Old style fusebox - is it safe?

ibz75

Moving to new house shortly and there's an old style fusebox (dated 1981 on sticker).



Having kids sticking objects into sockets, is it safer to have a modern RCD unit installed?

Money is a bit tight, so should this be a priority?

Is there a common name for this type of unit?

Thanks

Biggles

The whole setup looks a lot earlier than 1981 to my (untrained) eye.

My house was rewired in 1983 and I have a modern-looking unit with RCD and circuit-breakers instead of fuses.

iammumtoone

I have one similar to that. Yes compared to the new ones they are unsafe. The new units if anyone puts anything into the socket the house will cut out. However I have brought my son up here (he is nearly six) and everything has been fine, but he is not the kind of child who sticks things in sockets. I had a friend (new house, new wiring) whos child suck a knife in a socket, there was a bang and the whole house's electric cut out. If that had happened at my house it would have been a different story.

I always used those plastic plug sockets and whenever I use the lawn mover etc I plug into a RCD socket first.

I would love to get it changed to a newer type but like you unfortunately I can't afford it

Ionkontrol

iammumtoone wrote: »

Yes compared to the new ones they are unsafe.

No. The newer CUs offer more protection. A very big difference to what you spouted.

macman

Only a sparkie can tell you if it's 'safe'. It's certainly not up to current standards, and lacks RCD protection. That doesn't in itself make it 'unsafe' (as in 'should not be used').
The circuitry in general is unlikely too be adequate for modern requirements (if it hasn't been updated since 1981), so you should be looking a a rewire, not just a new CU.

ibz75

My main concern is protection from electric shock. My little boy likes being 'bob the builder' which occasionaly means sticking objects in the empty sockets!

Our current home has the modern RCD board with trip switches. It is on my list of 'to do' but money is scarce with cost of buying/moving.

maninthestreet

Electical sockets have shuttered live and neutral connections - the earth connection has to be engaged in order for the live and neutral connections to be exposed.

ibz75

maninthestreet wrote: »

Electical sockets have shuttered live and neutral connections - the earth connection has to be engaged in order for the live and neutral connections to be exposed.

I will take a look at all sockets to make shure they have a 'shutter'. There seems to be a mix of newer and older looking sockets around the house.

martinsurrey

Biggles wrote: »

The whole setup looks a lot earlier than 1981 to my (untrained) eye.

My house was rewired in 1983 and I have a modern-looking unit with RCD and circuit-breakers instead of fuses.

are you sure they are RCD's not just MCB's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_circuit_breaker

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

I ask because it would be dangerous to install metal fixtures and fittings without being sure and knowing the difference!

(FYI RCD's only became compulsory on all new curcuits in 2012)

Myser

iammumtoone wrote: »

...

I always used those plastic plug sockets

If you mean plastic plug protectors, then not a good idea.

The UK plug socket design is the safest in the world. Those plug protectors can make them unsafe.

Have a look at this website:

http://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

OP, you have Wylex old-style push-button MCBs (Mini Circuit Breakers) installed. Whilst not having RCD protection isn't necessarily dangerous, it would depend on the overall state of your wiring and how it runs in the walls.

It seems that you are limited to just 4 circuits with the current consumer unit (fuse box) so if you were planning to add extra sockets or an electric shower, you would need to consider upgrading the consumer unit or adding another one.

To bring the installation up to the current regulations (17th Edition), all circuits would need to be protected by an RCD where the cables are buried within a wall or run to specified areas.

paddyrg

Personally, especially with a junior Bob the Builder to put things in the sockets, it's probably worth having an overhaul and at the same time getting the electrician to do a check of the sockets (eg loose connections, etc) and bring everything upto regs.

In the UK we arguably have the safest electrical regs in the world, so even as-is the electrics are probably safer than many, many countries - however it is never a bad idea to get everything as good as it can be in order to last you another decade or so and so you can sleep peacefully with 'Bob' exploring ;-)