Splitting tails: No room for henley blocks so could i...

[Avo]

Hi,

Little room in cuboard for henley blocks so could i send the tails into a small intermediate cu, but wire the tails and house cu feed into the permanent live terminals and then the workshop off the switched side mcb?

If so, given that the switched contacts are not switching the house feed (as that is in the same terminal as the tails) would it also be acceptable to leave the 63a main switch in place rather than have more expense of replacing that for a 100a. After all it isn't switching 2 cu on the contacts, only one.

Thanks

Danny

 

[Zeespark]

Why not try and install a 100A DP switch instead of a Henley Block?

AndyGuinness

 

[Avo]

Thats what i have, but its 63a.

WYLEX 2-Way Metal Main Switch Consumer Unit | Screwfix.com

But, i dont want it isolating the house supply.

At present, or rather for tonight so i had power i wired the tails to the house cu and the tails to the intermediate cu (for the workshop supply) directly into the permanent side of the 63a dp main switch in the intermediate cu.

Theres another cu in the workshop, the intermediate is there to isolate the swa feed and workshop and of course to terminated the swa at the head end.

At my last house the electrician did the same except he had both house and workshop cu fed off the switched side of the intermediate 100adp switch. Bit different to what im asking.

 

[Sharpend]

Avo are you suggesting 2 x 16mm or even 25mm into the top of the main switch on a CU?

Why not just change the CU for a slightly larger one then take the feed to workshop of a separate MCB/RCBO?? (depending on design calcs and requirements of workshop)

 

[steptoe]

is there a main isolator in place?

there should be ONE switch for isolating the entire install, I think that is what Zee is getting at,

so instead of fitting a REC2, fit a REC4 with the incoming linked out to provide 2 outputs.

 

[Zeespark]

Thats what I was getting at thanks Steps

AndyGuinness

 

[Avo]

is there a main isolator in place?there should be ONE switch for isolating the entire install, I think that is what Zee is getting at,

so instead of fitting a REC2, fit a REC4 with the incoming linked out to provide 2 outputs.

Yes, one main isolator.

What the hells a rec4?

4 pole? Wait, i see, wylex rec4.

The last electricians were sticking 16mm tails along with thick t&e into the same terminals on the mcb rather than use two mcbs. It was a mess.

 

[steptoe]

yes, 4pole, link out the incoming side with some busbar to 2terminals for L&N then you have 2xL and 2xN output.

 

[Sharpend]

Hi,but wire the tails and house cu feed into the permanent live terminals

Thanks

Danny

This isn't sounding much different??

 

[ProDave]

I share others concern about lack of one isolator.

I also have a big concern about using a 63A DP switch as a (potentially) 100A junction box. If I were going to persist with that idea, I think the intermediate CU needs a 100A isolator, at least that way you know the terminals are large enough to take 100A (a 100A isolator is only

 

[Avo]

This isn't sounding much different??

No well, it isnt.

Its like that now but wasnt sure whether its acceptable.

The house cu feed is off t&e, not sure of the thickness but its thick.

The stuff i bought to link main isolator to intermediate cu is 25mm. But i managed to get both in the top of the intermediate main switch.

That way just the workshop and feed gets switched off leaving the house cu on.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 22:43 ---------- Previous post was made at 22:40 ----------

I share others concern about lack of one isolator.I also have a big concern about using a 63A DP switch as a (potentially) 100A junction box. If I were going to persist with that idea, I think the intermediate CU needs a 100A isolator, at least that way you know the terminals are large enough to take 100A (a 100A isolator is only

 

[steptoe]

The house cu feed is off t&e, not sure of the thickness but its thick

not getting on one here,

but with a statement like that are you really competent enough to be doing this?

surely you should be able to recognise a cable size (of this size at least) fairly easily if you know what you are doing?

I could almost understand 1.0 vs 1.5 or metric vs imp, but to simple describe a cable as 'thick' beggars belief from someone proposing changing switching arrangements and adding isolators around, not to mention outside supplies and garages.

headbang

 

[Avo]

not getting on one here,but with a statement like that are you really competent enough to be doing this?

surely you should be able to recognise a cable size (of this size at least) fairly easily if you know what you are doing?

I could almost understand 1.0 vs 1.5 or metric vs imp, but to simple describe a cable as 'thick' beggars belief from someone proposing changing switching arrangements and adding isolators around, not to mention outside supplies and garages.

headbang

Lol 6mm. Its late and im tired.

In all honesty if electricians are typical of what ive seen, then no one can comment on my work.

I might have questions, but im not incompetent. I could have left in the two 2.5 t&e wires underground in conduit, instead i pulled it out and installed 20 meters of 6mm2 4core and unnecessarily doubled up on the grounding. I could have bought crap gear but its mainly all mk except for this metal wylex cu for easier termination of the swa. each circuit except for lights and alarm/fire panel is on rcbos, all data/signal wires have been kept apart throughout. My work is better than aforementioned qualified electricians, and there has been a few.

Rant over.

 

[steptoe]

MK not all that IMHO, not these days anyway.

