Replacing/updating a fuse box

Section62

knightstyle said:

If that was mine I would get it replaced ASAP.  It does not have an RCD and relies on old fuses so although not dangerous does not give the protection modern units give and could be dangerous if using outside leads etc.
Cost will depend on other factors and I would have a thorough inspection on the whole house.
To replace just the consumer unit would be about £400, maybe a bit more in London.
Also is there only 1 fuse for all the sockets?  If so the circuit may need splitting into more circuits but you need a trustworthy electrician to look. Make sure they are registered, https://ipf-electrical.co.uk/how-can-i-check-an-electrician-is-qualified/

The OP could resolve the BiB - today - for a fraction of the cost by getting one of these -
https://www.toolstation.com/rcd-adaptor/p12514

As the OP has plans for some major work on the house it would probably make sense to wait until then before replacing the CU. If the OP screws the fuseholder cover back on there is unlikely to be an ASAP need to have the CU replaced.

noclaf

I will likely wait till we get major renovation work done next year before having the CU replaced. It also gives me time to save some extra dosh for what could be a painful hit. There are many aspects of our home that need updating so unfortunately this is another on the list. Points taken re. using trustworthy and qualified electricians to avoid bodge job or paying unnecessarily excessive fees etc

Thanks all for the info, v helpful indeed.

As an aside on a completely unrelated topic, does anyone know what type of electrical wiring if any is likely to be found in the loft of a semi-detached house?
 Our loft has a water tank and a lot of copper pipes running through it linked to the boiler system however a low roof and no plywood base means we can't walk in it, just used for storage previously.

We have a recurring issue with grey squirrels and have done over a long period with attempts to eradicate/control not working and I am getting increasingly concerned at what 10 years worth of grey squirrel damage could do to the loft...and ultimately my wallet. Trapping, lethal traps and bait, reblocking with metal gauze under roof eaves has not resolved and I'm at the end of my tether to be honest after spending a lot of money on pest control and roofers....I think an air rifle will be next and not joking...any tips would be much appreciated especially if you were able to permanently resolve?

Section62

noclaf said:

We have a recurring issue with grey squirrels and have done over a long period with attempts to eradicate/control not working and I am getting increasingly concerned at what 10 years worth of grey squirrel damage could do to the loft...and ultimately my wallet. Trapping, lethal traps and bait, reblocking with metal gauze under roof eaves has not resolved and I'm at the end of my tether to be honest after spending a lot of money on pest control and roofers....I think an air rifle will be next and not joking...any tips would be much appreciated especially if you were able to permanently resolve?

Are there any holes or gaps in the wall between you and the other half of the semi?

If pests are still getting into a property after all the external points of entry have been treated then the logical conclusion would be that they are getting in via next door.

noclaf

Section62 said:

noclaf said:

We have a recurring issue with grey squirrels and have done over a long period with attempts to eradicate/control not working and I am getting increasingly concerned at what 10 years worth of grey squirrel damage could do to the loft...and ultimately my wallet. Trapping, lethal traps and bait, reblocking with metal gauze under roof eaves has not resolved and I'm at the end of my tether to be honest after spending a lot of money on pest control and roofers....I think an air rifle will be next and not joking...any tips would be much appreciated especially if you were able to permanently resolve?

Are there any holes or gaps in the wall between you and the other half of the semi?

If pests are still getting into a property after all the external points of entry have been treated then the logical conclusion would be that they are getting in via next door.

That's a good point, they could be....will check with neighbour if they have had any issues/heard noises. We removed a climber plant at front/back of house a few years back it did help if they are still finding a way in...our loft is very challenging to move around in,.you need to climb in effectively using a pull-up and then commando crawl around. There are narrow sections that are close to impossible to access,  wonder how easily/cheaply could I setup a camera in the loft to monitor the activity, look for potential entry points...guess it would need to have night vision capabilities too.

Section62

noclaf said:

Section62 said:

noclaf said:

We have a recurring issue with grey squirrels and have done over a long period with attempts to eradicate/control not working and I am getting increasingly concerned at what 10 years worth of grey squirrel damage could do to the loft...and ultimately my wallet. Trapping, lethal traps and bait, reblocking with metal gauze under roof eaves has not resolved and I'm at the end of my tether to be honest after spending a lot of money on pest control and roofers....I think an air rifle will be next and not joking...any tips would be much appreciated especially if you were able to permanently resolve?

Are there any holes or gaps in the wall between you and the other half of the semi?

If pests are still getting into a property after all the external points of entry have been treated then the logical conclusion would be that they are getting in via next door.

That's a good point, they could be....will check with neighbour if they have had any issues/heard noises. We removed a climber plant at front/back of house a few years back it did help if they are still finding a way in...our loft is very challenging to move around in,.you need to climb in effectively using a pull-up and then commando crawl around. There are narrow sections that are close to impossible to access,  wonder how easily/cheaply could I setup a camera in the loft to monitor the activity, look for potential entry points...guess it would need to have night vision capabilities too.

Try "wildlife camera with night vision motion activated".  A bit over £30 should get you something functional.  Start in a position with an overall view of the loft, then move it next day/night to cover more closely the location where the intruder was first spotted.  By repeating that process you should narrow down the entry point.

TadleyBaggie

Personally I would get CU replaced simply to get the fuses to be replaced by circuit breakers. My own CU (~1989) has MCBs but no RCD protection.

FreeBear

noclaf said:

I will likely wait till we get major renovation work done next year before having the CU replaced. It also gives me time to save some extra dosh for what could be a painful hit. There are many aspects of our home that need updating so unfortunately this is another on the list.

On the bright side, a new consumer unit will give you plenty of scope to expand. A 10 or 12 way unit would allow for upstairs & down sockets/lights to be on separate breakers, and you could have an electric shower added.

Depending on the scope of your renovations, look at adding more sockets to each room - That is getting in to a complete rewire territory though...

In the loft, I would just expect to see cables for the lighting. It would be unusual to have sockets up there.

CSI_Yorkshire

BreakingGlass said:

For reference, here's a photo of my old Wylex consumer unit with plug-in MCBs replacing the older plug in fuses that you have.  My understanding is that these (fuses or MCBs) will protect the 'circuit' but not protect the individual when you get an electric shock.  Your cover will probably not fit if you add MCBs - I left mine uncovered because it was high up on a wall in the garage.

My house was rented out for 8 years with this consumer unit, but that was before the requirement for an EICR was introduced, Although not intrinsically unsafe, I doubt that this consumer unit would meet the new requirements.

It wouldn't for several reasons that I can see immediately.  As I mentioned before, few do (partially because we've changed from metal case to plastic case and now back to metal again).

That doesn't actually mean it needs changing though - they don't force people to get their house re-wired every time the standard changes (I have seven versions on my desk, all newer than 2004).  It's all a risk/cost/opportunity decision.

Simonon77

Every time they change the requirements ( often ) it means everything fitted before that date then doesn't meet the current regulations. This doesn't inherently make them unsafe and there are still millions of houses in the UK that have never had electrical updates done unless it was as a repair or renovation

Bigphil1474

OP, I had my consumer unit changed last year by a mate of a mate. I too was worried about potential rewires etc. as the consumer unit and wiring predated us moving into the house in 1995. He had a good look and said the wiring was fine, just replaced the CU and a double socket in the kitchen, and charged £300 (cash mates rate, so probably would be nearer £500 formally).