Board Changeover Tips

[appspark]

Hey all, doing my 1st board changeover next week(I'm industrial/commercial apprentice but CU change in a house), gaffer will be keeping an eye on me during changeover and testing but wondering what tips you have to keep it smooth? Apparantly an 8 and 10 way needing new boards, gaffer is organising new boards and crimps etc.
Thanks, oh and it's in my managing directors house so no pressure :willy_nilly:

 

[Pete999]

Test the installation first, to avoid any faults becoming present once the CU has been changed, TEST FIRST

 

[gazj82]

Make sure your battery drill is charged, when you have no power to put your new board up

 

[Badged01]

And who's signing off the Part 'P' bit for you .... if needed?!?!

 

[appspark]

Thanks guys, good idea to test first and after and see what problems ive created that wern't there before. Head torch and batteries for drill will be on charge night before. No part P in scotland but gaffer will be signing anything that needs it, presuming certs are being issued.

 

[micknew]

You would be testing for things like earth leaks and borrowed neutrals etc. which will not allow you to re-energise circuits on completion of the mains change.

 

[Pete999]

Good luck m8y

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Do a full functional test as well make sure everything that worked before you start, still works when you have finished, that way you wont spend ages trying to find out why something doesn't work, that didn't work before you started. Been there done it and got the T shirt, more than once. I have also had the comment, "well it worked before you came", and i couldn't prove otherwise. so once you know what does and doesn't work before you start, write it all down.

Cheers............Howard

 

[gazj82]

If dual rcd rather than RCBO's, stop and think about how to split the circuits over the two RCD's to minimise inconvienience when a fault does occur. I.e it's nice to keep the immersion heater on a different RCD to the boiler if you can.

 

[Richard Burns]

There are a couple of potentially useful posts here that may also help define things could be addressed before changing a consumer unit.
The first one is from 2010.

I would say do not try too hard to keep the same sequence of circuits just place the circuits where it is most convenient for you to dress them.
Oh and from seeing one CU change yesterday do not struggle to get short cables to the bars so that they are pulled tight, just extend them so there is some chance of getting to other cables.

 

[dazza1981]

Do a full functional test as well make sure everything that worked before you start, still works when you have finished, that way you wont spend ages trying to find out why something doesn't work, that didn't work before you started. Been there done it and got the T shirt, more than once. I have also had the comment, "well it worked before you came", and i couldn't prove otherwise. so once you know what does and doesn't work before you start, write it all down.

Cheers............Howard

I have to say after reading many of your posts along with trev, mdj, and telectrix you do give the best advice to peoples queries and without guys like you lot this forum would not be same!!!
Jeeze it must be friday with me writing nice stuff like this !!!

 

[MDJ]

Howard is underrated here and one of the most knowlegeable sparks on the forum, back to the OP, don't leave 18 inches of cable inside the board like some do thinking slack is useful, a couple of inches more than enough and much tidyer, good luck fella, I know you will do a good job bud.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I have to say after reading many of your posts along with trev, mdj, and telectrix you do give the best advice to peoples queries and without guys like you lot this forum would not be same!!!
Jeeze it must be friday with me writing nice stuff like this !!!

Sometimes it is not always the technical aspect that needs consideration, but more the simple things that are easy to overlook, and not consider, but will most likely bite yer man bits if you don't think about things. Most of these things i put on here are due to past experiences, and most of them bad ones :6:

 

[dazza1981]

Sometimes it is not always the technical aspect that needs consideration, but more the simple things that are easy to overlook, and not consider, but will most likely bite yer man bits if you don't think about things. Most of these things i put on here are due to past experiences, and most of them bad ones :6:

Correct bad experiences are the only way you develop,learn and become wiser and that is not just in electrical work but in life in general!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Thanks guys, good idea to test first and after and see what problems ive created that wern't there before. Head torch and batteries for drill will be on charge night before. No part P in scotland but gaffer will be signing anything that needs it, presuming certs are being issued.

????


just because the existing OPDs were holding dont mean there wern`t problems before...

this is why a Ze and IR at least should be carried out beforehand....as has already been suggested...