Compact Rcbo Replacement Cu.. Using An Sbs Trade Sales Solution..

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Rather than tagging onto SBS Dave's thread over here... http://www.talk.electricianforum.co.uk/topic/22663-sbs-trade-sales/

I thought I would stick these in the "your pictures"! 

This is a typical example where double pole compact RCBO's come into their own.. 

Standard 4-way wylex box sitting in the meter cupboard, space limited, need to get your RCD protection for all circuits within a small space as possible..

The cabinet layout...



the old box...



Enclosure.. (with earth bar shifted to the right so all CPC's would reach without having to crimp & extend old wires..)



The guts put in and other wires connected up...



cover on..



visor down...



so to recap...

old 4-way box no RCD protection no spare ways..

SBS Trade Sales enclosure with 4x compact RCBO's fitted and two spare ways..

leaves customer with full overload and shock protection and a couple of spare ways for 50% expansion if needed!

jobs a goodun as they say..

only downside....

the compact RCBO's can be a bit wobbly on the din rail  (but other makes can be too!!)

and small enclosures leave ****** all room for labels and signs etc..!!!! :_|

All in all probably the best solution for this sort of situation.

Guinness

(Ordered Friday.. Dispatched Monday.. Received Tuesday.. Fitted Wednesday..   = Good service IMHO)

:Applaud

 

[NozSpark]

Looks good specs

 

[steptoe]

mm,

looks tidy, whats the little tail of copper on the earth bar for?

Im liking the wording on your labels  'some part of this installation'

 

[batty]

Nice job will take some pics of my ongoing job when I get a minute.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

mm,

looks tidy, whats the little tail of copper on the earth bar for?

To clip my meter lead croc clip onto...

Got fed up with it springing off the earth bar every time the slightest gust of wind put a slight strain on the meter leads!!!

 
Im liking the wording on your labels  'some part of this installation'

You can happily plagiaries it for any similar uses you may find...... :Salute  

Just means I can confidently go slapping my advertising over every job I work at....

(covering up other contractors labels)..

Whilst not accepting any liability or responsibility for any crap done by other "electricians/cowboys/DIYbobs etc"

They just need to refer to my certs & invoices to see exactly what bits are mine!

Guinness

 

[steptoe]

To clip my meter lead croc clip onto...

Got fed up with it springing off the earth bar every time the slightest gust of wind put a slight strain on the meter leads!!!



You can happily plagiaries it for any similar uses you may find...... :Salute  

Just means I can confidently go slapping my advertising over every job I work at....

(covering up other contractors labels)..

Whilst not accepting any liability or responsibility for any crap done by other "electricians/cowboys/DIYbobs etc"

They just need to refer to my certs & invoices to see exactly what bits are mine!

Guinness

I wouldnt have dreamed of using it without your permission,  :slap

yes, seems much better than just putting your sticker on,

ah, the croc-slip,

I have a slightly modified earth one for such instances, Im not sure if its G38 though,

will I be shot at dawn,?,,,,,,,,

 

[ProDave]

Excellent report.

That must be the words quickest CU change. Still just 4 circuits.  Normally an upgrade is forced by the need to add new circuits (and split already doubled up circuits onto their own mcb's)

That's a rough looking meter box.  I've seen plenty like that where they literally start crumbling away. That one has had a new door grafted on by the looks of it.

 

[betty swollocks]

Looks good, good post, what's the cost compared to split load?

 

[m4tty]

Nice post specs cheers and scoobed

What's the price on the board and rcbos please matey



Cheers

 

[SBS Dave]

Hi Special Location,

Thanks for posting photos of the install, featuring my Compact RCBO board.

I like how you have cut holes in the back box exactly where you want them and moved the earth bar to suit the existing earths.

These were two of the benefits I mentioned on my initial post, so it is nice to have proof of their versatility.

I also take your point about the RCBOs being fairly loose on the DIN rail and you can see the RCBOs leaning over slightly.

However, the box I shipped to you had 6 RCBOs in it, the other 2 filling up the space where the 2 blanks now are. Those blanks seem a little undersized and don't prevent the RCBOs from leaning. The original lid had 2 x fixed blanks like the one to the left of the Main Switch, which would have done a better job of holding the assembly together.

Price of that board as shown is £67.83 + VAT and you will find all the prices on my SBS Trade Sales Forum post.

The Compact RCBOs are £13.00 each + VAT.

The price is higher than your Split Board, but there is no nuisance trip and a Split Board wouldn't fit, unless you mounted it vertically. Which means the existing wires would need extending and the whole job would take at least 1 hour longer to install, which negates the savings made on the Split Board.

SBS Dave

 

[Manator]

Dave I have never used your products however I can not ignore the benefits you provide. I shall now endeavour to promote you to all my clients.

 

[OnOff]

If fussed you could always put end stops on the DIN rail to "push" everything up. Had some KERT dc power supplies recently and they were an absolute ***** to get on the rail so it cuts both ways!

