Consumer Unit upgrade and 17th Edition

Speedy-Diesel · Nov 14, 2010

Hi to all and thanks in advance.

Background - I use to be in installtion with my father, but since his retirement I've not touched the stuff for 10yrs + and as far as 17th & P ????

My house was build in 1982 and is pvc / copper cables with 6mm earth. In 1999 I upgrades the old con unit to a split load Wylex NSES4704. Happy days since

Now with a growing family I've started a first floor ext over the garage.

The builders sparky wont even look at the existing set up - instead he wants to break into the meter tails and install a totally separate con unit and circuits - including all the way through the house for the required smokies under B regs.

He's going to install new 10mm earth back to the con unit - so why cant he put this in the old con unit and replace the MCB with RCBO on the coarse earth side (assuming that they will fit - conflicting info from Wylex and local suppliers)

I would prefer this as it would look a lot neater - failing that replace the Con unit if the new style RCBOs wont fit the old.

As I under stand that way the required smokies can be spurred off the light circuit with the suitable battery backup.

Is this too simple

(it seems it) or does the 17th prevent this - did I read that earth wires in T&E has changed.

I want a nice neat job without wire being surfaced throughout the house or it looking like an add on

Any help or pointers would be more than welcome

Thanks

Thanks

rocker · Nov 14, 2010

Get a new sparks. Your way of doing it is completely adequate.

As far as smokes, mains powered, battery backed-up smokes are fine on the lighting circuit, in fact I prefer to do them that way as when the smokes go off, people can't just switch them off at the breaker and forget about them (no lights, see). For an extension, I don't think they are required by the way, but still you should have them for safety's sake