Consumer Unit Height

[Subneural]

Starting a new build shortly - 2 bed terraced houses.

As I understand, although nothing is stated in the electrical regs or part P, under part M the consumer unit needs to be installed between 450mm and 1200mm as with other accessories, is this correct ?

I've subbied on new builds which have had them here and also above door height in the last couple of years so would like it clarified as I dont like the CU being accessible to kids personally.

 

[Manator]

The main incomming supply and meter will very often be at this level, although on new builds it may be external.

This is why I do like the old ways of installing the meter and fuse board in an enclosure which can be made child safe whilst being accessable under part M.

 

[NozSpark]

Part M only stipulates heights for accessories in common areas IIRC and doesn't apply to DB's

Have a look at page 69 of the approved document or it'll be page 74 in your PDF viewer

 

[Manator]

Very true Noz which is one reason why I do not like selective regulation.

A home adapted for a wheelchair user could by regulation have all sockets and switches within reach and the CU above a door.

Not my idea of reasonable regulation.

 

[NozSpark]

Very true Noz which is one reason why I do not like selective regulation.A home adapted for a wheelchair user could by regulation have all sockets and switches within reach and the CU above a door.

Not my idea of reasonable regulation.

Got to agree with you, not good for granny resetting a tripped MCB whilst standing on a chair either!... for the elderley or disabled I would always recommend lowering it to an easy height..

However I also do not like them at lower heights with children in the house!

 

[Subneural]

I anticipate these being for first timers so nice and high we go.

 

[Badger]

Got to agree with you, not good for granny resetting a tripped MCB whilst standing on a chair either!... for the elderley or disabled I would always recommend lowering it to an easy height..However I also do not like them at lower heights with children in the house!

is skirting board level ok for you sir :^O

 

[NozSpark]

is skirting board level ok for you sir :^O

Ahhh... suits you sir!

and leave the flap open for the mice to get in ROTFWL

 

[Chr!s]

Id say it needs to be between the 450 and the 1200

 

[Manator]

One thought I would like everyone to think of is isolation, it is reasonable to assume that a circuit can be isolated via the mcb, also a single item can forego the requirement of local isolation if the mcb is within 2 meters, because by definition the mcb can be used to isolate that circuit. Another reason why I do not like selective regulation. Electricians are left to interpretation of the regulation.

I would love to see the next generation of regulators to speak plain English and lose the back door interpretations of regulations so that we all bat in the same innings.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I anticipate these being for first timers so nice and high we go.

Pity any short first time buyers then... :_|

Are wheel chair users excluded from being first time buyers? :|

Anything that an average height person cannot reach which while standing on the floor is IMHO too high.

Accessible for operation, inspection, testing, fault detection, maintenance and repair.

springs to mind in the common sense category....

thats 132.12 (ii) page 18.

I seriously cannot understand the logic of any person wanting to install a piece of equipment,

that has switches to reset,

at a height that requires the use of steps or a stool!

Think of the poor sod fumbling around in the dark up the steps!

What is it that the are kids going to do to the fuse box

that they can't do to the desktop PC,

OR Hi-Fi,

OR surround sound TV system,

OR the DVD player,

OR any of the socket outlets,

OR the table lamp,

OR the dishwasher,

Or the washing machine..

etc..

etc..

:C :C:C

 

[Larnacaman]

Manator,

The Reg's will never be able to go back to the 14th edition, the last Reg's written in plain English. The Reg's are now a BS and so written in, for want of a better word ''Legal'' terminology... So now you need guides and other interpretations to make any sense of them....

SL,

Well put, ....anyone that's thinking of installing DB's/CU's at ludicrous heights really needs to rethink the practicalities of their intentions. A safe and practical height is one where the average person does not have to kneel, bend, or stretch to reach/operate it's functional components. At such a height, it would not be accessible to young children..

As you say, the main component of assessing a good mounting level is our old friend ''Common Sense''!!!!

 

[Subneural]

What really gets my back up is that there are regs for this that and the other but its all down to interpretation. Why is it that the authorities are quite happy to make rules they can beat us up with at a later date but dont have the balls to make a straight forward specification in case they get it wrong.

My personal preference would be level with the top of the door frames but it could be argued that someone of diminutive stature would not be able to access it easily

 

[Larnacaman]

Eye level of an average height person, is more than a safe level for young children, that you seem to be worried about.

Level with the top of a door frame, is a stretching height!!!

 

[green-hornet]

If a cu is installed and is to regulation how can child intervention contravine regulation.

IP

Location

Restriction and intended use.

 

[PaulSC]

+1 GH

IP4X top, IP2X sides and bottom of CU (no missing blanks) and requires a key or tool to access.

Here's another one for interpretation. I mount a lot of SG sockets well above 1.2M for wall mounted flat screeen TV's. As these sockets are generally permanently plugged in and are not intended for general use, they can go pretty much as high or low as you like as long as they are in prescribed zones. And if you label their intended use and feed them via surface mount trunking, don't even need to be RCD protected.