What would you do?

[lawesy]

Hi lads and of course the possible lasses.

I have a customer who has just had a PIR carried out, the customer has asked me if i think a new consumer unit is req. Now, they have a cons unit with MCb's and a mains isolator with a stand alone 100mA RCD to the side, I think its a expensive job to replace the cons unit as its only about 5 yrs old and in good nik. Would you replace the cons unit or just replace the 100mA RCD for a 30mA rcd to give the whole board maximun protection.

Beats me

 

[PAUL M]

is he having any work done to the installation?if so you will need to comply with 17th ed and putting the whole board on one 30mA rcd doesnt comply does it.as it has a 100mA rcd is it a tt?

 

[BillR3]

Just change the mcb's controlling the sockets to RCBO's that would give the protection required to the 17th and you can retain the 100ma. The discrimination between the two units would mean that the 30ma would trip before the 100 so no problems with the whole installation being disconnected due to an appliance fault.

BillR3

 

[lawesy]

ye it is a TT but it doesn't matter under the new regs PME TNS they all have the same config for the board under the 17th ed. Thing is, would you pay £200+ for a new cons unit the one he has got now is 5yrs old, when you could have a new 30mA RCD fitted which would do the same job? Having said that, i have found a reg 531.4 handy though, this has helped.

 

[piggyitm]

I havent done my 17th yet but is not having an RCD on everything a Cat1 now?I usually work to the "Dont leave the installation any worse than found" rule.