Consumer Unit Change & Bonding Upgrade Query

Risteard

retepetsir said:

Risteard said:

I'm sorry, but that advice is nonsense in my opinion. You paid for an as-fitted product. As such you have no entitlement to protective devices which were not used within the installation. Personally I always fit blanks on spare ways as otherwise people complain about them not working despite not being connected to anything.

I have to say that it was a very poor spec for the work in my opinion. I would not consider British General for a distribution board personally. As a minimum I fit Type A RCDs throughout - Type AC RCDs are not generally appropriate. Also I fit a Type 2 SPD as standard. I nearly always achieve RCD protection through individual RCBOs for each protected circuit rather than a couple of RCCBs these days also. As I stated, I believe the spec was poor.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm not really refuting the spec provided as it is much better than what was previously in place, although maybe it did mean their markup was potentially higher. We wanted to get some better protection in quickly before we undertook more work to the house, and with kids too just to be on the safe side. I also didn't ask for an SPD to be fitted, working on the DNO side I'm yet to see an event where they have proved that useful.

I was provided a quote including a 16-module/10-way unit and they knew about the future plan for an additional circuit, along with my background/job so I thought it was a little strange to remove MCB's from a loaded board that came as-supplied if there was no risk with user error. I'm not going to call them out if one of the spare MCBs 'isn't working'.

May I ask where you are based and what you would quote for a new CU with RCBOs on all required circuits, SPD and 20m of 10mm bonding to utilities? We received some ridiculous quotes for the work, including some with RCBOs on all circuits but we are in the South East. The RCBO quote was with a Contactum board.

The quality of the new BG range seems pretty good to me compared to other CU's I've seen previously. We don't really have anything complicated in terms of size of property or wiring, the only other thing being an outdoor circuit for a pump house but I've kept that separate with appropriate grading and protection. 

Time to get my 18th Certificate. 

I'm based in the North West of Ireland (Derry). We cover Derry & Donegal which means we price these jobs both in Sterling and Euro, and to comply with BS 7671:2018 (2020) and also I.S. 10101:2020. But for a BS 7671 job for a single phase DB with RCBOs on all circuits (you haven't stated how many, so we'll take it as fairly average), Type 2 SPD and 20m run of main protective bonding (not sure how awkward a run) I'd guess you'd be looking roughly at around £700 or so. If I was doing the job with Hager (which is my preferred brand, but dearer) then I guess you could be adding another £100-£150 to it. This is assuming that remedial works are not required to the existing installation.

Le_Kirk

Risteard said:

Borrowed neutrals are prohibited. If they are there then the circuits would need to be combined into one circuit and not simply protected by the same RCCB. 

Genuine question - what is a "borrowed neutral"?  The word "borrow"  leads one to suppose that it will be "given back" at some point.

retepetsir

Risteard said:

retepetsir said:

Risteard said:

I'm sorry, but that advice is nonsense in my opinion. You paid for an as-fitted product. As such you have no entitlement to protective devices which were not used within the installation. Personally I always fit blanks on spare ways as otherwise people complain about them not working despite not being connected to anything.

I have to say that it was a very poor spec for the work in my opinion. I would not consider British General for a distribution board personally. As a minimum I fit Type A RCDs throughout - Type AC RCDs are not generally appropriate. Also I fit a Type 2 SPD as standard. I nearly always achieve RCD protection through individual RCBOs for each protected circuit rather than a couple of RCCBs these days also. As I stated, I believe the spec was poor.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm not really refuting the spec provided as it is much better than what was previously in place, although maybe it did mean their markup was potentially higher. We wanted to get some better protection in quickly before we undertook more work to the house, and with kids too just to be on the safe side. I also didn't ask for an SPD to be fitted, working on the DNO side I'm yet to see an event where they have proved that useful.

I was provided a quote including a 16-module/10-way unit and they knew about the future plan for an additional circuit, along with my background/job so I thought it was a little strange to remove MCB's from a loaded board that came as-supplied if there was no risk with user error. I'm not going to call them out if one of the spare MCBs 'isn't working'.

May I ask where you are based and what you would quote for a new CU with RCBOs on all required circuits, SPD and 20m of 10mm bonding to utilities? We received some ridiculous quotes for the work, including some with RCBOs on all circuits but we are in the South East. The RCBO quote was with a Contactum board.

