Position of Consumer Unit

Tugboatparker · Sep 6, 2010

Hi,

I have been asked to replace an old fuse box with a new consumer unit. The old one is positioned in a cupboard about 1 foot off the ground. It would be easy to fix the new one in the same place but I'm not sure about the part P rules regarding disabled access etc. I know it should be higher up the wall and not in a cupboard but this would be impractical regarding the cables not been long enough to move.

Could anybody who has had experience of this please give me advice on this as I'm not sure and only recently qualified.

Many thanks

Chris

ianmacd · Sep 6, 2010

Part M only applies to new builds of dwellings (or new builds and extensions to non dwellings), so you can put it back where it is.

Andy™ · Sep 6, 2010

part p has nothing to do with access. that would be part M. this only applies to new builds to complete refurb. however, in existing, it shouldnt be made worse that it is. so you can replace it there, but you couldnt put it anywhere less accessible

PC Electrics · Sep 6, 2010

Fuse boards hard up against the garage ceiling are a favourite position in '60s houses. I usually move them down about 3 feet to make them more accessible. I almost always crimp and heat shrink extra length onto the cables (offset the crimps to keep the bulk to a minimum). I've got a small stock of good condition imperial cable for these eventualities.

On a couple of occasions I have gutted the old board and left the carcas in place as an enclosure and put the joints in that (good where all the earths are twisted like mad and take a 16mm to the original earth bar).