Rewireable consumer unit

[buttonit]

Hi, customer wants power to their shed. Ie. lights and sockets. The problem is, they have only got a rewireable fuseboard, which is fed from a rcd main switch, the fuseboard has no spare ways. I told them they need their board changing and updating. But they dont want that, they want to keep the old board. Bloody women. Is there a way around this, without changing the board??

 

[NozSpark]

Yep...

split tails and add another board!

 

[AAAMUSEMENTS]

Hi, customer wants power to their shed. Ie. lights and sockets. The problem is, they have only got a rewireable fuseboard, which is fed from a rcd main switch, the fuseboard has no spare ways. I told them they need their board changing and updating. But they dont want that, they want to keep the old board. Bloody women. Is there a way around this, without changing the board??

Put in a henley block feeding a seperate self contained breaker, connect SWA to that to feed the shed.

Edit: Noz got there just before me!

 

[sparkytim]

Rewireabe fuses can still meet the requirements of BS7671

BS3036 is still an acceptable British Standard.

 

[batty]

Is the earthing and bonding up to scratch if not they probably won't want to pay to have that put right either.

 

[AAAMUSEMENTS]

Rewireabe fuses can still meet the requirements of BS7671BS3036 is still an acceptable British Standard.

But how many 3036 boards have you seen that still have any spare capacity!

 

[sparkytim]

Odd one here and there.

Just making the point that Rewirables are NOT Illegal as some try to make out

I would always recommend an upgrade but if not taken up then there are ways and means of working with them.

 

[AAAMUSEMENTS]

Odd one here and there.Just making the point that Rewirables are NOT Illegal as some try to make out

I would always recommend an upgrade but if not taken up then there are ways and means of working with them.

Very true.

Problems I found with the last one I looked at was that there was literally no space to move (4 way board with about 12 cables coming in!) and the brass screw heads kept shredding when I tried to tighten them...

 

[a1spark]

If only low load expected then how about taking supply as spur off Ground floor sockets via SFCU......Not Ideal but perfectly acceptable....may just secure you the job !

 

[Evans Electric]

The RCD is in place so how about fitting a HRC fuse carrier or if its a Wylex , a retrofit MCB. Or double it up with the Imm.Htr. or something .

 

[ElectekAir]

The RCD is in place so how about fitting a HRC fuse carrier or if its a Wylex , a retrofit MCB. Or double it up with the Imm.Htr. or something .

Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong but i thought that Imm.Htr and the like need to be on thier own cct? :| so you could not add it to that one

 

[ianmacd]

Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong but i thought that Imm.Htr and the like need to be on thier own cct? :| so you could not add it to that one

Indeed they should.

I think you need to test the RCD and that the Earthing/bonding is up to scratch too. I doubt its TN-C-S but keep in mind that you may not be able to export the earth.

 

[ProDave]

As others have said, a rewirable fusebox does not stop you adding new circuits. I did a shed feed this week with a rewirable. The cable from the fuse box to the shed was SWA so no need for RCD protection, and a little 2 way CU with RCD in the shed.

The only issue here is the lack of a spare. Can you not, subject to checking full load current, double up the two lighting circuits on to one fuse to create a spare way? That's usually the first thing to do, or has someone already done that?

 

[ianmacd]

As others have said, a rewirable fusebox does not stop you adding new circuits. I did a shed feed this week with a rewirable. The cable from the fuse box to the shed was SWA so no need for RCD protection, and a little 2 way CU with RCD in the shed.The only issue here is the lack of a spare. Can you not, subject to checking full load current, double up the two lighting circuits on to one fuse to create a spare way? That's usually the first thing to do, or has someone already done that?

If you modify 2 circuits into 1 then you will need to do poper testing on the new circuit and fix any potential issues too. If you really have no spare capacity there then splitting the tails as advised above is probably the best way. Do it before the RCD too so you can have a seperate RCD on the new circuit.

As also said above, if the load in the new shed is not that large (and all the Earthing/Bonding/RCD/etc.. is sorted), then a fused spur may be the cheapest route.

Don't forget that this will most likely be notifiable too.

 

[sellers]

If you modify 2 circuits into 1 then you will need to do poper testing on the new circuit and fix any potential issues too.

Would you? As you are not chaning the fuse charactoristics?

 

[ianmacd]

You are effectivly creating a new circuit (albeit by combining 2 existing)

 

[ProDave]

One argument against splitting the tails is it looks rather ugly and there may not even be the space to accommodate a separate board.

I've seen plenty of really well done rewirable fuse boxes in good condition and nicely wired, and upgraded with plug in MCB's. I can understand the customer not wanting that mucked up with henley blocks and a separate different looking CU.

Sometimes "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is true. An example of this being a property I own and rent out that has a very small and neat MEM rewirable fuse box. I've looked at replacing it, but simply have not found a new CU small enough to fit in the space, and to create more space means moving the meter and supply head down the board a bit. So just leave alone.