Electric switch!

miss_hayley

Hi there!
Does anyone know roughly how much it would cost to change an electric board from a cartridge one to one with breakers? Am considering buying a new property and would like to know how much this would cost as i've been advised that this might be mentioned in the homebuyers report!
Many thanks

DVardysShadow

Why would you need to do this? Cartridge fuses are fine - it is rewireable fuses which are problematic. I presume when you say new property, you mean an old proerty?

miss_hayley

Thanks for your help!
It's not really that old, built late 70's or early 80s
I was told that cartdidge fuses are bad news and that it would come up negatively on the home buyers report if it had cartridge fuses in it. Is this not the case then?!!

Farway

It may come up negatively but it is certainly not a safety issue, except in odd circumstances, like you wee on a socket, slice through a mower cable, drop TV in the bath

For normal everyday living there is nothing wrong with catridge fuses, and same goes for wire ones which I have and have had in houses going back donkeys years

DVardysShadow

I would agree with Farway except for the rewireable fuses. They don't clear faults so quickly and after they have cleared a few faults, the residue of burnt fuse wire builds up and they are then even less good. Plus it is too easy to 'cure' an overload by putting in the wrong wire.

Cartridge fuses are as good as circuit breakers except you need to buy replacements. But compared with totally modern installations, what is missing is a 'Residual Current' breaker [earth leakage trip] to guard against peeing on the socket etc. This can be added if necessary for no more than £200 I should think, without needing to replace the whole consumer unit.

miss_hayley

Thanks guys!

Having been back to the property it seems that it's one of the re-wirable fuses. I know I can get a bit messy when I'm drunk, but I always make it to the bathroom!! So hopefully that counts out the weeing on sockets dilemma!! I see what you're saying though!

Can a residual current breaker still be added to a rewirable fuseboard?

DVardysShadow

miss_hayley wrote: »

Thanks guys!

Having been back to the property it seems that it's one of the re-wirable fuses. I know I can get a bit messy when I'm drunk, but I always make it to the bathroom!! So hopefully that counts out the weeing on sockets dilemma!! I see what you're saying though!

Can a residual current breaker still be added to a rewirable fuseboard?

Yes, you can add an RCB to a rewireable fuseboard [an electrician job] - and if it is a Wylex board you can change the rewireables to cartridge fuses or circuit breakers [a very simple DIY job]. Personally, I would add the RCB and change to cartidge fuses, they are cheaper and perform just as well as circuit breakers [at least first time around].

dunloadin

Nothing wrong with fused circuits as long as you dont overload them. I.e. the max rating on most types is 30A, if you decide to use one for a power shower or some other higher current device that requires a 45A cb to be fitted you run the risk of overheating the original fuse carrier.

Doing work on the consumer units as a DIY job is probably a non-starter as it will almost certainly need to be Part P Certified and tested. To change from a fused to rcd consumer unit will be round £300-£400 ish, there may be additional work required to get the job done to the latest regulations, best bet is to get a few quotes from local sparkies.

macman

As advised above, if it's a Wylex board, just buy some plug in MCB's to replace the cartridge fuses. Easy 10 minute job to change them that you can do yourself.

miss_hayley

Thanks for all your help, really appreciate it.
Not sure that changing fuses would be a DIY job for me, knowing absolutely nothing about these things!! But perhaps i could ask an understanding parent to help out?!

Are there any sparkies out there who could give me a clue as to how much it might cost to change the re-wirables to cartridges and add an RCB?!!

Thanks....

macman

If you can pull out and replace a plug, it's the same thing to change to MCB's on a Wylex.Is it a Wylex consumer unit?
To give an idea of prices you need to say how many fuses you have at present.