Adding FCU BS3036 board

[m4tty]

Hi,

Been asked to add an FCU to a property for a new boiler but there is an old BS3036 wooden backed rewirable fuseboard with no bonding. Ze is 0.16 ohms. (Picture of install attached)

I have advised the customer should think about having the fuseboard upgraded but wants bare minimum done. (As normal )

There is a spare way (15A) in the board. So what i was thinking was run some 2.5mm in trunking from board to RCDFCU surface mounted for the boiler and bond Gas & Water in 10mm and upgrade main earthing from what looks like 4mm to 16mm(if it will fit in this board??)

Does this sound ok?

Any advice appreicated as always.

Thanks

Matt

 

[kme]

16mm unlikely to fit in there, mate. I`d put an MET external to the box, and take bonds and earthing conductor to that.

Can`t say I`m happy with the condition of the customers` tails either, TBH. Recommend upgrade of those at least.

KME

 

[Badger]

id say upgrade of install would be something needing doing, the installation looks very poor in deed.

 

[m4tty]

Thanks KME and Badge I was thinking the same. The whole install looks well dated and is a batchelor pad 1 bed maisonette and is a right sh1thole tbh. He said the leccy board are moving the cutout to outside soon as this is in the corner of his kitchen and when this is done he will have the board upgraded.

KME: - As the 16mm wont fit inside that CU. I was going to put an new MET external and run bonds to that but what size cable are you proposing that i use from MET to BS3036 board? The existing cable looks like 4mm tbh?

Thanks again for helping me out

Matt

---------- AUTO MERGE Post added at 12:17 ---------- Previous post was at 12:16 ----------

Also KME if I upgrade the tails, will 25mm fit in that old CU?

 

[Sidewinder]

M4tty,

Push him to upgrade this ASAP, else.

Put as large an earth as the board can take!

Else double up, 2 wires, or split the one over 2 terminals in the board.

Not the best but all you can do. I'll probably get shot for that one.

The other option if you can get hold of them would be reducing pins, someone did put a link up on here recently.

SWA make them s-w-a.co.uk

As for the tails reducing pins again, or perhaps the 25's will go, else if the main fuse is small enough & the run short enough then 16's. 4D1A rates 16 at 87A clipped direct touching.

Will post the package this aft.

Paul

 

[sparkytim]

As the main switch on that is probably only rated at 60/63 Amps whats the point in up gradeing the Tails.

For a FCU feeding a boiler why not come of the Ring and save the trouble of a Whole NEW circuit.

If they do not want to upgrade then keep it simple and minimise the job.

 

[m4tty]

Thanks for the replies guys I'll explain a bit further. The cu is in the corner of the kitchen and there are 2 sockets in the kitchen which are both seperate spurs from two 30a fuses so can't come off these which is why I was going to come from the spare 15a fuse in the board. The board is closest/easiest place to come from and was going to wire in surface trunking. Would it be better to use an rcd fcu than a normal fcu as it's only going to be used for the boiler so is the rcd fcu required?

Thanks in advance

Matt

 

[sparkytim]

Its not a socket

Its not embedded wiring

Its not in a bathroom

Its Not outside

So

No Rcd required

 

[Sidewinder]

sparkytim,

Good point, I missed the RCD bit, I was so concerned with the condition of the CU etc.!

However, something still may need doing with the main earthing, bonding & tails.

 

[spinlondon]

Why are you intending to increase the main earth conductor from 4mm

 

[m4tty]

Why are you intending to increase the main earth conductor from 4mm

 

[Andy™]

Else double up, 2 wires, or split the one over 2 terminals in the board.

Not the best but all you can do. I'll probably get shot for that one

why would you get shot for it?

after all, its probably safer than a cable into 1 terminal. at least it would take 2 loose connections to loose the earth

 

[spinlondon]

What would you increase it to then mate? Would you leave the 4mm there? Wanting to learn cheers

If it was PME, I'd increase it to 10mm

 

[Evans Electric]

Matty , that board will probably have a 6 way earth bar with tiny terminals and will be full up . I'd say the biggest main earth you'll get in is 6mm with ,as you said an external bar. Could use a plug-in MCB in the old board. Leave the tails until the upgrade , you won't fit 25mm in the main switch.

 

[Sidewinder]

Deke,

I had one of those in my house but I swapped it out so long ago and being as most of my work is Ind/Comm I ain't "seen" one close up for so long I had no idea of the terminal sizes!

 

[speedster]

Hi,Been asked to add an FCU to a property for a new boiler but there is an old BS3036 wooden backed rewirable fuseboard with no bonding. Ze is 0.16 ohms. (Picture of install attached)

I have advised the customer should think about having the fuseboard upgraded but wants bare minimum done. (As normal )

There is a spare way (15A) in the board. So what i was thinking was run some 2.5mm in trunking from board to RCDFCU surface mounted for the boiler and bond Gas & Water in 10mm and upgrade main earthing from what looks like 4mm to 16mm(if it will fit in this board??)

Does this sound ok?

Any advice appreicated as always.

Thanks

Matt

oHi I would get the supply authority to look at the intake equipment.It looks as if it might be metal ? Tails look ropey,wooden backed cu could be non compliant Probably has a 45 or 60 amp fuse.Personally I'd be wary of working on this installation.If you do go ahead,will you be completing a cerificate ? I would definitely upgrade the earthing and bonding

Best wishes,

Speedster.