Fuse board change help!

[Mynamesmatt]

So Ive just bought a house and Im going to replace the fuse board as its ancient!

Just need to be sure on what i need to buy and how i need to go about splitting circuits properly.

It looks like its a 6 way and a or 4 way (does that look right?) - pic below

So lets say we have 10 circuits.. I will also be adding 2 - maybe more. 1 for a shower and 1 for a saniflo toilet system

----

Would it be right to get one big CU to replace these two - say one big 15 way board (want to leave some spare for future) a crabtree starbreaker 15 for instance

And the next question is what is the proper way to split the circuits and what will need to be RCD protected and which will not..

At first glance i think the circuits will be as follows; Upper ring - Lower ring - Kitchen - upper lights - lower lights - shower - saniflow - boiler - alarm system

Dont hate me for my ignorance, i am an electrician but i havent touched domestic in... ever! :33::ninja:




Also, all the cables are relatively new, all twin and earth - looks like it was rewired 5-10yrs ago but the board was lazily left out!

If theres any info ive missed just say

any help would be MUCH appreciated as i have to start digging into my wallet for materials pretty soon!

thanks!

 

[trev]

thanks for the info trev!

If i wasnt an electrician id obviously get someone into do the job but i could never justify getting someone in to do it when im quite capable, just because i cant sign it off..

Ill look around for someone that offers a simply certification only job and see what they say i guess.

what a pain in the --- eh!

Some LABCs, if you can prove you're qualified to them, will allow you to notify the job for a smaller fee but from what I can make out they are few and far between. Might be worth you asking the question though.
A building inspector once said to me in his opinion a competent person is a qualified spark so have a go with them by showing your JIB card.
Good luck mate

 

[Guitarist]

It's not just the physical side of changing the board matt. There is quite a lot of testing to do on a CU change (or 2), as well as the paperwork. Even if you find someone willing to test and sign off your work (and I'm sure you will), don't think you will get it done for a few quid

 

[Mynamesmatt]

I like the way you think des!

I think ill get the suppliers in, get them to budge their stuff over/change it for a dual meter.. do the work, and then put Part P'ants on the to do list - which is currently drifting closer and closer towards the bin!!

 

[Mynamesmatt]

big thanks for all the info guys

 

[Des 56]

I like the way you think des!

I think ill get the suppliers in, get them to budge their stuff over/change it for a dual meter.. do the work, and then put Part P'ants on the to do list - which is currently drifting closer and closer towards the bin!!

I see your reaction as a spark putting 2 fingers up to a stupid system.its still breaking the law,but some laws deserve to be broken

Perhaps stay in touch with the forum for any testing or building regs advise and reciprocate with your own talents

 

[vernam616]

Me too, im all for dropping Part P,
which is what ive done in my house, just because ive not gone through Part P doesnt make it any more dangerous, its correctly installed and working fine

 

[Guitarist]

It's always nice when someone tells us what we want to hear

 

[trev]

Me too, im all for dropping Part P,
which is what ive done in my house, just because ive not gone through Part P doesnt make it any more dangerous, its correctly installed and working fine

I am not part p registered and to be totally frank I have no intention of doing so. My work is mainly commercial or in a domestic situation is like for like replacements. However, my partner decided one day, while she was having a bath, that she would like one of these (stupid) white plastic ceilings and downlighters in the bathroom.
My conundrum, do I (A)As a qualified spark with 29 years post qualification experience do the job or (B)I pay someone I know who is registered to do it or (C) Pay a random (possibly) numpty to do it out of the local paper.
No points available for the right answer guys. T'is merely a discussion point

 

[Dave 85]

Its your house dude, do what the **** ya want with it

If you are so absolutely terrified of rulebreaking, that you wont even do electrical work in yr own house as a trained sparky then i honestly dont know how you get by in life.

Trev, you once said to me "you cant choose which rules you adhere to and which you dont IMHO"
Well I'm afraid I disagree....Noone who has ever got anywhere in life has done it without breaking the odd rule along the way

 

[trev]

Its your house dude, do what the **** ya want with it

Within the confines of the laws of the land of course

 

[sedgy34]

the 4 way CU would be for the storage heaters or if you dont have any there will be a switch in rooms for them not doing anything
the 6 way your gonna find out theres more than 6 circuits in there probably 10 dogged in to fuses
you know what your doing

 

[AndyL]

Looking at the picture, I would say the other way round sedgy, the clock is controlling the 6 way CU

 

[Guitarist]

There is a huge difference between breaking the rules a little to get on in life, and breaking them where safety is concerned. If the OP is not only a qualified electrician (as he's said he is) but also has the test gear and knowledge of the regs to make sure everything is hunky-dory then it's his call.
Unfortunately, there are too many "sparkies" out there who just wack stuff up and don't follow the regs or bother with any testing, then say "well, I've had electrical training so it's all good".

 

[Mynamesmatt]

Yea I hear ya! I won't be cutting any corners or I won't get any satisfaction from it..
injust hope the rcds don't pop when I eventually come to turn it all on haha..

Ill take some pictures of It during and after I've finished for sure!

 

[timo1]

The tone of this forum is difficult to judge sometimes. Just read a thread where it was a strict no no to sign off other persons work as it was against scheme rules, and now we are telling someone to ignore part p and just crack on because they are an industrial sparky....