The quality of the new BG range seems pretty good to me compared to other CU's I've seen previously. We don't really have anything complicated in terms of size of property or wiring, the only other thing being an outdoor circuit for a pump house but I've kept that separate with appropriate grading and protection. 

Time to get my 18th Certificate. 

I'm based in the North West of Ireland (Derry). We cover Derry & Donegal which means we price these jobs both in Sterling and Euro, and to comply with BS 7671:2018 (2020) and also I.S. 10101:2020. But for a BS 7671 job for a single phase DB with RCBOs on all circuits (you haven't stated how many, so we'll take it as fairly average), Type 2 SPD and 20m run of main protective bonding (not sure how awkward a run) I'd guess you'd be looking roughly at around £700 or so. If I was doing the job with Hager (which is my preferred brand, but dearer) then I guess you could be adding another £100-£150 to it. This is assuming that remedial works are not required to the existing installation.

What a bargain, time to book you a flight! The quotes for a 6-way RCBO install and 20m of MPB (10-way CU but only 6 populated with RCBOs) were coming in at £1,000. The bonding run was just round the back of the house to get to the gas meter on the opposite side as the CU was in the garage. This was all at low level, then drill through into the kitchen for the water in a similar location to the gas. 

Risteard

retepetsir said:

Risteard said:

retepetsir said:

Risteard said:

I'm sorry, but that advice is nonsense in my opinion. You paid for an as-fitted product. As such you have no entitlement to protective devices which were not used within the installation. Personally I always fit blanks on spare ways as otherwise people complain about them not working despite not being connected to anything.

I have to say that it was a very poor spec for the work in my opinion. I would not consider British General for a distribution board personally. As a minimum I fit Type A RCDs throughout - Type AC RCDs are not generally appropriate. Also I fit a Type 2 SPD as standard. I nearly always achieve RCD protection through individual RCBOs for each protected circuit rather than a couple of RCCBs these days also. As I stated, I believe the spec was poor.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm not really refuting the spec provided as it is much better than what was previously in place, although maybe it did mean their markup was potentially higher. We wanted to get some better protection in quickly before we undertook more work to the house, and with kids too just to be on the safe side. I also didn't ask for an SPD to be fitted, working on the DNO side I'm yet to see an event where they have proved that useful.

I was provided a quote including a 16-module/10-way unit and they knew about the future plan for an additional circuit, along with my background/job so I thought it was a little strange to remove MCB's from a loaded board that came as-supplied if there was no risk with user error. I'm not going to call them out if one of the spare MCBs 'isn't working'.

May I ask where you are based and what you would quote for a new CU with RCBOs on all required circuits, SPD and 20m of 10mm bonding to utilities? We received some ridiculous quotes for the work, including some with RCBOs on all circuits but we are in the South East. The RCBO quote was with a Contactum board.

The quality of the new BG range seems pretty good to me compared to other CU's I've seen previously. We don't really have anything complicated in terms of size of property or wiring, the only other thing being an outdoor circuit for a pump house but I've kept that separate with appropriate grading and protection. 

Time to get my 18th Certificate. 

I'm based in the North West of Ireland (Derry). We cover Derry & Donegal which means we price these jobs both in Sterling and Euro, and to comply with BS 7671:2018 (2020) and also I.S. 10101:2020. But for a BS 7671 job for a single phase DB with RCBOs on all circuits (you haven't stated how many, so we'll take it as fairly average), Type 2 SPD and 20m run of main protective bonding (not sure how awkward a run) I'd guess you'd be looking roughly at around £700 or so. If I was doing the job with Hager (which is my preferred brand, but dearer) then I guess you could be adding another £100-£150 to it. This is assuming that remedial works are not required to the existing installation.

What a bargain, time to book you a flight! The quotes for a 6-way RCBO install and 20m of MPB (10-way CU but only 6 populated with RCBOs) were coming in at £1,000. The bonding run was just round the back of the house to get to the gas meter on the opposite side as the CU was in the garage. This was all at low level, then drill through into the kitchen for the water in a similar location to the gas. 

Bear in mind that I haven't seen the installation in question though!