6mm isnt big, ! I honestly thought you were talking about 16 or 25mm cable at least! and a few on here would call that small!

the other thing you need to remember is that having a piece of paper isnt the same as being an electrician.

 

[Sharpend]

Is it me or is anyone else getting confused with this thread?? Where did the 2.5mm come from, where did the other sparks come from? In your first post it sounds as though you are asking if you can link the two CU's via the incoming side of one switch, now we have others have done it with 2.5mm and you want to do it with 6mm???

Please describe exactly what you have as my minds eye feels like its been on the bottle?? :Y

 

[Avo]

MK not all that IMHO, not these days anyway. 6mm isnt big, ! I honestly thought you were talking about 16 or 25mm cable at least! and a few on here would call that small!

the other thing you need to remember is that having a piece of paper isnt the same as being an electrician.

When you usually deal with 1/1.5/2.5 t&e then 6mm is big.

Read properly thats 16 & 25 tails, standard arent they!

Mk is far better than much of the sh*t at screwfix and the like, it certainly has nothing wrong with it and there is much worse.

I agree, knowing and doing are two different things, and you need to be able to do both reasonably well to be a safe and competent electrician. But just because i have no paperwork doesn't mean my work is crap. And just like every certified electrician, i am allowed to learn also, hence my visit here.

 

[Sharpend]

I agree, knowing and doing are two different things, and you need to be able to do both reasonably well to be a safe and competent electrician. But just because i have no paperwork doesn't mean my work is crap. And just like every certified electrician, i am allowed to learn also, hence my visit here.

Quite right, however your work may look good but is it compliant? Do you have enough technical knowledge to back up your good looking install? Do you understand design criteria? Do you undersatnd how to interpret the test results to know what is going on in the install?

So please feel free to learn but please for your own sake attach yourself to a more experienced spark so to develop your knowledge.

 

[steptoe]

Avo, Im not having a go at you, not exactly,

but a few things come to mind here,

A you shouldnt be doing what you are doing, you are not qualified to do it

B you shouldnt be doing what you are doing, you are not competent enough to do it

if you disagree with any of those two statements then

A you have stated you dont have any qualifications as you are still learning

B you are asking very basic questions about how to do it

BTW, I never said your work was crap, but 6mm still isnt a big cable, DI or not, wait till you start using 16mm T&E, or 35mm tails, you will find 6mm a blessing.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Lol 6mm. Its late and im tired.In all honesty if electricians are typical of what ive seen, then no one can comment on my work.

I might have questions, but im not incompetent. I could have left in the two 2.5 t&e wires underground in conduit, instead i pulled it out and installed 20 meters of 6mm2 4core and unnecessarily doubled up on the grounding. I could have bought crap gear but its mainly all mk except for this metal wylex cu for easier termination of the swa. each circuit except for lights and alarm/fire panel is on rcbos, all data/signal wires have been kept apart throughout. My work is better than aforementioned qualified electricians, and there has been a few.

Rant over.

Not withstanding the fact that you haven't got a clue what to do and you need to ask forum??

Who or how are you notifying this work???

or are you not?

Any person competent enough to work on splitting tails would not be asking the questions you are asking..

I agree there are some carp people who claim to be electricians.... often 5WW!!!

But most of these would not be out of place in a western with John Wayne!!!

Its late and you are tired is irrelevant...

It is quite often late when I get time to come on here after a days work and doing a bit of admin sorting tomorrows job out or paperwork to complete todays invoice etc..

But I can still use the correct terminology and identify what cables are used on an installation!

If you seriously think other "qualified electricians" you have use are that bad...

Report them to their scheme membership complaints procedure!!

Or were they just ..

back door cheapo sparks who you were using to get job done on the cheap????

The concepts you are trying to figure out are BASIC easy stuff for a competent person..

that is a "FACT"

So by simple deduction you are not competent no mater how good you think you are!

Sorry if that sound harsh..

But you Honestly do need to get some professional to come and advise you the best way to connect up your supplies safely.

:x :C

 

[Avo]

Avo, Im not having a go at you, not exactly,but a few things come to mind here,

A you shouldnt be doing what you are doing, you are not qualified to do it

B you shouldnt be doing what you are doing, you are not competent enough to do it

if you disagree with any of those two statements then

A you have stated you dont have any qualifications as you are still learning

B you are asking very basic questions about how to do it

BTW, I never said your work was crap, but 6mm still isnt a big cable, DI or not, wait till you start using 16mm T&E, or 35mm tails, you will find 6mm a blessing.

I wasnt asking basic questions how to do it, i was asking if it was acceptable, meaning For regulatory reasons. Furthermore, if what i had done was not acceptable, then also up for debate is whether or not the last qualified electrician is stereotypical of electricians in general. It would be easy to think so, but i know thats tosh, just like i know that my work is more than satisfactory.

I might not know the exact formulas, but most is common sense, and when uncertainty prevails, ask.

Though frankly I'm uncertain as to why a public forum is, well public, shouldnt you be spending your time honouring all the lesser electricians with your presence in the trade only forums?