New RCD Distribution box installation

Donury236

Just had a quote and wondered if this was an average price?

its to supply & install a dual PVC/RCD Distribution board complete with 10 no SP MCBs, 3no 100amp 5way connector blocks & new 25mm tails for the board.

We do have an ancient distribution box at the moment...like, 30 years old, poss older.

Been quoted basically £690....

brightontraveller

Do you mean Dual RCD ? Depends were you are but high materials 150/200 + days labour £400 - £500 all in

Wi88le

Go for individual rcbos rather than 1rcd
Be careful with the spec of the plastic consumer unit, there's an issue with some setting on fire and as such changes are afoot as not all are self extinguishing plastic.

kaya

i had mine done last week, twin rcd's, i brought the consumer unit for £80 from screwfix, its a ten way with three blanks and paid a sparky £220 to fit it

Donury236

Wi88le wrote: »

Go for individual rcbos rather than 1rcd
Be careful with the spec of the plastic consumer unit, there's an issue with some setting on fire and as such changes are afoot as not all are self extinguishing plastic.

Yeah, he was saying that the London fire brigade have been doing tests and the outcome is that in Jan 2016 plastic is no longer acceptable. Boards will have to be metal or housed in a metal box so any fire self extinquishes or something. It is only £18 more for a metal one.

He came over and has a look a t what we have...oil heating. Immersion. Normal electric cooker. 10kw electric shower and worked out what we would need.

I admit I've never seen a trades man fit one before ...my dad did old house prior to 2007 when the laws changed up here so didn't have an idea of how long it would take. I supposed winter not best time to get it done due to reduced daylight as it is! Needs done tho as we have no rcd of any sort. A finger in a plug and your in trouble :-(. He was actually surprised that it was allowed to be sold to us like this as there are laws around selling houses and making sure everything is certified apparently....

sparky260500

Donury236 wrote: »

Yeah, he was saying that the London fire brigade have been doing tests and the outcome is that in Jan 2016 plastic is no longer acceptable. Boards will have to be metal or housed in a metal box so any fire self extinquishes or something. It is only £18 more for a metal one.

He came over and has a look a t what we have...oil heating. Immersion. Normal electric cooker. 10kw electric shower and worked out what we would need.

I admit I've never seen a trades man fit one before ...my dad did old house prior to 2007 when the laws changed up here so didn't have an idea of how long it would take. I supposed winter not best time to get it done due to reduced daylight as it is! Needs done tho as we have no rcd of any sort. A finger in a plug and your in trouble :-(. He was actually surprised that it was allowed to be sold to us like this as there are laws around selling houses and making sure everything is certified apparently....

That's only if you have had any work done since the law changed and its only the work that has been done that needs to be certified.

brightontraveller

Donury236 wrote: »

Yeah, he was saying that the London fire brigade have been doing tests and the outcome is that in Jan 2016 plastic is no longer acceptable. Boards will have to be metal or housed in a metal box so any fire self extinquishes or something. It is only £18 more for a metal one.

He came over and has a look a t what we have...oil heating. Immersion. Normal electric cooker. 10kw electric shower and worked out what we would need.

I admit I've never seen a trades man fit one before ...my dad did old house prior to 2007 when the laws changed up here so didn't have an idea of how long it would take. I supposed winter not best time to get it done due to reduced daylight as it is! Needs done tho as we have no rcd of any sort. A finger in a plug and your in trouble :-(. He was actually surprised that it was allowed to be sold to us like this as there are laws around selling houses and making sure everything is certified apparently....

Absolute rubbish you can move in buy a house with live cables sticking out of the walls I would say he is scare mongering, A old fuse does the same as a new? Rcbo rcd etc offer different types of protection are they better safer would depend on the installation and the use three floor up in a stairwell with cfl,, leds etc turn the lights on to walk down the stairwell and one blows taking out tripping RCD etc is it safer to walk down stairs in the dark? A bakelite consumer unit is often more fire resistant than many modern boards and there donkeys years old Did they test the circuits give you readings etc it either passes or fails if it fails you need only rectify what fails and unless the board is broken has holes in it or is damaged in someway I very much doubt it would fail the wiring is a different matter but there not replacing that? It needed to meet regulations when installed there not retrospective and the new regulations are not that it be metal ? it'd create huge problems for TT systems so he's talking out of his !!!!

Chapter 42 Protection Against Thermal Effects
Regulation 421.1.200 has also been added. Regulation 421.1.200 requires switchgear
assemblies including consumer units to have their enclosure manufactured from non-combustible or not readily combustible material or be enclosed in
a cabinet or enclosure constructed of noncombustible
or not readily combustible material get another electrician in to go over it his price is high anyhow ?

