Consumer unit upgrade with no slack on existing cables

[Martyn Fletcher]

Hi all,
As the title suggest, I have today replaced an old (1977) Wylex fuse board for a nice shiney 10 way consumer unit. However, when I took the old fuse board off the existing cables gave no slack, not even a smidge. They were solid and with just 200mm of cable left hanging out of the wall.
This was obviously not enough so I had to extend them to reach the new terminals in the new box. I have surprisingly not had this scenario for a very long time, so my dilemma now began. Do I use wago's, choc boxes or butt crimps? I opted for the crimps but also added heat shrinks to them as I did many years back when doing this. Probably a mistake, but I felt more comfortable with this despite the reliability of wago's.

Would you guys please let me know what you would have done given this scenario? A rewire was not an option before any comedians suggest it.

Everything tested OK by the way. I'm just concerned about the longevity of crimps compared with wago's and choc boxes. They all come loose over time.

 

[buzzlightyear]

pic would be nice . go on give us a laugh.

 

[sparkdog]

Never liked choc boxes or crimping solid wires, so probably wagos up to 2.5 and uninsulated crimp with heat shrink for the bigger stranded conductors.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I had to extend a cooker circuit on my last CU change, used wagos for the 6mm twin and earth. the 3 pole red ones are good for upto 6mm and 40 or 41 amps. for the smaller sizes I tend to use the orange ideal inline connectors. not had a problem with them yet.

 

[Andy5678]

Wagos can fit 6mm now

 

[buzzlightyear]

Wagos can fit 6mm now

WHAT ,A PACKET OF smokes.

 

[sparkdog]

Having used good old junction boxes for so many years, I still look on all those pretty plastic things with some misgivings, although I do use Wagos and such in preference.

 

[PEG]

Just how hard did you pull? A cable sock and 15T capstan normally gets you another 6"...

 

[Andy5678]

Buzz can’t be putting smokes into the CU. Would be a fire risk with all the loose connections.

Use wagos,crimps or blocks. What ever you think is best for that situation.

 

[Leesparkykent]

If there's room I would of fitted an adaptable box with a din rail and din rail connectors. Mounted the new CU under neath and brought the extended circuits through. Like in this pic I've just found on google.

 

[Martyn Fletcher]

pic would be nice . go on give us a laugh.

A pic of my nice new CU or the old Wylex thing that is now gone and of which I took no pictures?

 

[buzzlightyear]

A pic on my nice new CU or the old Wylex thing that is now gone and of which I took no pictures?

I always take pic before and after has security . before I go to prison .

 

[Martyn Fletcher]

I had to extend a cooker circuit on my last CU change, used wagos for the 6mm twin and earth. the 3 pole red ones are good for upto 6mm and 40 or 41 amps. for the smaller sizes I tend to use the orange ideal inline connectors. not had a problem with them yet.

Arent those red ones just push in? You can't re-use them so they seem to be more permanent. I should perhaps read up more on them.

 

[Leesparkykent]

You can

Arent those red ones just push in? You can't re-use them so they seem to be more permanent. I should perhaps read up more on them.

you can reuse them you just pull and twist.

 

[Martyn Fletcher]

View attachment 42036 If there's room I would of fitted an adaptable box with a din rail and din rail connectors. Mounted the new CU under neath and brought the extended circuits through. Like in this pic I've just found on google.

What pic?

Oh! The link to your pic show's in this reply but not in your original post. Odd!

 

[buzzlightyear]

What pic?

post 10 ,post 10. post10, post 10.

 

[Martyn Fletcher]

post 10 ,post 10. post10, post 10.

Lend me your time machine and I'll nip back, take the piccies, shag Kate, Convince Dip ---- kim jong un to be nice, give UK a few days of nice weather and Kill Trump.
OK, times up, I did what I could, but I couldn't take pics of that damned board.
Oh! And sorry I missed Trump.

 

[buzzlightyear]

every time I go to some jobs ,I think to my self how do I solve this puzzle . .thinking to my self shall I ring a friend, no . I just get on with it .

 

[PEG]

every time I go to some jobs ,I think to my self how do I solve this puzzle . .thinking to my self shall I ring a friend, no . I just get on with it .

...and if you were of a specific,religious persuasion,you'd have all those virgins to look forward to...

 

[Phil Thompson]

I use the spliceline connectors for all 1.0-2.5 cables and will be using the new larger wagos for 4&6mm instead of yellow crimps.

 

[littlespark]

Mount the DB higher up if tails allow and patch the old hole.

 

[a-z electrics]

The inline Ideal pushfit for smaller solids and insulated crimps for larger stranded. Larger uninsulated for the earth and bonding wires.
I don't trust crimped solid wires, they can pull out.

 

[brianmoooore]

Arrangement in post 10 isn't good practice. The green/yellow DIN connectors connect electrically to the DIN rail, so the CPCs are all connected in parallel at that point, and won't be isolated from each other when disconnected from the earth bar in the CU for testing purposes.
If you do use an arrangement like this, use ordinary DIN connectors (same as used for the live and neutral wire), except for possibly the joiner used for the largest CPC, if you want to earth the rail.

 

[MFS Electrical]

View attachment 42036 If there's room I would of fitted an adaptable box with a din rail and din rail connectors. Mounted the new CU under neath and brought the extended circuits through. Like in this pic I've just found on google.

Nice only problem though is looking at it I’m assuming that the JB is plastic? Not really fitting with the spirit of the reg about metal Consumer units in all seriousness though nice neat job F**k I should really read the whole post before I open my mouth I only just went back and saw you post THAT I FOUND ON GOOGLE Also why didn’t they just move the board up a bit in that situation seems like everything is coming in from the top anyway?

 

[brianmoooore]

Nine times out of ten, when replacing a domestic consumer unit, it needs to be lowered to comply with accessibility recommendations.
AMD3 applies to consumer units and the like. No mention of materials for junction boxes.