Consumer Unit Replacement

[Dave]

I have an older Edwardian house. The present consumer unit is about 6 feet above floor level wired in pvc red/black, probably done in the 70s and added to in early 90s. Everything rings out fine. I want to replace the unit with a modern one containing MCBs and RCBs. I've been told that to comply with new regs I have to have the unit moved to be more accessible without step ladder. This causes a tremendous amount of work as the nearest place is about twelve feet away that is suitable probably requiring meter move and upheaval to other domestic items plus redecoration. Is this true that the regs require retrospective action, I thought that if the house had been wired to previous regs of the past that no retrospective application of requirements are enforced..

Thanks in anticipation.

Dave

[Scion]

Dave put finger to keyboard:

Retrospective requirements aren't enforced for existing installations.

Any new work must be up to current regs.

[Dave]

Thanks for reply.

Does this mean that the position of the consumer unit has to change if its replaced. Do you know wether this is electrical or building regs, and when did this particular item come into force that is position of consumer units.

[Andrew Gabriel]

This is Part M of the building regs. AFAIK, it only applies to new buildings, buildings that already conform, or if you are doing a substantial refit of an existing building.

However, you might want to imagine if you were to suddenly end up in a wheelchair for some unfortunate reason in a few years time, how you would reset an RCD.

[John Rumm]

There are no electrical regulations that require this. There is part M of the building regs, but the usual interpretation for an existing installation is that if you leave it no worse than it currently is, then that is acceptable.

[Tim Watts]

On Wednesday 19 February 2014 12:16 Dave wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Told by whom?

[Tim Watts]

On Wednesday 19 February 2014 12:38 Andrew Gabriel wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Not even the latter to my knowledge.

I have a new CU over a doorway because it is the only practical location (withing 3m of the meter outside).

No one including EDF and the BCO has complained and they've all seen it.

[Tim Watts]

On Wednesday 19 February 2014 12:33 Dave wrote in uk.d-i-y:

No.

[Dave]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies.

I read it on a "Ask an Experts Advice" Forum. Can't find it now, but the question was supposed to be put to a certified part p electrician.

As far as the wheel chair goes there's plenty of other problems in my house for access. If it did happen I think I'd have to move or spend more money than I have. It's not just wheelchairs that are the problem, anyone whose dodgy on there legs would find climbing step ladders difficult e.g. my wife. I think that there are plenty of properties like mine and I'll just have to meet the problems as they arise.At the moment I just don't want to spend a lot of money.

Dave

[cpvh]

t above floor level wired in pvc red/black, probably done in the 70s and ad ded to in early 90s. Everything rings out fine. I want to replace the unit with a modern one containing MCBs and RCBs. I've been told that to comply w ith new regs I have to have the unit moved to be more accessible without st ep ladder. This causes a tremendous amount of work as the nearest place is about twelve feet away that is suitable probably requiring meter move and u pheaval to other domestic items plus redecoration. Is this true that the re gs require retrospective action, I thought that if the house had been wired to previous regs of the past that no retrospective application of requirem ents are enforced.. Thanks in anticipation. Dave

My (elderly) In Laws place is owned by a Housing Association. The HA had i t rewired a few years ago, and took the opposite view. They put the CU 6 f oot up the wall to discourage old dears from fiddling.

Sounds like your Part P "Expert" was clueless.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That assumes all 'old dears' are clueless. And makes it more dangerous for them to reset a tripped RCD - or even kill the power in event of a fire or flood. So basically the idea of some jobsworth.

I could perhaps see some reason for that approach in sheltered housing where there is someone on call at all times.

[Martin Pentreath]

I've no doubt this is well-meant, but it has to one of the worst justificat ions ever! On this basis we should all be putting in accessible baths when we refit our bathrooms, updating to special phones for the hard-of-hearing when our mobile contracts expire and changing to orthopedic taps when they break down!

I'd rather wait until I decrepit and spend money on adjustments at that poi nt.

[Tim Watts]

On Wednesday 19 February 2014 15:00 Dave wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Then it was bollocks.

If your BCO said it, it's probably still bollocks but you will actually have to construct an informed argument.

[polygonum]

We might very well be fitting entirely the wrong things!

For example, partner always used to be towards the cold end of the scale. Good central heating would have seemed vital and summer was the best time of year. She now suffers severely if the temperature is even as high as 19C - and summer is a disaster zone. It would have been better to get A/C than CH!

(Yes - I know all about heating with A/C units.)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Usually when a CU is in a stupid place - like high up - it just means it was easiest for a lazy tradesman. I doubt anyone asks for it to be there.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Its not meant to be fiddled with by 'little fingers'

[Tim Watts]

On Thursday 20 February 2014 00:04 Dave Plowman (News) wrote in uk.d-i- y:

Mine used to be outside...

I believe over a doorway is fine - if I'm ever wheelchair bound, it will not be beyond my wit to reset the RCBOs with a little stick :)

Sometimes realworld constraints make certain things impractical.

[Roger Mills]

In the house where I grew up in the 1940's and 1950's the meter and re-wireable fuses were directly over the bath, enabling you to grab hold of them if you stood up in the bath!

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Most would box it in. And put a lock of some sort on it if you can't control your children.

[charles]

In our Village Hall, where the installation has beena dded to over the years, a couple of CU are out of arms reach, if you are at floor level. A suiyavle length of dowelling, kept nearby, is an excellent arm extension for resetting errant MCBs