ELECSA Certification Scheme My first CU install, and following ELECSA assessment on it.

[arturas]

IMAG0264.jpg picture by arthur1456 - Photobucket

Here is my first CU install, some circuits were left old, some were new installed by myself, i will show this install for my assessment, i would like to hear your opinion maybe something i should change or improve. The main earthing terminal is below the CU, used 100amp Henley block, and labelled as Main earthing terminal. The labels on the cables are for etc. front garden lights and back garden light connected on one msb. There is some old colour cables, I labelled them with electric tape, although i placed the sticker on the top of the board that installation contains cable colours of two different versions of BS 7671, because there is old colours in some sockets and lights, should i remove the brown and blue tape of old cables in CU or this would be fine?I know trunking is not perfect because the mitre saw was not really calibrated right And the last cable is now finished as well, it's the double socket installed above cu where you can see another cable hanging

 

[Christhesparky]

Nice neat job there, how did the assessment go?

 

[topquark]

I don't personally like sticky labels on cables (as they heat up and come unstuck over time). A wee bit too much copper on show in the terminations (in the neutral bars, earth bar, RCDs and MCBs) IMHO. Otherwise neat, you can see what's what (and better than some of the ones I've had to try and sort out).

May be just my eyesight but circuit number two looks like it has two different sized cores in it.

 

[arturas]

Oh I will have the assessment next week

 

[arturas]

I left the rcds cables as they were installed by manufacturer, should i make them shorter? And about neutral and earth bars is it a problem that they are a bit longer as you can touch the hole bar? i can make them shorter as i have a week circuit 2 they are the same size just one is old 2.5 which is multi core and other one is new 2.5 . Is there other ways i could mark which cable is which ?

 

[topquark]

I left the rcds cables as they were installed by manufacturer, should i make them shorter? And about neutral and earth bars is it a problem that they are a bit longer as you can touch the hole bar? i can make them shorter as i have a week circuit 2 they are the same size just one is old 2.5 which is multi core and other one is new 2.5 . Is there other ways i could mark which cable is which ?

No need to shorten the cables IMHO (not sure who suggested that). I understand your comment re the earth and neutral bars being touchable, but neatness is a good habit to get into (and you will most likely be picked up on that). It still applies to the line cores in the MCBs though . Try giving that multicore cable a good tug and make sure it's firmly terminated. If you have a solid core and multicore in the same breaker the multicore can be a little loose (as it doesn't necessarily get fully clamped).

You can get proper cable marking numbers (there was a thread around with some links somewhere on the forum).

 

[topquark]

What you can do with the larger neutral and line cables is to bend them by hand to better fit (you'll find they are quite pliable).

 

[GLENNSPARK]

no need to tape up cable/s with new colour tape.....it wasn`t your work so if its all good apart from not complying with the latest edition of BS 7671 then on a PIR.....its a 4......you applied the appropriate notification (on the board) about how the install colours is to 2 different versions of BS7671 n all that...then thats all you need

 

[Jay Sparks]

Hi,

Very neat job that. But just wait till you get your teeth stuck into a really old board to change, when you have to start extending some circuits cos they've been cut to fit the old one!!! Thats when the real fun starts. Nice job though, the one I showed for my assessment was not as neat as that and I passed it ok.
Good luck with the assessment.

P.S I agree with top quark, dont like the lables on the cable. But each to there own.

Jay

 

[nickblake]

As a guy who does like neat board few pics on here some where i think lol look i like to show off ok lol

i have to say if thats you r first CDU all i can say mate is give your self a pat on the back very neat your assesor will be pleased with that the only thing and its not your self and annoys me like mad is the flippin link cables supplied with the board why the hell cant they make them tidier , dam good luck with your assesment mate dont forget kit kat chunkies and loads of coffee

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Hi,

Very neat job that. But just wait till you get your teeth stuck into a really old board to change, when you have to start extending some circuits cos they've been cut to fit the old one!!! Thats when the real fun starts. Nice job though, the one I showed for my assessment was not as neat as that and I passed it ok.
Good luck with the assessment.

