Avoid these consumer units like the plague!!

[Evans Electric]

Doing a kitchen and board change, customer,s in the buiding trade so he supplies the board rather than pay me any mark up .

So ,a CED board from Toolstation, dual RCD/ High integ./ loaded/ @

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

We recently sent back 20 Lewden consumer units as they were total sh*te. The rep visited us & tried to tell us the 25mm tails were too stiff and forcing the main switch over. Ripped the whole lot out and fitted Crabtree Starbreakers. Also in an argument with the supplier about paying us for the wasted resources

Edit, Another poor show is Contactum. Basically a very good board but has not been redesigned for RCBO's so there is a useless 35mm + gap under the busbar and only about 25mm above the RCBO'S. My local supplier says Contactum are redesigning it right now ( that means a few years wait probably)

 

[Robin Spark]

Deke,

i thought you were going to say Volex!

 

[batty]

Stick with Wylex you can't go wrong with them.

:slap

Actually on a serious note I quite like the tall metalclad wylex.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

My mate picked up the starbreakers, i always fit Metalclad Wylex now (because there are so many different makes of breakers that fit :innocent )

 

[Robin Spark]

My mate picked up the starbreakers, i always fit Metalclad Wylex now (because there are so many different makes of breakers that fit :innocent )

Slips, are you trying to tempt the snake to bite with that post]

 

[ProDave]

.........but I wish some of the others would adopt the solid links instead of all those big flexibles filling the box up .

What solid links are you talking about? the neutral links from the RCD's to the neutral busbars?

If so I am NOT a fan of solid links. The ProElec boards use these, and I had one with a neutral bar that had got so hot it had melted it's plastic bracket.

But it was NOT a loose screw, the screw was very tight.

I concluded that with a solid link, when you look at it in detail, the point contact area where it screws into the neutral bar is very small indeed. Hence under the load of a shower, it can get very hot.

I replaced that one with a flexible link which IMO does a much better job.

 

[Andy™]

i always fit Metalclad Wylex now (because there are so many different makes of breakers that fit :innocent )

and they also fit into many other boards

 

[kerching]

Well, you are not going to like this but, I have used loads of CED boards and never had a problem with any of them!

However, I only use the boards with the main switch and then RCBO every circuit, so there is none of that removal/replacement unpleasantness!!

......................... :coat

 

[Ash]

I'm with Dave, I came across one of these awful CED boards, but the neutral links were too small for my liking, so I changed them with flexible ones from the boards I normally use.

Especially as the RCDs that come with the board are 80A rather than 63A

 

[Evans Electric]

What solid links are you talking about? the neutral links from the RCD's to the neutral busbars?If so I am NOT a fan of solid links. The ProElec boards use these, and I had one with a neutral bar that had got so hot it had melted it's plastic bracket.

But it was NOT a loose screw, the screw was very tight.

I concluded that with a solid link, when you look at it in detail, the point contact area where it screws into the neutral bar is very small indeed. Hence under the load of a shower, it can get very hot.

I replaced that one with a flexible link which IMO does a much better job.

Two solid links Dave, solid Neutral from main sw to non RCD N bar and solid live link between the dual RCDs.

I don't really know why but it was a case of 3 hours to replace & connect board, 4 hours to fit busbars and shield supports :_| With all the Peeing about the fingers were going up behind the box terminals so start again. Actually it was the supports for the safety shield that caused the problem.

Unfortunatley the older I get , the less patience I have , I,m happier with 200A TPN Industrial boards TBH.

They based two TV programmes on me ...... Victor Meldrew and Grumpy Old Men!! Well thats what the missus reckons anyway.

 

[ProDave]

.... With all the Peeing about the fingers were going up behind the box terminals so start again.

That's what gets me about MCB's used in distribution systems.

Back when I built industrial machinery, just about everything we used had shielded cage clamps (not sure if that's the right term) but what I mean is they have a flange that covers the "back" of the cage clamp area when the clamp is tightened. So it's impossible to put a wire anywhere other than where it's supposed to go.

It's such a simple detail to get right. Why do we have to put up with this rubbish? Why can't all MCB's etc adopt this very simple solution? I guess because the specifications don't call for it, and nobody wants to add 1p to the cost of their MCB's to make them better.

 

[Sidewinder]

Dave,

Quite.

See my other posts on MCB/CU's etc!

 

[Sidewinder]

^ Some, SOME, SOME, SOME X(

 

[baldelectrician]

I use Hager

I find them easy to install

Did a swap yesterday and it took 45 mins (5 circuits) for swap and dead tests- a bit longer after that for the ruinning around and paperwork

Hager have a bit behind the busbar connection to prevent the busbar slipping behind the cage

 

[lkayelectrical]

I know what your talking about pro elec and Europa boards are the same I've got used to them now though

 

[Andy™]

Back when I built industrial machinery, just about everything we used had shielded cage clamps (not sure if that's the right term) but what I mean is they have a flange that covers the "back" of the cage clamp area when the clamp is tightened. So it's impossible to put a wire anywhere other than where it's supposed to go.

Wylex MCB's do, but only on the outgoing side

 

[ProDave]

Wylex MBCB's do' date=' but only on the outgoing side[/quote']Well spotted.

But don't you find it a pit pathetic that they can't also do it on the input side which I think is more important.

 

[tom1]

i use hager, they have fome strips at the top too maintain ip rating, i find them quite decent and good value for money

 

[Andy™]

Well spotted.But don't you find it a pit pathetic that they can't also do it on the input side which I think is more important.

it would be better. been to many faults where the busbar is in the wrong side and not clamped. at least with the outgoing cable you can easily give it a tug to confirm if its in. not something you can do with the busbar