 

[monkey5]

looks good, and good example of a fantastic job - scoobed,

is the price of the full board shown ,ie enclosure and rcbos, 67.83 + vat?

wayne

 

[SBS Dave]

Hi Wayne,

All my prices are on the SBS Trade Sales Forum site, but the price breakdown is as follows:-

• 1 x ENC-9S Enclosure with Main Switch   £14.00
• 4 x CRB Compact RCBOs @ £13.00        £52.00
• 1 x BBL-9 Live Busbar                               £2.70
• 1 x BBN-9 Neutral Busbar                         £2.70
• Total                                                          £71.40
• Less 5% Discount                                      £3.57
• TOTAL                                                       £67.83
• Carriage                                                      £6.00 (if you are not local)
• Total                                                           £73.83 + VAT
• Grand Total                                                £88.60

SBS Dave

PS - a TEF Member has just ordered a 21-mod / 19-way board with 19 x Compact RCBOs. TEF is starting to have a positive impact on my turnover!! Many thanks.

 

[steptoe]

Dave,

you sent me an empty e.mail the other day,

I need to get those MC boards sorted, I know its my fault, Im a bit rubbish at organising stuff like this, took me almost a month to order a motor controller that was a panic,!  :Blushing

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

That's a rough looking meter box.  I've seen plenty like that where they literally start crumbling away. That one has had a new door grafted on by the looks of it.

You are correct the box has had a new front door grafted over it....

I did it back in 2007/8 ish

did three houses all in the same road cuz the boxes were facing into direct sunlight for the bulk of the day and it just perished the hinges etc..

they used these metal jobbies to stop future problems..

http://www.meterboxspareparts.co.uk/shop/covers-and-overboxes

Somewhere in the bowels of the forum there is a previous post i did with the link for the overdoors..

Guinness   :Salute

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I also take your point about the RCBOs being fairly loose on the DIN rail and you can see the RCBOs leaning over slightly.

However, the box I shipped to you had 6 RCBOs in it, the other 2 filling up the space where the 2 blanks now are. Those blanks seem a little undersized and don't prevent the RCBOs from leaning. The original lid had 2 x fixed blanks like the one to the left of the Main Switch, which would have done a better job of holding the assembly together.

SBS Dave

A lot of MCBs are quite lose as well, it may be the thickness of the rail???

or the fact that with a traditional split board you tend to have a double width RCD stuck in the middle of the rail  helping to straighten things out!

The blanks are near enough exact match size for most MCBs..  certainly not undersized IMHO..

they are standard MK ones..

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-blank-mcb-pack-of-5/71995?_requestid=671983

I tend to prefer these to just the little plate things that slot in over blank holes..

As you say the box you shipped was pre cut for 6 modules, but I only need 4 for this job..

Although I did order six...

two were for me to keep in my spares stock..  1x32A  & 1x6A  in case of fault or failure needing quick access to replacements to get the customer working again,  as you cant just go slotting in a standard MCB very easily in a fault situation..

So I just needed a board for the customers existing 4 circuits plus capacity for reasonable possible expansion.,.

without leaving unused stock sitting in the CU...

With cheapo' MCBs I may have left and couple of unused breakers in place...

But RCBO's are better in my stock to resell if needed! 

either way your board is a far more compact solution to RCD protection on a 6 circuit board...

previously I have done things like buying a fully equipped 10 or 12MCB dual RCD board..

and a smaller enclosure and robbing the guts from one to put into the other..

making something like this...



But it would take up too much room in the meter box I was working on!!!!!!!!

opcorn

 

[ProDave]

You are correct the box has had a new front door grafted over it....

I did it back in 2007/8 ish

did three houses all in the same road cuz the boxes were facing into direct sunlight for the bulk of the day and it just perished the hinges etc..

they used these metal jobbies to stop future problems..

http://www.meterboxspareparts.co.uk/shop/covers-and-overboxes

Somewhere in the bowels of the forum there is a previous post i did with the link for the overdoors..

Guinness   :Salute

Thanks that's a good link for replacement meter box doors.

Scoob given.

 

[sparkytim]

Thanks for this Post, it has just found me a solution to a very tight space problem inside a kitchen unit,  only 7" Height to play with

I have just orderd a bespoke unit to fit, just hope I can squeeze the 25mm Tails in!

Will Post some pics when its fitted.

 

[SBS Dave]

Hi Tim,

The carrier will pick up the DB tomorrow for delivery Wednesday.

I have left the earth bar detached, so you can position it to the left or right. I have provided 2 screws for fixing to the box.

I believe there is enough room to get the tails in, either from the top, bottom or side.

The unit is just 6.25" high, but with Compacts, there is still room for circuit wires.

There is also a full set of labels with it.

Hopefully it will work out OK and I look forward to seeing the photos.

SBS Dave