Consumer Unit Change

[Midwest]

Remember the biscuits, although they seemingly they're a bit health conscious now, the last one declined my triple choc hobknobs

 

[Nickj]

Selection of biscuits tea and coffee all available. All of the finest quality. If only people still accepted brown envelopes haha

 

[Midwest]

From the point of view of the assessor, if he asks about this, you have cogent and reasoned statements indicating that you had considered the issues and decided that the situation was safe and compliant with BS7671 as far as you understand it.
If you can state this with the assessor at the time and therefore show that you are competent then this should be acceptable.
If the assessor still decides that rectification is necessary then, because you are already demonstrating competence, a simple photographic resolution should be sufficient.

That's what I said, lie through one's teeth

 

[Richard Burns]

That's what I said, lie through one's teeth

Oh dear, oh dear!
If you can't baffle them with brilliance, then befuddle them with.. "cow excrement"

 

[westward10]

I am assuming there will be some spare ways at the new board. How do you intend to fill them, I always stick a breaker in them much better than blanks which the assessor may not like.

 

[Nickj]

There are spare ways and I have filled them with blanks.

I did consider this carefully and thought about spare breakers, those new dummy breakers and blanks.

I decided that I'd follow manufacturers instructions and inside the box there were blanks to be used to fill spare ways.

Blanks fit into the board snugly and whilst they could be removed it wouldn't be accidentally as you do need to manipulate them a little to get them out.

Bs7671 does say to follow manufacturers instructions and so if there is an issue with these surely it's for the manufacturer to answer?

This board is mounted high enough to stop children playing but low enough for an adult to operate it at arms reach.

Overall I am happy with this choice...

 

[Andy78]

What make is the board ?
Some push in blanks may comply and some may not. I always use dinrail mounted blanks to ensure a good secure hold and compliance.

I recently used used a BG garage board that was supplied with push in blanks. They could be flicked out easily with a fingernail, so not compliant, no matter what the instructions said.

BS7671 asks that products are selected for their suitability and compliance so the onus is on the designer/installer.

 

[Nickj]

It's a bg board. I've tried to remove them and whilst I could it took a fair bit of wrangling to do it. Switching over to blank mcbs wouldn't be much of a task.

I'm guessing any make blank would fit? The bg ones aren't in stock and so I couldn't get them in time.

These MK ones are in stock and I could put them in tomorrow http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-blank-mcb-pack-of-5/71995#product_additional_details_container.

If nothing else it would be something to talk to him about and distract him from the main earth

 

[Andy78]

No idea if the MK blanks would fit. I tried Hager blanks and although they provided an IP2X fit, they didn't really fit and I wasn't happy with it. I ended up buying more mcbs to plug the gap.

 

[Midwest]

Oh common, last time I tried removing CU push in blank covers, I broke my precious finger nails . Din rail ones are better, but you still need a tool with the former.

Anyways, give this bloke a break. ''Don't have nightmares, do sleep well",

 

[Midwest]

Oh dear, oh dear!
If you can't baffle them with brilliance, then befuddle them with.. "cow excrement"

Sometimes Richard, you brilliance misses the point.

 

[Andy78]

Oh common, last time I tried removing CU push in blank covers, I broke my precious finger nails . Din rail ones are better, but you still need a tool with the former.

Anyways, give this bloke a break. ''Don't have nightmares, do sleep well",

I held this opinion until I tried the metal clad BG garage board recently. Most push in blanks are very solid.
You can't sweepingly approve or disapprove any type of product though, especially when it comes to BG. They really do only take a stern look to make them fall out.

 

[westward10]

A modular DIN rail blank of fit a breaker. The only cover blank worth their salt are the twist fit ones which cannot be removed with the cover in place.

 

[Octopus]

I use the Wylex metal blanks - they can only be fitted before the cover is fitted. And I fit them to other makes of CU

 

[DPG]

Trouble is then you need to bond them. Daz. (popcorn ready).

 

[Pat H]

Trouble is then you need to bond them. Daz. (popcorn ready).

