A board I wouldn't use again .

[Evans Electric]

Not sure if this was my own fault or what .     my mate has a look at a board change , customer insists on  Hager or Schneider , neither of which we normally fit , always use Control Gear .   So I order a Hager 10 way last week ,   we turn up today , rip the old Wylex off the wall at high level ,  connection box , trunking , board .

Only then do we fit the RCBOs  to see, too late,  how little room there is .    

Its too late so we have to crack on now with what we have ....its possibly an MCB board , in which case they supplied the wrong one  but if its not then its utter carp .

Took a pic but with the cover on ....and at £300   a right rip off !! although we priced it in .  

One of the reasons I stick with the same equipment , used it for years , no problems , big enclosures , always have spare accessories to fit.  

 

[Blue Duck]

You could have taken a picture with the cover off!

 

[Andy™]

cant do that, thats live working and isnt allowed

 

[Evans Electric]

Its a right mess inside ,  like the old days when most boards were miles too small .   We have to go back to do some other stuff so I,ll take a pic  , not that I'm proud of it , just had to make do with what we had  I'm afraid. 

What should have been the easy bit was a nightmare .   

 

[Phoenix]

Its odd how preferences vary greatly within the industry. I often fit Hager as board of choice, they can get a little full with all RCBOs, but other makes (such as Wylex) can be far worse.

This is my kitchen DB at home, now excuse the mess to the left hand side, the 6mm T/E is temporary and is comming out and there is still a cirucit to connect and some dressing in on the LHS. But I didn't have space issues with the RCBOs on the other side, not compared to some wylex boards where they have about a 10mm gap off the support that holds the neutral block!

 

[SBS Dave]

YOU COULD ALWAYS USE COMPACT RCBOS.

SBS Dave

 

[Evans Electric]

Now thats how it should look.

 

[binky]

Out of interest SBS Dave, what's the return rate like on your compacts? I've has issues with all makes fitted at some point, but I am getting fed up with very tall RCBOs making wiring boards a PITA

 

[SBS Dave]

Thanks Evans,

It is a good example of the space-saving characteristics of the Compacts, even in my not-mega high board.

Binky,

I have sold around 6,000 Compacts in the last five years and had less than 50 faulty devices during that period.

That is less than 1% failure rate and on every occasion I supplied a replacement RCBO FOC, as I operate a no-quibble guarantee.

The design of my Standard RCBOs is one of the most tried and tested designs of its type, having been sold in many countries, under many brand names.

It is also a 10KA scc device, which I recently increased in price to £11,00 from £10.00.

SBS Dave

 

[M107]

and on every occasion I supplied a replacement RCBO FOC,

I can vouch for that.
I called David with a faulty 32amp compact no questions just swapped straight out excellent service.

had the replacement fitted a day later.

David did I imagine it or did you post a last order by date before you are away?

 

[OnOff]

Ref failure rates I wonder off this has been updated?

http://www.sserc.org.uk/index.php/bulletins226/2008/224-spring-2008/1210-rcd-reliability225

It must be an impossible task for manufacturers to quote a true failure rate given stuff already fitted but faulty / never tested thus never reported. I assume any quoted failure rate is based on factory batch testing?

 

[SBS Dave]

Hi M107,

Thanks for the plaudit and reading Onoff's link, it is clear that my product is reliable one.

I did indicate that I would be "out of the office" from tomorrow on an earlier post, but didn't say what the cut-off date was.

As you know, having spoken to you this morning, I have now pulled your DB order together and will get it picked up Monday for delivery Tuesday, well in time for your install date.

SBS Dave

 

[Manator]

I like those boards that SBS supplies, here is a picture of one I installed a few years ago now.

 

[kerching]

@Manator

agree 100%

i was working on a similar MK I version yesterday ( previous version of busbar system)

installed it at least a couple of years ago; it may even have been the very first 'double stacker' that @SBS Dave produced

 

[Supersparks1234]

I would not allow them earths to stay like that personally but the rest of the job is very neat. 

Also so is that earth link between the two earth bars a factory fitted one or one that has to be installed by the Sparks?

 

[OnOff]

I would not allow them earths to stay like that personally but the rest of the job is very neat. 

Also so is that earth link between the two earth bars a factory fitted one or one that has to be installed by the Sparks?

You're  just being over fussy! Next you'll be picking him up on not de-burring the trunking or lack of wire markers! 

 

[Manator]

I would not allow them earths to stay like that personally but the rest of the job is very neat. 

Also so is that earth link between the two earth bars a factory fitted one or one that has to be installed by the Sparks?

My personal opinion is that it is neat, but not as neat as it should be, the earths have to be removed for testing and why there is a slight bend in each one. Not pretty but essential.

 

[OnOff]

My personal opinion is that it is neat, but not as neat as it should be.....

Don't be daft, most would be more than happy to put their name to that.  :Salute

You could titivate with a pinch of appropriately coloured heat shrink over the unused fingers.....depending on your level of OCD.

 

[SBS Dave]

Hi Manator,

I remember that job, but I hadn't seen a photo until now. Thanks for that.

I have 4 of the empty boxes in stock, which I am happy to sell for say £10.00 + VAT each. Let me know if anyone is interested.

Onoff -  The busbar pins showing are neutral pins, so insulation is not an issue, although I could fit an insulator if necessary.

You will see that the live busbar below the pins is fully insulated.

Kerching - The older busbars you referred to were linked together with barrel connectors and 16mm flexible cables. The later ones, shown in Manator's photo are the one-piece versions.

Supersparks - I assume the earths you refer to are the ones outside the box. You have clearly spotted some technical problem, since you would not "allow" to stay that way, so what technical improvement would you suggest?  With regard to the link between the 2 terminal bars, I am sure you realise they could have  equally been used as neutral busbars, where separate terminal bars might be required. I don't supply Distribution Boards, only components to make them up to, so the final configuration is down to the electrician, who, in this case, did an excellent job.

SBS Dave

 

[Supersparks1234]

Since you asked. In my opinion they look untidy and could be improved from a workmanship view point. I would have also considered using stuffing glands instead of those holes. 

I was was unsure about the earth link so I asked. I would rather by and fit a CU that did not need a sparks earth link to make it work. Horses for courses and all that. 

I ask ask this out of curiosity. If you do not build CUs and someone buys your gear and makes a right hash of it. Are you not scared someone will think it is a board manufactured by SBS?