P.S I agree with top quark, dont like the lables on the cable. But each to there own.

Jay

yeah but even if you have got to crimp em......stillshould be neat....i mean banked round and brought over right........good board work this.....

 

[nickblake]

I left the rcds cables as they were installed by manufacturer, should i make them shorter? And about neutral and earth bars is it a problem that they are a bit longer as you can touch the hole bar? i can make them shorter as i have a week circuit 2 they are the same size just one is old 2.5 which is multi core and other one is new 2.5 . Is there other ways i could mark which cable is which ?

dont touch the manufactures cables mate they are normally sealed can be a pig to re terminate so they fit the bus bars

 

[GLENNSPARK]

No need to shorten the cables IMHO (not sure who suggested that). I understand your comment re the earth and neutral bars being touchable, but neatness is a good habit to get into (and you will most likely be picked up on that). It still applies to the line cores in the MCBs though . Try giving that multicore cable a good tug and make sure it's firmly terminated. If you have a solid core and multicore in the same breaker the multicore can be a little loose (as it doesn't necessarily get fully clamped).

You can get proper cable marking numbers (there was a thread around with some links somewhere on the forum).

yep TQ...its the "tug test" mate.....especially with multicores.....you just know they come loose after being manipulated (brought round) into their final positions......after moveing em about (to fit and "look" right) always nip em up again....just to be sure.....

 

[nickblake]

Hi,

Very neat job that. But just wait till you get your teeth stuck into a really old board to change, when you have to start extending some circuits cos they've been cut to fit the old one!!! Thats when the real fun starts. Nice job though, the one I showed for my assessment was not as neat as that and I passed it ok.
Good luck with the assessment.

P.S I agree with top quark, dont like the lables on the cable. But each to there own.

Jay

you mean like this one mate told you like to show off lol

 

[Jay Sparks]

you mean like this one mate View attachment 9224told you like to show off lol

Well if your gonna show off, you could have taken the picture in HD!! lol. Nice work though.

Jay

 

[arturas]

Thanks everybody,

Hi,

Very neat job that. But just wait till you get your teeth stuck into a really old board to change, when you have to start extending some circuits cos they've been cut to fit the old one!!! Thats when the real fun starts. Nice job though, the one I showed for my assessment was not as neat as that and I passed it ok.
Good luck with the assessment.

P.S I agree with top quark, dont like the lables on the cable. But each to there own.

Jay

As i'm self-employed but working in a company , so most of the times we do full rewires so that's a good thing just the other guy left, he was doing CU's, signing jobs and was teaching me so now i'm on my own


I all ways do the ''tug test'' on anything i'm connecting but still will do the last check !
And i'll remove the tape from old cables as it is not necessary.

I'll look for this one: ''You can get proper cable marking numbers (there was a thread around with some links somewhere on the forum)'' and improve on my next job

 

[Jay Sparks]

yeah but even if you have got to crimp em......stillshould be neat....i mean banked round and brought over right........good board work this.....

I totaly agree, but you can never get them as neat as the one he showed us. Its nice to have all the same colour cables in there, it makes it look pretty.

Jay

 

[Geordie Spark]

That's a very neat & tidy job .... well done !!

BUT ..... shouldn't there be a "spare way" in that board?

Not meant as a criticism, more a question for my own reference - no offence intended.

 

[Richard Burns]

Nice work for a first CU, I think the customer should be pleased at the very least, I think that that is a pass from an inspector.
I like the nicely swept cables.

 

[Knobhead]

BUT ..... shouldn't there be a "spare way" in that board?

It’s a good point, but looking at the picture there doesn’t seem room for a larger board, also is the customer prepared to pay for empty space. At some point in the future the customer may regret not stumping up for that bit extra, but who knows? In the perfect world a CU would be like an accordion it would expand as required, but sorry this isn’t a perfect world.

Arturas, I think you should be proud of that, especially as it’s your first. All the very best for your assessment.