Relocating a Consumer Unit

[acvc]

HI there.

I've been asked to move a consumer unit from above a floor to below a floor (in the basement, still accessible). It's a move of about 1.5m.

While I would like to upgrade this to an Amendment 3 compliant consumer unit (thereby requiring full testing), the customer is telling me that this is not necessary because another electrician quoting for the same job "has said so".

Do the Regs require it???

Many thanks.

 

[kingeri]

You will be installing a new consumer unit, even if it was the one that you just removed (in my view). You will have to completely remove all circuits, disassemble the CU etc. To me it is a CU change. Notifiable and must be up to current regs, i.e. "amd 3 compliant". Others may disagree.

 

[Pete999]

Didn't think BS 7671 was relevant in Ulan Bator

 

[kingeri]

Hmmm yeah I see that now.

 

[Midwest]

Might be different regs in Mongolia

 

[kingeri]

OP, are you really in Mongolia?

 

[Midwest]

Probably not, but OP profile page ain't working

 

[acvc]

No honestly I'm Bristol! I'm just paranoid about spam!

 

[Midwest]

No honestly I'm Bristol! I'm just paranoid about spam!

Best fried and served with baked beans

 

[SparkyChick]

I concur with @kingeri

It should be amd 3 compliant.

 

[Pete999]

No honestly I'm Bristol! I'm just paranoid about spam!

What nothing without spamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFrtpT1mKy8

 

[Midwest]

Are you in a scheme, ask them? If you moving said CU, and not replacing it, you could argue the case. For example, if you moved it a few inches up or down etc, don't think it would need replacing with A3 CU. Moving it to different room, dunno?

 

[Octopus]

If the client won't agree to a new CU then walk away..
.

 

[westward10]

This is a good question this, agree with Midwest move it a bit either way who cares, move it to a different floor 1.5m away then it must be metalclad ?
Scheme providers may well say metalclad, maybe I would but the board is not being replaced. I would say there is good argument to reuse the old one.

 

[Des 56]

If the description of works carried out that you write on the certificate says
"Changed consumer unit" New metal clad or a cupboardy thing to enclose the plastic item needs be
"Re positioned existing consumer unit" ,then plastic it shall be,that would be the extent of the works that is what gets done


Maybe we ought to take account of needless cost being inflicted on a householder and for what benefit

 

[Octopus]

Hum.. Needless costs.... They want it moved...

 

[UNG]

This is a good question this, agree with Midwest move it a bit either way who cares, move it to a different floor 1.5m away then it must be metalclad ?
Scheme providers may well say metalclad, maybe I would but the board is not being replaced. I would say there is good argument to reuse the old one.

So the scheme providers can write their own regs now!!!


With regard to the OP if the consumer unit has been installed for a few years with no fires then it is tried and tested as non combustible

 

[kingeri]

So the scheme providers can write their own regs now!!!


With regard to the OP if the consumer unit has been installed for a few years with no fires then it is tried and tested as non combustible

A situation that essentially changes once it is totally removed and installed elsewhere, with everything re-terminated. That argument doesn't hold up, to me at least.

 

[egg67]

If you can undo the fixing screws to the CU with out taking the insides out and then stretch the cables enough to fix 1.5 metres away then all good, no testing needed ( Big laugh ). If you have to extend cables so you have to disconnect from original CU then unless old CU is less than a year old you have to change it or put it in a noncombustible box but will have to do all the testing and certification that comes with this type of job, my way of thinking is if the customer doesn't want me to do it my way which after my years of experience is probably the best way, then I will walk away, when I look at a job it is always through my eyes not what the customer thinks or the last electrician that priced for the work has said

 

[kingeri]

If you can undo the fixing screws to the CU with out taking the insides out and then stretch the cables enough to fix 1.5 metres away then all good, no testing needed ( Big laugh ). If you have to extend cables so you have to disconnect from original CU then unless old CU is less than a year old you have to change it or put it in a noncombustible box but will have to do all the testing and certification that comes with this type of job, my way of thinking is if the customer doesn't want me to do it my way which after my years of experience is probably the best way, then I will walk away, when I look at a job it is always through my eyes not what the customer thinks or the last electrician that priced for the work has said

In this case, it's been moved onto a different floor in the house, can't see him cutting a hole in the floor big enough to fit it through! Where does the one year thing come from?

 

[westward10]

So the scheme providers can write their own regs now!!!


With regard to the OP if the consumer unit has been installed for a few years with no fires then it is tried and tested as non combustible

Don't give a monkeys what the scheme providers say never have done, my ask was it would be interesting their take.
This really falls into no mans land, it probably isn't even notifiable under Part P and does it warrant an EIC or several Minor Works.

 

[Octopus]

does it warrant an EIC or several Minor Works.

Hum .... say its a 10 way CU - would you do 10 MWC's?

 

[westward10]

Hum .... say its a 10 way CU - would you do 10 MWC's?

I agree sounds ott but why not, ten isn't that many.

 

[Wilko]

If relocating a CU required all the cables to be removed/replaced or extended then it seems the same type of activity as installing a new CU, IMHO. Just sayin

 

[mache]

Not an expert but certainly is a grey area with no definitive answer in the reg's.
If the basement room is to remain just a basement and not everyday accommodation the why not sell the idea to your client that as the cu will now be out of sight out of mind then it is prudent that you install the amd3 metal clad cu as additional safety precaution even though there is nothing definitive in the reg's. That gives you the ammunition for your offer which carries some extra cost verses the other quote of just relocate the existing.
Just a suggestion anyway
Martin

 

[The Ghost]

I tend to look at things from the dock before the judge most of the time and what they might be asking me. When that conversation is finished I act accordingly. So Mr. x you thought that the house burning down as you did not follow regs was a reasonable risk? Could you enlighten the court as to the particular abberation in your thinking that led you to this conclusion?
Reply err..... well they said on the forum. Yeah it was that wotsisname hes always banging on about things like that.
SO... you chose to listen to an avatar on the web instead of following recommendations from some of the greatest engineers and luminaries in the electrotechnical world who compile regs for you to follow?
Errr.. well yeh seemed like a good idea at the time. End of conversation.
Ok I am putting in a metal CU end of. Or I aint doing the work. If I intervene in an existing situation I am required to leave it no less safe than it was. By current regs a plastic box is not safe according to the firemen and regs so I leave it safer with a fireproof CU or fireproof cupboard.

 

[valleybilly]

You are altering the curcuits characteristics so full testing is needed reguardless of the CU used .

 

[egg67]

The first bit was a joke as you would be lucky to be able to stretch cables that length, the year thing is about the third amendment which I think came in January 2016, okay got that bit wrong it's February now so should have said within the last 13 months
Sorry

 

[Midwest]

So the scheme providers can write their own regs now!!!

Well we are bumping our gums about it, why shouldn't they

 

[bigspark17]

Intresting thread.. if you are removing installing cables out of mcbs then that circuit must be tested to be safe to renergise, when filling in eic on consumer unit change only we put 'consumer unit change only' in extent, so why not do the same here and write 'consumer unit move only' in the extent. What is the old board out of intrest? If it was pre 16th id refuse to do it.