Risteard

brightontraveller wrote: »

requires switchgear
assemblies including consumer units to have their enclosure manufactured from non-combustible or not readily combustible material or be enclosed in a cabinet or enclosure constructed of noncombustible or not readily combustible material get another electrician in to go over it his price is high anyhow ?

You are quoting from the Draft for Public Comment. The ACTUAL Regulations, which have since been published, and come into effect for installations designed after 1st July (with this particular requirement not coming in until January 2016 from memory) removes reference to "not readily combustible" materials but requires "non-combustible" materials, of which ferrous metal is given as an example.

As you say though, it can be achieved with such an enclosure containing the distribution board.

brightontraveller

Risteard wrote: »

You are quoting from the Draft for Public Comment. The ACTUAL Regulations, which have since been published, and come into effect for installations designed after 1st July (with this particular requirement not coming in until January 2016 from memory) removes reference to "not readily combustible" materials but requires "non-combustible" materials, of which ferrous metal is given as an example.

As you say though, it can be achieved with such an enclosure containing the distribution board.

Didn’t actually BS EN 61439 you can always find something that preludes something else an argue the toss as for 1st January 2016 doesn’t preclude adopting this sooner and would be argued through court for instance that it should be but only if you change it....Electrician in this instance appears to be full of BS and not British Standard type [FONT=&quot]If [FONT=&quot]spouting [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]London[/FONT][FONT=&quot] fire brigade Baloney [FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]says to me more interested in work the regs and safety [/FONT] [/FONT],,,But i'm still trying to figure out why he needs three henley blocks
[/FONT]

Wi88le

brightontraveller wrote: »

Didn’t actually BS EN 61439 you can always find something that preludes something else an argue the toss as for 1st January 2016 doesn’t preclude adopting this sooner and would be argued through court for instance that it should be but only if you change it....Electrician in this instance appears to be full of BS and not British Standard type [FONT=&quot]If [FONT=&quot]spouting [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]London[/FONT][FONT=&quot] fire brigade Baloney [FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]says to me more interested in work the regs and safety [/FONT] [/FONT],,,[/FONT]

London fire brigade have investigated consumer unit fires so it's not baloney. Electrician is scare monte ring with the can't believe the house was sold with this but the recommendation is to get electrics tested on change of ownership, so again slight mis quoting.

The change to non combustible consumer units might not come in until 2016 but there is an issue with some which is why the change is coming in, if you have a change of board you don't want to end up with one that is a fire risk even if it meets current regulations and of course future inspections could note that "whilst consumer unit complied with regulations at the time of installation, it does not meet with current regulations as it is not made from non combustible materials"
When you come to sell the next buyer might want a new board putting in.
Boxing in a board so that a fire is contained is a poor solution compared with a non combust able board as a fire could still happen and take out your electrics even if the fire is contained.

brightontraveller

Wi88le wrote: »

London fire brigade have investigated consumer unit fires so it's not baloney. Electrician is scare monte ring with the can't believe the house was sold with this but the recommendation is to get electrics tested on change of ownership, so again slight mis quoting.

The change to non combustible consumer units might not come in until 2016 but there is an issue with some which is why the change is coming in, if you have a change of board you don't want to end up with one that is a fire risk even if it meets current regulations and of course future inspections could note that "whilst consumer unit complied with regulations at the time of installation, it does not meet with current regulations as it is not made from non combustible materials"
When you come to sell the next buyer might want a new board putting in.
Boxing in a board so that a fire is contained is a poor solution compared with a non combust able board as a fire could still happen and take out your electrics even if the fire is contained.

Twenty years ago virtually guaranteed the consumer unit was fire retardant what changed? Manufactures being forced/encouraged to be “environmentally friendly” so cut back or totally removing fire retardants from plastics?

The “Test” compliance to BS EN 61438. (Glow wire ignition withstand 660°C etc) carried out by Bureau Veritas Solutions, . ESC not London fire brigade (latter many believe test are insufficient to ensure occupies safety anyhow?)

Its down to combination of bad/poor installation, little or no testing / preventative maintenance, poor CU construction methods, single rather than two screw connections, plated steel instead of brass screws, poor quality threads and burrs on limiting conductor/screw contact area,. Dubious quality cable and fittings, Sprinkle in CU positioning, often surrounding with flammable material, accelerants etc how often is the CU under the stairs made of timber and everything crammed in front of it? Metal CU doesn’t change any of the above?
Questionable if it offers any added protection TT etc? It may not burn but everything connected to it cables, fuses etc will? Not casing so yes baloney , Totally for better safety but cant help thinking all it will do is encourage the cowboys and slap happy to say “change it London fire brigade blah blah resulting in more not less problems?