Consumer unit installed on it's side.

[dtec dave]

Hi All..thoughts on this please, is it acceptable or failed 'as not installed to manufactures instructions'?

Thanks in advance

 

[dmxtothemax]

Some might say not best practice ! but not dangerous either.
If the customer is happy, thats what matters
cause ultimately it's him who pays !

 

[Mike Johnson]

One of the new regulations, 536.4.203, states that devices and components that are used in low voltage assemblies (to BS EN 61439) such as consumer units, and distribution boards must only be those that have been declared suitable for that purpose by the manufacturer of the assembly. Or put another way: only use manufacturer approved parts, don’t mix brands of devices or control items.

Taking the above comment possibly to a bit of an extreme, If I have a Hager board and fit Siemens MCB's the quote above would seem the indicate the installation does not conform?

 

[dmxtothemax]

As manufacturers guidelines cannot cover 100% of circumstances then sometimes it's down to your call, you have to make the decission as to weather it's safe.
Mounting a DB sideways is NOT dangerous.

 

[telectrix]

considering thet in Australia you mount them upside down........

 

[Dustydazzler]

As manufacturers guidelines cannot cover 100% of circumstances then sometimes it's down to your call, you have to make the decission as to weather it's safe.
Mounting a DB sideways is NOT dangerous.

sideways (vertically mounted) could indeed be the ‘correct’orientation and everyone else has been doing it wrong for years...

 

[telectrix]

they're all the same lying down. Oops, that was meant to go in the preferences column of the eharmony dating site.

 

[davesparks]

Agree that the MCBs are OK this way as they are in a 3-phase DB, but I think having the main switch in any orientation other than down=off is unacceptable as it could hinder isolation in an emergency. I believe the BS defines this but cannot offer a specific reference at the mo. Consider a fire crew working in the dark / smoke...

However DBs with a horizontally acting mainswitch do exist, the small (5 way iirc) 250A Merlin Gerin panelboards have the incoming device connected in the same orientation as the outgoing devices.
Also the old doorman death panelboards have the same arrangement.

 

[stevethesparks]

Also the old doorman death panelboards have the same arrangement.

I like that

 

[ipf]

I'm also doing a Chinese course has well ,how to order a meal , number 39 please you good man , wo you wan .lol.

Knock, knock, ''Dewivewy......number ferty nine fo mista wightyear…...''

 

[Mike Johnson]

Deleted

 

[Julie.]

I believe there is an issue here - essentially BS EN 61439 has that the main switch should operate on - in an upward direction, and it does not in this case, so even if the manufacturer doesn't specifically state anything it ought to be implied.

However I would check with the manufacturer themselves, Hager specifically state that they must be installed in the horizontal plane only, and from memory I have seen it with others as well.

If the manufacturer has stated a direction then it would warrant a C3 to me, if not I don't think there is sufficient justification to argue the point even though it is implied.

Now moving forwards with amd 1 and the 18th I think there are further issues - the principle of the compliant enclosures (BS EN 61439-3) is not just the material (the really, really ought to be metal thing), but that the enclosure should prevent movement of flame forward outwith the enclosure, which implies that the door should also ensure self-closure to enable this.

Now it isn't directly in BS EN 61439-3, but BEAMA have stated in their technical bulletin that the standard describes effective control of flame by having a case, a cover and a door in place.

... And that if the door may be left open, then in effect it isn't compliant.

Obviously this installation predates this, but is the case for anything since 2016

(and of course this metal and so on restriction only applies to homes, not commercial etc)