Height of a boiler from the Electric Meter

[Ben-sisco]

Hi, this is my first post & would appreciate some help. I'm a gas safe engineer and need some help with some electric regs. Customer has asked to install a boiler in a under the stairs and I've checked all measurements but the problem i've got is there is a electric meter and consumer unit installed under where the boiler would go. The height of the meter from the floor is 700mm and I'm wondering what the distance is between the meter and where the boiler would go. Thanks

 

[~Sparky~]

I am unsure if there is a reg stating the hight or the min or max distance that a boiler can be installed next to or above a consumer unit, however there is a regulation stating that the minimum distance between a gas meter and electrical equipment is 150mm unless there is seperation provided by a non combustible material. I know the boiler is not the gas meter as such but it has gas going to it, so in my oppinion the same would apply.

Me personaly wouldnt be 100% keen on installing a boiler above a consumer unit/ meter, purely just incase it has a leak but i am not a gas engineer so it is not my place to comment on that.

The ideal thing would be to put the electrical equipment in its own little cupboard with a door on it therefor proventing water accessing the electrical equipment/making it harder to access it...... and i would then say that the 150mm regulation would still be considerd.

Dont take my word for it, these are just my thaughts, but the gas meter/ electrical equipment being 150mm apart is a regulation.

hope this helps a little.

 

[Ben-sisco]

Thanks Sparky, I'm not too comfortable with the boiler position either but your suggestion of a cupboard for the consumer unit/meter is very helpful.

 

[wozz]

i would have thought there would have been some gas regulation about this?

 

[~Sparky~]

i would have thought there would have been some gas regulation about this?

Agree with you there, boiler above electrical equipment....... it doesnt sound too good but its not really my place to say, maybe it is just good practice to avoid the situation.

 

[jl-heating]

if under the stairs there is also the 600mm to the front of the boiler, distance of water pipe to electric cable is 100 mm,

good practise i would say is not to fit a boiler above a electric metre .

if in doubt put it in the roof lol...

 

[Ben-sisco]

Thanks jl-heating for the info

 

[NozSpark]

I did a CU change about a year ago and the plumber came in afterwards and installed teh boiler directly over,, I guess there must be a 300mm gap above, but all the pipework does pass within 20mm of final circuits... circuits are all within 50 x 50 trunking though!

Used this job for my annual assesment and there was no mention of the boiler being in close proximity to the CU

TBH I wouldn't worry about the fact that the boiler "could" leak.. it's not mean't to,,,,, would you not install citcuits in the loft because the roof could leak in a storm??

 

[Andy™]

TBH I wouldn't worry about the fact that the boiler "could" leak.. it's not mean't to,,,,, would you not install citcuits in the loft because the roof could leak in a storm??

cables probably safer there - more likely to get when when there is a plumber around

 

[jl-heating]

if close to cables we lagg the pipes or trunk the cables which ever is easier