Can't find a consumer unit....!

timhoward · Jan 14, 2022

This is getting embarrassing - I've been looking for a sub-main consumer unit in a church for an hour now.
I've found the incomer. There's a nice old Crabtree board with black breakers, one of which is a 50A for "Hall DB". It's a split level site and the hall is downstairs, and the fat 10mm T+E cable goes off in this direction. Turning the breaker off isolates the rfc circuit I need to tap into and while it's looking unlikely it's RCD protected and I need to know and probably remedy this.
I could easily prove it isn't of course, a simple high current Zs, but either way I'm stuffed - if it is RCD protected I need to be able to reset it, and if it isn't I need to find the board and change it!

I've just swallowed my pride and phoned the guy that did the last EICR, who laughed and said "glad it's not just me, I couldn't find it either, and I put it down as an agreed limitation!" (so an entire floor wasn't tested....hmmmm!)

In desperation I've shorted L+N at the supply to it and measured the resistance of the lighting circuit downstairs, and narrowed it down to one corner of the building.
If I ever find it I'll report back...

snowhead · Jan 14, 2022

Inside a Cupboard
False ceiling
Behind lockers or other tall furniture
Within shelves with books on
As it's a church, under a pew or inside a lectern / altar thingy.

westward10 · Jan 14, 2022

Have you sought spiritual guidance.

Dustydazzler · Jan 14, 2022

I have had a few like this before where you simply can't find a sub board or isolation switches for circuits.
I have seen fitted furniture built completely over a sub board in the past / kitchen draw units built over sub boards / behind built in fridge / freezers etc

Blooming nuisance

catdog1121 · Jan 14, 2022

That sounds like one of those old school circuits..

I've heard its powered by prayer.. To check you need to test the voltage on a sunday as it will be higher..

Julie. · Jan 14, 2022

It will be in the last place you look.....

Unless of course you want to carry on looking for it after you find it...

timhoward · Jan 14, 2022

Julie. said:
It will be in the last place you look.....

Unless of course you want to carry on looking for it after you find it...

I started looking for the communion wine hoping I'd find the consumer unit. I figured either way it's a win....

snowhead said:
Inside a Cupboard
False ceiling
Behind lockers or other tall furniture
Within shelves with books on
As it's a church, under a pew or inside a lectern / altar thingy.

So far this is the closest I got. I found about 11 final circuits neatly clipped in one access hatch. Light in that room is only 0.09 ohms from supply.
The next nearest access hatch I just have the supply cable. Disabled bathroom in the middle which wouldn't have existed in that form once. Not looking good.
Left it for today, the caretaker reckons there's an old bloke with a beard that might know. Clever things these beards....

timhoward · Jan 14, 2022

westward10 said:
Have you sought spiritual guidance.

I suspect that if I could hear an answer, it would be something like:
1 Corinthians 2:5
"so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power"

But in this instance I don't believe God's power has additional protection, at least according to the BS7671 definition.

littlespark · Jan 14, 2022

Old church? Wood panelling on the walls?

Search the woodwork for screwheads, painted same colour as the wood and expect a lot of scraping to find the slot.

When you do find it, you know what to do…..

Take a photo and stick it on here!

Zerax · Jan 14, 2022

timhoward said:
Left it for today, the caretaker reckons there's an old bloke with a beard that might know. Clever things these beards....

Does he mean this beardy bloke ?

littlespark · Jan 14, 2022

Brian?

Edit…. That pic is just an invitation for someone to photoshop a massive spliff between his fingers

telectrix · Jan 14, 2022

littlespark said:
Brian?

Edit…. That pic is just an invitation for someone to photoshop a massive spliff between his fingers

also, in today's snowflake society, that 2 fingered gesture is classed as offensive or threatening, and he could be fined under the public order act. honestly, you could not make it up.

littlespark · Jan 14, 2022

He’s trying to make a rabbit shadow puppet, but it’s not working as the light is behind his head…

timhoward · Jan 14, 2022

littlespark said:
When you do find it, you know what to do…..
Take a photo and stick it on here!

Certainly will!

Btw it's not the "churchy" bit...that is all upstairs. It's just a kitchen, some toilets, 2 large meeting rooms and a creche which is all downstairs (or ground floor depending on which door you go in)

Dustydazzler · Jan 14, 2022

Have you checked the attic spaces ?

timhoward · Jan 14, 2022

Dustydazzler said:
Have you checked the attic spaces ?

Good shout but no attics - the entire top half is like a traditional church with exposed eaves and beams.
I'm pretty certain it's above a ceiling that was once accessible but has been boarded and plastered.
Didn't have inspection camera with me .... of course!

westward10 · Jan 14, 2022

Old concealed cellar.

timhoward · Jan 14, 2022

westward10 said:
Old concealed cellar.

It's funny you should say that. There was a basement once, but it got bricked up when they changed the heating. "Many years ago" was best answer I could get. Next time I'll take along camera and mastech cable tracer, and see if there's any evidence of the feed heading down even more. I really hope not!
All this for 2 extra sockets downstairs....

westward10 · Jan 14, 2022

I have had this twice with concealed cellars.

littlespark · Jan 14, 2022

If you can’t find it, and no one knows where it is… how easy is it going to be adding a couple of sockets?
It’s going to lead to a board change, as wherever it is, it’ll be no bigger than a wylex 4 gang with rewirable fuses….
Going to need rcd etc…

My bet is it’s still hidden behind the woodwork…

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