consumer unit location

[Mark]

Hi,

Done some searching on this newsgroup but was unable to find what I was looking for, didn't want to ask a question that has been asked before!

I need to move our CU to a new location in the kitchen as I'm putting in a new kitchen. At the moment it's in an upper cupboard, it can't stay there as there'll be a cooker hood there soon. Is there any rule about where it can be in the kitchen?

I'd like to put in a corner unit under the worktop - are there any problems with this that anyone can think of from a saftey point of view, mainly thinking about water.

Thanks Mark

[Lurch]

As long as it's not in water or next to the sink it can go pretty much anywhere. Just make sure you have sufficient access to it for those emergency requirements! An emergency light is always a good idea when fitting a CU in a cupboard. ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

[Mark]

Thanks, that was what I was hoping for, makes life so much easier.

Mark

[Christian McArdle]

However, there could be a problem. It is not usually allowed to have the meter tails more than 2 metres long, as the supplier doesn't like protecting part of your installation with their service fuse. If you need to have longer tails than this you need to install a switchfuse unit next to the meter with a suitable fuse (i.e. 60A or 100A, whatever your supply is rated for). A fuse is better than an MCB for this, as you don't really want it to blow before the circuit MCBs get a chance.

Christian.

[Lurch]

Go on then. In theory though you can get away with a bit more, I usually go on about 3m or just over. If you're going over this distance I would usually use a MEM 800KMF, (ask at your local wholesaler), with a 80A fuse on 25mm tails. ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Lurch wrote on Monday (16/02/2004) :

They will usually refuse to connect meter tails of excessive length, or if they tails are badly routed such as they might suffer damage.

[Mark]

That's where I'm lucky - moving the CU to where I want to makes it closer to the metre than it is at the moment - have to move the tails but that shouldn't be too hard.

Thanks for all the replies Mark

[Chris Oates]

Ask for a chair to sit on as they tell you the price

[Lurch]

Must admit they're not the cheapest, but then again 80A switch fuses aren't really. The reason I choose the MEM is the size, especially when siting them in meter cupboards. ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.