mortgage retention advice for current installation upgrade

[walkthenrun]

Hi guys,
i need to carry some work out to get my house to pass its mortgage retention, i had a mate from napit come round and do a electrical installation inspection condition report, as one of the retention on my mortgage is due to the old electrical installation. at the moment there is a 15 way merlin gerin consumer unit. I have identified all the circuit apart from one 15A breaker. anyway i was hoping to change the current unit to rcbo's i think this is probably the best thing at the moment considering the size of the house so if anything does go rong i can localise the problem more easily. guys i have come for advice as i dont know which unit to buy? am i doing the right thing by going for rcbo's. i need something that will allow me have at least 13 different circuits. the only thing i have found upto now is a Wylex 11 way Consumer Unit Type NH1104 that i could put 11 circuits on. The immediate advice my friend give me was to condition report was to update the consumer unit so that the shower is rcd protected, the lights in the bathroom are ip65. the supply to the summer house and the pond shed is in swa cable. is it possible to just take the current consumer unit and swap it directly for an 11 way rcbo consumer unit. would everything carry on working as it is working perfectly now.
i have identified each circuit as follows
1. annexe consumer unit and outdoor floodlight consumer unit (60A) (10mm cable and 2.5mm)
2. cooker (50A) (6mm)
3. upstairs sockets (32A) with two fuse spurs in garage from ring final in above main bedroom (2.5mm)
4. downstairs sockets (32A) (2.5mm)
5. 15A?
6. 5A lights in boiler room (G), garage(G), utility(G),main bathroom(U), small blue room(U), hallway(U), pink room(U) and kids room(U) G-ground U-upstairs (1.5)
7. shower (50A) (6mm 8.5kw shower clipped direct to wall)
8. main bedroom (U) and ensuite lights (U) (5A) (1.5mm)
9. kitchen(G) dining room(G) sitting room (G) and toy room lights (G) (5A) (1.5mm)
10. boiler (5A) (1mm)
11. Pond shed hager consumer unit (60A) (10mm)
12. summer house volex consumer unit (60A) (10mm)

some pictures are included thanks
main consumer unit

main c.u and outdoor lighting c.u

pond c.u

summer house c.u

annexe c.u

thanks in advance for your immediate advice if any more pictures are required please let me know thanks

 

[Engineer54]

So why are you trying to fit a 50A or higher MCB/RCBO?

Yep, a 40A MCB will be more than adequate for that size of shower!!

 

[walkthenrun]

So why are you trying to fit a 50A or higher MCB/RCBO?

a 45A would be adequate for now but i would in the future like to upgrade the shower to a 10.5kw but if i was going to upgrade the lot now i would put a 10mm cable in and change the pull down d.p to a wall mounted one and also get the correct breaker from the initial installation

 

[walkthenrun]

So why are you trying to fit a 50A or higher MCB/RCBO?

6mm 47A clipped direct and then voltage drop wouldnt have an advers affect over that distance, so a 45A c.b would be acceptable
8500/230=36.96A so 37A maximum current flowing
on 10.5kw/230=45.65A
10mm cable clipped direct 2c0re 63A 3core is 57A

 

[Spoon]

I dont mean this in a sarcastic way, but what is the fascination with people wanting to get a bigger and bigger showers. What is wrong with a 8.5kw?

 

[Spoon]

6mm 47A clipped direct and then voltage drop wouldnt have an advers affect over that distance, so a 45A c.b would be acceptable

Until you want to upgrade your shower to 10.5kw.

 

[Engineer54]

I dont mean this in a sarcastic way, but what is the fascination with people wanting to get a bigger and bigger showers. What is wrong with a 8.5kw?

Why anyone would ever need a 10.5KW shower, i will never know!! I'm using a 4.2KW shower over here and it's more than just adequate for a good hot shower!!

 

[Spoon]

Why anyone would ever need a 10.5KW shower, i will never know!! I'm using a 4.2KW shower over here and it's more than just adequate for a good hot shower!!

Maybe they want to re-enact a scene from Rambo, when he is in the police station...

 

[Engineer54]

Bet they don't sell many 10.5KW showers in France, where it seems the average domestic supply is limited to 12KVA!! ...lol!! ....It's only the daft British that want to be one better than the Jones next door!!! lol!!

 

[Spoon]

OP: Id be more concerned about the 2.5mm cable going to MCB 1 (60A) for the outside lights than the shower cable.

 

[Engineer54]

OP: Id be more concerned about the 2.5mm cable going to MCB 1 (60A) for the outside lights than the shower cable.

That cable can be slipped into the downstairs lighting Breaker. Obviously installed by a DIY'er that one!! lol!!

 

[Octopus]

I think you need to stop, look hard and plan before you do anything.

And get your "mate" involved, if he exists, because if he does, he and not us is the best person to advise you.

 

[DPG]

OP: Id be more concerned about the 2.5mm cable going to MCB 1 (60A) for the outside lights than the shower cable.

He doesn't seem too bothered by this - not sure why? Any thoughts OP? Daz

 

[walkthenrun]

OP: Id be more concerned about the 2.5mm cable going to MCB 1 (60A) for the outside lights than the shower cable.

i know this should be on its own 6A breaker cant see the floodlights drawing 60A if they are 160W thats pretty easy fix could easily go into lighting circuit with main bedroom as not in use at moment anyway and also wont probably have a large load when in use

 

[walkthenrun]

I think you need to stop, look hard and plan before you do anything.

