.? Minor works or a full blown major and charge accordingly? I did ask if they had any previous certs issued from whom the CU was changed 6 or 7 years ago but they cant remember.

It has to be an EIC,but it does not need to be 'full blown major' as you put it. Record the extent of the work and the extent of tests carried out. If I was doing the job I would regard a global IR test and a Zs test on each circuit as sufficient,along with r1,rn and r2 tests on each ring final. No need to carry out time consuming R1+R2/figure of 8 tests as the circuits are already energised. Those tests along with the usual supply tests and inspections are hardly going to add more than an hour or so to the job.

 

[ImpededLoop]

I'd issue an EIC as I would for a board replacement.

 

[Midwest]

Also, why is the RCD tripping, and how often.....the RCDs on the board in my house have not tripped once in the last five years that I recall.

Over filling the steam iron with water is a regular one for us.

 

[NDG Elecs]

Over filling the steam iron with water is a regular one for us.

Haha. Should be like me mate, I only get the iron out for weddings and funerals!