Consumer Unit Relocation

[lewism]

Yes aware of the theory! Just had not come up against the maintenance free junction box aspect before.

Presumably as the circuit (a shower) is on its own RCD at the CU it is relatively safe if the screw should ever come lose. The junction box itself is fixed in place, as it the cable. So it can only really be a theoretical heating contraction and expansion of the screw that could lose the connection surley!

RCDs and MCBs don't monitor for that kind of fault. A poor connection will lead to higher resistance, in turn more heat, as whatever is connected keeps drawing a load. This will rise until either the device trips or the cable fails. Plastic doesn't cope with heat very well and was partly the reason for changing back to metal consume units. (Lots of loose neutral terminals in consumer units causing arcing and fires)this is being taken care of via AFDD which will be common in the not so distant future.

It's something to note for the future, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. The best thing to do is to not have any joins at all.

 

[TheFew]

RCDs and MCBs don't monitor for that kind of fault. A poor connection will lead to higher resistance, in turn more heat, as whatever is connected keeps drawing a load. This will rise until either the device trips or the cable fails. Plastic doesn't cope with heat very well and was partly the reason for changing back to metal consume units. (Lots of loose neutral terminals in consumer units causing arcing and fires)this is being taken care of via AFDD which will be common in the not so distant future.

It's something to note for the future, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. The best thing to do is to not have any joins at all.

Intestering. Sounds like it is worthwhile upgrading all circuitry to have these. As who ever in reality inspects their electrics on a regular basis for loose connections.

 

[lemonkettaz]

They will need to make AFDD a lot cheaper for the average customer to agree to “want” them.

 

[lewism]

Intestering. Sounds like it is worthwhile upgrading all circuitry to have these. As who ever in reality inspects their electrics on a regular basis for loose connections.

It'll be another 20 years before they are common place. The Electrical Regulations move at a snails pace for a reason, peoples budget. Hence why the regulations can't be retrospectively applied. Only going forward. They are big in America.

With most things that are hidden in a box in a home though, AFDD, Surge Protection, RCBO's - They are all things that Joe Bloggs doesn't know about, and don't really care. However, a £100 AFDD unit going pop, a Surge Device, or RCBO doing it's job, is money well spent in terms of not having a burnt down house, not losing all your electronics to a lightning strike, or getting an electric shock.

A top of the range domestic consumer unit will maybe run you £300/400 to buy and another £300 to get it installed. it'll last for 20/30/40 years - no problem. Yet people wont spend the money, they'd rather have the latest Iphone which halves in value in a year.

 

[bremen1874]

A top of the range domestic consumer unit will maybe run you £300/400 to buy and another £300 to get it installed. it'll last for 20/30/40 years - no problem. Yet people wont spend the money, they'd rather have the latest Iphone which halves in value in a year.

A consumer unit isn't really something you can install in isolation. Unless the existing installation is reasonably new the amount of remedial work required to the circuits can be significant.

The original part of my Mother's house is still on fuses. Getting it replaced would require a partial rewire which she doesn't want to get into at her age. When the house has been extended they've split the tails and put the new circuits on separate CUs to avoid having to touch the existing wiring.

 

[lewism]

A consumer unit isn't really something you can install in isolation. Unless the existing installation is reasonably new the amount of remedial work required to the circuits can be significant.

The original part of my Mother's house is still on fuses. Getting it replaced would require a partial rewire which she doesn't want to get into at her age. When the house has been extended they've split the tails and put the new circuits on separate CUs to avoid having to touch the existing wiring.

There's nothing wrong with fuses. Fuses are brilliant. They have one job and they do it well. They do the exact same job as an MCB, protect from over current, they are the same thing, just done differently.

There is also nothing wrong with older installations, and if the house has been rewired at any time within the last 30 years, it'll be good for a consumer unit upgrade. However, some of the minor changes required to circuits, most house bashers can't be bothered with. It's much easier to quote for a rewire.

There isn't a scenario I can think of the top of my head where I wouldn't be able to upgrade a consumer unit.

 

[Mysterae_]

If the existing CU is plastic and it's being relocated therefore reinstated and tested to current regulations, I would expect it to be replaced altogether for a metal one.

 

[gpuerrilla]

A top of the range domestic consumer unit will maybe run you £300/400 to buy and another £300 to get it installed. it'll last for 20/30/40 years - no problem. Yet people wont spend the money, they'd rather have the latest Iphone which halves in value in a year.

Excellent point.

Struggling with the OP query as he didnt provide any picture or decent explanation. Sometimes you can install a regular 2-pole isolator to move the equipment within the original layout.