Meter tails protection and relocation of consumer unit

[DaveS79]

Morning all

Back seeking more advice have attached couple of photos. Customer asked me to relocate consumer unit under his stairs. The tails at the moment don't have any fused protection to protect meter. The run is about 8 metres length. My understanding is that there is no specific reg that states protection needed to be provided other than DNO requirements which are usually protection needs to be provided within  max 3 metres. If this is case and this install was originally installed like this and DNO have never had any issues previously why would it now become a requirement of mine to provide protection and add this extra cost to customer? Would also appreciate any advice on if the existing circuits and tails prove to be to be short for new location how others would go about extending these. There is no option for any sort of adaptable box on back wall. So only possibility I see is to joint cables securely within access free adaptable boxes which will then be placed behind the plasterboard of old board position....have real concerns about this as obviously if problems with connections in future have access and maintainable problems

 

[Murdoch]

Have you asked your scheme technical line?

i wouldn’t be moving the cu without adding protection for the tails AND I wouldn’t be concealing a box of connections behind plasterboard where nobody in the future will know where they are

that my thoughts

 

[DaveS79]

Have you asked your scheme technical line?

i wouldn’t be moving the cu without adding protection for the tails AND I wouldn’t be concealing a box of connections behind plasterboard where nobody in the future will know where they are

that my thoughts

That's my thoughts as well Murdoch on the connections would not be happy to do that and as can see a lot of possible problems with the re routing and added expense am inclined to just give this one a pass to be honest. 

 

[Murdoch]

That's my thoughts as well Murdoch on the connections would not be happy to do that and as can see a lot of possible problems with the re routing and added expense am inclined to just give this one a pass to be honest. 

my view is that when customers want things done that are against the regs I tend to point out what should be done, quote accordingly and leave the customer to ponder.

a few months ago I was 1 of 4 sparks asked to quote for a kitchen refit electrics job - which included changing a single light to downlights - I was the only spark to tell the the customer they would need rcd protection - making the job more expensive . I got the job on the basis I was honest about the regs changes

 

[DaveS79]

my view is that when customers want things done that are against the regs I tend to point out what should be done, quote accordingly and leave the customer to ponder.

a few months ago I was 1 of 4 sparks asked to quote for a kitchen refit electrics job - which included changing a single light to downlights - I was the only spark to tell the the customer they would need rcd protection - making the job more expensive . I got the job on the basis I was honest about the regs changes

That's been my experience too on a few occasions in short time been going. People in general do seem to appreciate the the extra time given checking things over and peace of mind your giving them with complying with regs. This one just proving to be a bit of pain though now as initially had to point out I would need to install 18th ed board, now tails protection and potential issues with rerouting cables....all when the customer and misses both working from home and in dire need of power. Got painful written all over it

 

[Murdoch]

Got painful written all over it

tell them they will have most of the day without power

i tell customers when I do CU changes to allow a minimum of 3 hours without power

 

[Evans Electric]

Why don't you just allow for a fuse unit  MSF     @  £ 26     fitted in the meter cupboard . ?

 

[DaveS79]

Why don't you just allow for a fuse unit  MSF     @  £ 26     fitted in the meter cupboard . ?

Thanks Evans. Had previously only found this https://www.toolstation.com/wylex-domestic-switch-fuse/p51068?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&gclid=CjwKCAjwlZf3BRABEiwA8Q0qq4hVX9xoOFUt6hEGKdqtH5iGCOSfY665fiPsHkeHXBv0HW7qKeVJUxoCsk8QAvD_BwE

At £76

But your quite right there is cheaper options

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CGMSF100.html

Thanks

 

[Evans Electric]

Just get the MSF  , its plastic but who cares , so is the main cut-out  . 

 

[DaveS79]

Just get the MSF  , its plastic but who cares , so is the main cut-out  . 

Very true for 3 times the price it's a no brainer 

 

[Murdoch]

Just get the MSF  , its plastic but who cares , so is the main cut-out  . 

prefer metal clad if the submain is SWA

 

[Sharpend]

I’m more impressed by the Alarm box, does it send out smoke signals when alarm is sounded? 

 

[Geoff1946]

What's the point?  It looks like a lot of work for little gain.

 

[kerching]

Well from what I can see it's a racket

Eee thankkk yowwwww

 

[DaveS79]

I’m more impressed by the Alarm box, does it send out smoke signals when alarm is sounded?