Ok I'll bite... As long as the metal enclosure has exposed metal at the rear of that blanks connection won't it be bonded via that?
And if it does need a bonding cable will 10mm be enough

 

[DPG]

The metal to metal contact between enclosure and blank would be inadequate . Daz

 

[Pat H]

The metal to metal contact between enclosure and blank would be inadequate . Daz

A rivet maybe?

 

[DPG]

Brass nut and bolt with flylead to earth bar. Daz

 

[Wilko]

I'm concerned about introducing another conducting surface - it can't be good can it? I've been filling spaces with mcb or a plastic dummy.

 

[Pat H]

Brass nut and bolt with flylead to earth bar. Daz

10mm or go the whole hog and make it 16mm? after all it could contact a pretty serious bus bar...

 

[Nickj]

Hi all,

I've fitted the mk blank mcbs. They look ok (not as neat as the plastic blanks in my humble opinion).

Just to clarify one point.

They fit neatly but I would say just about fall short of ip4x. I am correct in thinking for the mcbs and main switch I only need ip2x? (I'm way above ip2x, close to ip4x).

Thanks all for your help, tomorrow is the day and so I'm pretty much out of time

 

[Pat H]

Only the top is ip2x the rest is ip4x

 

[Nickj]

Sorry pat confused by your response?

 

[DPG]

Wrong way around maybe. Daz

 

[Pat H]

Sorry yes the other way round.
Only the top is ip4x the rest is ip2x
My bad

 

[westward10]

I use the Wylex metal blanks - they can only be fitted before the cover is fitted.
These are the blanks I was referring to didn't realise Wylex now do them in metal, normally fill spares with mcbs. So this begs the question are plastic blanks still acceptable with the metal enclosure.

 

[Nickj]

Thanks all, I'll post tomorrow to let you know how it goes.

Plastic blank mcbs meet all requirements. Let's not forget the mcbs themselves are plastic.

The plastic blanks I can see being an issue as they can be removed without the use of a tool to varying degrees, some are great but really the ones I had could be removed with some wrangling.

The plastic blank mcbs cannot be removed without a tool amd therefore are entirely up to the job.

The reason I didn't use the metal ones are for the reasons discussed above. The board is painted and so they wouldn't have been earthed.

Chances of a cable coming into contact with them is slim but still a chance I guess.

Feeling absolutely fine with the blank mcbs

 

[Pat H]

Don't sweat it. Worst case he makes a comment and you discuss it.

 

[DPG]

You're worrying far too much about these blanks! Daz

 

[Nickj]

Dpg I'm worrying about everything right now. absolute bag of nerves

 

[Midwest]

You'll be wondering why you did tomorrow. Get the tea on first. Good luck.

 

[Pat H]

Good luck for tomorrow. Sure it will be fine.

 

[mattg4321]

Don't sweat it. You seem like you've been pretty thorough and conscientious. Some of the sh** I've come across done by sparks that are part of a scheme - you'll sail through.

Don't forgot that its in their interest you pass and they will normally do what they can within reason these days to help you to. They want your money. It's not like it was pre financial crisis!

 

[westward10]

Dpg I'm worrying about everything right now. absolute bag of nerves

Nowt wrong with worrying, good luck but I don't think you will need it. Tell us how you get on.

 

[Nickj]

It's done! I'm very impressed by the assessment, I felt it was thorough and he really did check all aspects of the install and asked me plenty of questions.

 

[DPG]

Nice one. That's a weight off your mind! Daz

 

[westward10]

Top man.

 

[Pat H]

Well done. Its good to know the assessment actually means something. And even better that you were more than up to the job. What was his view on the earth route?

 

[Nickj]

He was absolutely fine with it. I mentioned it to him (citing the regulation) whilst he was closely examining the install and he said that it was fine as the tails are considered seperatly.

Thankfully I took a lot of photos of the install in varying stages of completion otherwise he would have wanted to check inside the trunking for fire clips. A photograph sufficed and he was happy to see them saying they are very often forgotten/not known about.