Which consumer units are best

[messimagician]

I have a very old Wylex fuse board which is need to bring up to current standard Amendment 3.

I believe my property is supplied using a TN-S

I'm looking for a new consumer unit that is 11 or 12 way but not sure which brands are best as I plan on going for all rcbo.

So far I've seen Schneider, Hager and Wylex units

Schneider do one called Resi9 that's top of range but can't find any places that sell them, I can only see the Easy 9 for sale

Hager do one called Design 30

Wylex seem well stocked but I hear their rcbos are over sensitive and trip a lot, also they have had a recall in the past so I'm not sure on their quality in today's climate

I'm just wanting some advice on what you guys like to install, money isn't an object so I'm not after any budget stuff

Can anyone post pictures of their installs, be it cabinets or new metal consumer units

 

[uksparks]

If my Son done that I'd rather fit MK outlets rather than rely on an RCD, IMHO MK have the best child proof shutters.
Theres no guarantee that a child or anyone receiving a shock would trip an RCD, and I'd prefer not to put that to the test.

It was in a 4 way bar at my mother in laws house. How is an MK outlet going to make any difference? Surely if you poke something in the earth at the top its going to open the shutters? I have MK Logic DP throughout my house, changed them all the week I moved in.

 

[stevethesparks]

Look at the spec, they do not open with just the earth pin inserted.

 

[stevethesparks]

I believe these are the MK Logic plus

[/IMG]

 

[uksparks]

Well thats a new one on me, I can't say as I have ever really tried poking stuff in them! That's good then!!

 

[davesparks]

Acti9? Why do these Schneider CU's have so many different names.

The only two I have seen advertised are the Easy9 and Resi9 although the Resi9 seems like gold dust

That Wylex one looks OK, which CU would you need for all rcbo's that can be mixed with mcb's? There are so many variations

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

 

[shanky887614]

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

a db is a consumer unit, just another name for them.

you get single and tpn 10 way+ consumer units under acti9


acti9 are merlin gerin
easy9 are square d

 

[Andy78]

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

Or put another way, Acti9 is the series derived from the extremely popular and high quality Merlin Gerin Multi9 range, and Easy9 is some ---- derived from the old SquareD domae/qwikline garbage.

 

[DPG]

I would take a consumer unit to be a final board feeding circuits feeding current using equipment. I would take a distribution board as a main board feeding maybe several sub-boards or consumer units. Daz

 

[shanky887614]

Acti9 are their distribution boards
Easy9 are their consumer units

a db is a consumer unit, just another name for them.

you get single and tpn 10 way+ consumer units under acti9


acti9 are merlin gerin
easy9 are square d

Or put another way, Acti9 is the series derived from the extremely popular and high quality Merlin Gerin Multi9 range, and Easy9 is some ---- derived from the old SquareD domae/qwikline garbage.

told ya dave

 

[davesparks]

told ya dave

???? 3 pictures of catalogue pages for acti9 distribution boards?

 

[shanky887614]

???? 3 pictures of catalogue pages for acti9 distribution boards?

what is the difference between consumer and distribution then?

there the same, the A type acti9 boards are single phase as well as everyother consumer unit

 

[davesparks]

a db is a consumer unit, just another name for them.

you get single and tpn 10 way+ consumer units under acti9


acti9 are merlin gerin
easy9 are square d

They are both Schneider, they have pretty much ditched the individual brands.

 

[davesparks]

what is the difference between consumer and distribution then?

there the same, the A type acti9 boards are single phase as well as everyother consumer unit

A consumer unit is a particular type of distribution board which is intended for simple single phase domestic use.

There are definitions in BS7671

 

[shanky887614]

A consumer unit is a particular type of distribution board which is intended for simple single phase domestic use.

There are definitions in BS7671

yes and what im saying is acti9 Type A is a single phase only board thanks to the isobar so is technically a consumer unit as well

 

[DPG]

A consumer unit is a particular type of distribution board which is intended for simple single phase domestic use.

There are definitions in BS7671

No, BS7671 says 'principally domestic premises' - it is not exclusive. Although I still say that a dist board generally feeds distribution circuits to other sub-boards. Daz

 

[davesparks]

yes and what im saying is acti9 Type A is a single phase only board thanks to the isobar so is technically a consumer unit as well

Are you certain that it has the type testing to be a consumer unit? Do they not make a direct connection kit for it?

If you really want to be pedantic it is an isobar4 distribution board which uses acti9 protection and control devices.

 

[davesparks]

No, BS7671 says 'principally domestic premises' - it is not exclusive. Although I still say that a dist board generally feeds distribution circuits to other sub-boards. Daz

I did not say that it was exclusive, I said that it was intended for.

 

[DPG]

Post #33 you said consumer units are for domestic. Have a read. Daz

 

[davesparks]

Post #33 you said consumer units are for domestic. Have a read. Daz

No, I said they are INTENDED for, I did not say they are exclusively for or in any way restricted to use in domestic installations.

 

[DPG]

Hang on a minute - this isn't a proper argument; you're just contradicting everything I say! (C) Monty Python.