And get your "mate" involved, if he exists, because if he does, he and not us is the best person to advise you.

you know what the sad thing about this forum is... you come on for help, because you are unsure and you are learning and you want others opinions, i have got two mates who have offered one is napit and the other is niceic, it would have been good to have got other opinions of well qualified experienced individuals who dont have there head up there own a**. think about when you started you didnt know everything, you were helped along and you were thrown in the deep end, its a shame that people encourage one another with unsupportive and horrible comments like this. if you dont want to input please move on and let the people who do have a passion for what they do, have there input

 

[walkthenrun]

He doesn't seem too bothered by this - not sure why? Any thoughts OP? Daz

it is stuff like this that is picked up that i can say hang about what about this, everyones input makes a difference and does help

 

[telectrix]

you know what the sad thing about this forum is... you come on for help because you unsure you learning and you want guidance, i have got two mates who have offered one is napit and the other is niceic, it would have been good to have got other opinions of well qualified experienced individuals who didnt have there head up there own a**. you know think about when you started you didnt know everything you were helped along and you were thrown in the deep end, its a shame that people encourage one another with unsupportive and horrible comments like this. if you dont want to input please move on and let the people who do have a passion for what they do enjoy helping others.

think you have had a lot of helpful comments here. still waiting for you to let us know if there were any C1s or C2s on your napit mate's EICR. murdoch's post reflects this. if you have an EICR, then why not let us know the outcome?

 

[walkthenrun]

think you have had a lot of helpful comments here. still waiting for you to let us know if there were any C1s or C2s on your napit mate's EICR. murdoch's post reflects this. if you have an EICR, then why not let us know the outcome?

as soon as i have a copy of the report il photograph it and put it up, should be tomorrow was not given it at the time as was told that if i didnt make the changes it would be down on the report as recommendations and hence would not pass and achieve certification to show as being safe and upto current standards, was also advised that sockets needed to be on rcd. was told to make changes, including a new consumer unit and then have the report completed. so when i was asked that is there are any c1 or c2 i phoned my mate anthony who told me installing the rcd would be a c3 and updating the consumer unit and installing the ip65 lights would also be c3. il have to wait and see now

 

[telectrix]

the lack of RCDs is only a code C3 unless outdoors, as a C3 that means improvement recommended, a bit like an advise on your MOT. does not mean that the installation is unfit for continued use.

 

[Octopus]

you know what the sad thing about this forum is... you come on for help, because you are unsure and you are learning and you want others opinions, i have got two mates who have offered one is napit and the other is niceic, it would have been good to have got other opinions of well qualified experienced individuals who dont have there head up there own a**. think about when you started you didnt know everything, you were helped along and you were thrown in the deep end, its a shame that people encourage one another with unsupportive and horrible comments like this. if you dont want to input please move on and let the people who do have a passion for what they do, have there input

Yup, and I've got a mate who's got 25 years more than me and I still use him, and he uses me for advice - and where necessary we visit each others "jobs" so we can actually look at the jobs first hand.

 

[Silly Sausage]

you know what the sad thing about this forum is... you come on for help.........................sion for what they do, have there input

Get a 'Satisfactory' EICR (ie no C1s or C2s) off your two mates, give it to your mortgage provider, get your £20K off their grubby little hands, then work on your installation at your leisure!!!
It's your own house and you're a Trainee Electrician, aware of any risks, go for it!

 

[Rampantchilli]

as for inline fans.....................
crack on mate, so long as you get a large air change rate they work wonderful, dont get wickes own inline as thats just about 45l/m whereas you can splash out and get a full on 140/160 l/m fan that will suck the water straight out the shower and out thru the fan before it even touches you lol.

people do tend to get pedantic on this site, but you have had some good advice, when you get your eicr, look thru it do the required work and for now ignore any C3's, get your dosh from el banko.
encourage your mates to show you or help you to understand where the faults are at the moment.
people on here can only speculate as to the best way forward, but your mates can give you proper informed advice

 

[plugsandsparks]

I thought i gave you good advice for the time i am prepared to spend on this and was before you mentioned anything about your knowledge or aspirations, good luck.

 

[walkthenrun]

the lack of RCDs is only a code C3 unless outdoors, as a C3 that means improvement recommended, a bit like an advise on your MOT. does not mean that the installation is unfit for continued use.

thanks, i have spoken to my mate and he is saying the shower not being on rcd and the sockets not being on rcd are definately c3. advice is obviously appreciated, thanks your right it does not make it unfit for continued use

 

[walkthenrun]

Yup, and I've got a mate who's got 25 years more than me and I still use him, and he uses me for advice - and where necessary we visit each others "jobs" so we can actually look at the jobs first hand.

i will be asking my mates for help and they will be helping me, with whatever work is carried out, but i do appreciate they have there own work and commitments too hence why i am trying to get all the help i can with this

 

[Octopus]

i will be asking my mates for help and they will be helping me, with whatever work is carried out, but i do appreciate they have there own work and commitments too hence why i am trying to get all the help i can with this

We are able to give general advice BUT only seeing a job makes the advice "constructive"