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HappyHippyDad

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Evening..

I have just carried out an EICR and I am a little unsure on which code to issue for the following 4 things:

1. The cover has been cut on the fuse box to make way for the plug in mcb's (see picture). I see this all the time. A consumer unit is perhaps the single most important electrical item in the house, surely it should not be tampered with by cutting the cover off? C2?

2.
There are 2 x 6mm bonding cable leaving the board. The gas is bonded. The water has no visible bonding clamp. It tests 117ohms to earth where it enters the house, shortly after in the same room there is a plastic joint. After this plastic joint it, again in the same room, it is metal and tests as 0.009Mohms. Both are extraneous. C2?

3.
A knockout has been taken out of the bottom of the fuse box, it has one cable going into it. The hole is large enough for a child to fit their small finger into. The board is under the stairs and easily reachable. C2?

4.
There are 2 switched FCU's in the bathroom outside of the zones. It's instilled into you never to fit a plate switch in a bathroom but the OSG actually states a plate switch is ok outside of the zones. No code?

Cheers guys.

Ps.. I'll try and figure out how to put a picture on in a bit. It used to be so easy!
 
1. The cover has been cut on the fuse box to make way for the plug in mcb's (see picture). I see this all the time. A consumer unit is perhaps the single most important electrical item in the house, surely it should not be tampered with by cutting the cover off? C2? if no access to live terminals, no code.

2.
There are 2 x 6mm bonding cable leaving the board. The gas is bonded. The water has no visible bonding clamp. It tests 117ohms to earth where it enters the house, shortly after in the same room there is a plastic joint. After this plastic joint it, again in the same room, it is metal and tests as 0.009Mohms. Both are extraneous. C2? futrher iv. req.

3.
A knockout has been taken out of the bottom of the fuse box, it has one cable going into it. The hole is large enough for a child to fit their small finger into. The board is under the stairs and easily reachable. C2?can that finger rech live parts?

4.
There are 2 switched FCU's in the bathroom outside of the zones. It's instilled into you never to fit a plate switch in a bathroom but the OSG actually states a plate switch is ok outside of the zones. No code? agree no code.
 
Those covers actually have an indented part to knock out for just such a case as fitting the MCBs' into the older fuseholders, it is very common practice. I think I might be worried or want to know more about the odd MCB white with a red button, mixing different manufacturers items possibly? Bottom of consumer unit should meet IP2x the great british finger!
 
Do you know what the fuse cover is for, if you do not how can you Code it. You do not base a Code on whether some bin lid can fit its finger through it.
 
The cover was more applicable to the previous bs 3036 fuses though one does remain
 
Those covers actually have an indented part to knock out for just such a case as fitting the MCBs' into the older fuseholders, it is very common practice. I think I might be worried or want to know more about the odd MCB white with a red button, mixing different manufacturers items possibly? Bottom of consumer unit should meet IP2x the great british finger!
That odd white one is an MEM QCB.
 
The fuse cover was to contain the possibility of the fuse wire being a fire hazard in certain conditions. But what to do now the others are in? Suggest another MCB fitted, wylex of course. Never seen those MEM ones though.
 
The fuse cover was to contain the possibility of the fuse wire being a fire hazard in certain conditions. But what to do now the others are in? Suggest another MCB fitted, wylex of course. Never seen those MEM ones though.
I believe that Wylex gave some advice that if plug in breakers were to be fitted the cover could be cut out to create a barrier to give it some sort of IP rating even though that was never its intention in the first place, this adaption should only be done if there was no 3036 fuses still in situ. As you say it's original purpose was to contain melting fuse elements.
 
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Those covers actually have an indented part to knock out for just such a case as fitting the MCBs' into the older fuseholders, it is very common practice. I think I might be worried or want to know more about the odd MCB white with a red button, mixing different manufacturers items possibly? Bottom of consumer unit should meet IP2x the great british finger!
 
Those covers actually have an indented part to knock out for just such a case as fitting the MCBs' into the older fuseholders, it is very common practice. I think I might be worried or want to know more about the odd MCB white with a red button, mixing different manufacturers items possibly? Bottom of consumer unit should meet IP2x the great british finger!

Are you sure about that Vortigern? On the inside of the covers are the numbers and space to write circuit identifications so it seems unlikely these would be classed as knockouts? Also, were plug in mcb's around when these 3036 boards were made? I wouldn't have thought so.
 
Plus, if you look in the middle of the picture you can clearly see bright shiny copper? I realise it meets IP2X, but?
 
The cover is there to prevent access to live parts when withdrawing a fuse or mcb . It was designed so that the middle is a K/O if mcb's are fitted. If the correct mcb's and fuses are fitted they cannot be withdrawn with the cover in place even with the middle out. With the cover missing the devices can be pulled forward with the fingers and live parts accessed. Without the cover in place I would code 1 if the board was accessible, 2 if it was out of reach, no code if the cover is in place but with a note stating the importance of the cover, and the importance of switching off the main switch before withdrawing any device.
 
The cover is there to prevent access to live parts when withdrawing a fuse or mcb . It was designed so that the middle is a K/O if mcb's are fitted. If the correct mcb's and fuses are fitted they cannot be withdrawn with the cover in place even with the middle out. With the cover missing the devices can be pulled forward with the fingers and live parts accessed. Without the cover in place I would code 1 if the board was accessible, 2 if it was out of reach, no code if the cover is in place but with a note stating the importance of the cover, and the importance of switching off the main switch before withdrawing any device.
That is totally incorrect its original purpose was to prevent molten fuse elements being blown out. The centre part was never a section to be knocked out.
 
You can disagree but #16 is totally incorrect.
 
So how did wylex intend plug in mcb's to be installed? The cover will not fit with mcb's! Without a cover live parts can be accessed by simply pulling out a device with the fingers. If the cover is used as intended by the manufacturer then when the K/O is removed there wont be any fuses FFS , so there's no requirement to contain molten copper!!!
 

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