Consumer Unit

[scuzzle]

Hi DIYers,

I want to change my consumer unit for one with resetable fuses and an RCD main switch. At the moment its an old rewireable fuse one.

My main concern is for the shower which has no RCD protection. I could get a separate RCD unit to fit on the shower feed but I would rather replace the consumer unit with a modern one.

I would need to break the seal on the main fuse (80A I think) in order to replace the unit. Is this allowed?

Scuzle.

[Vass]

I bought a complete new consumer unit with 10 switches including one for the shower from ebay £ 50 Electrician fitted for me last week. sorted !

for example

[Barney]

Not really 'allowed', but many do it. Best to ask your supplier to fit a service switch - which most do free of charge.

[BigWallop]

You can remove the seal of the main head end fuse, then ask your supplier to check and re-seal it after you have the work. You may find, depending on which part of the country you're in, that this type of work comes under the new Part P amendments, and must be certificated by a registered electrician, or their company, for future reference to buyers.

Check with your local building control people first, but it is OK to break the seal on the main head end fuse holder. It is also OK to remove the seals on the cover, and it is the cover only, of the meter to repair or replace the supply tails to the new consumer unit.

[Andrew Gabriel]

You need to ask your supplier what their view of this is. Strictly it is illegal without their permission. Many suppliers would much rather you did this than work with live meter tails. Some will tell you to break the seal, others will break it for you and come and reseal a few hours later. Some may refuse to reconnect without you having an electrician on site to perform in Inspection an Test before they will leave it reconnected.

If you have space to have both the old and new CU installed, what you can do is to temporarily feed the new CU from the highest current way on the old CU, and then move all the circuits across. Be careful you don't exceed the rating of that fuseway which might mean not using your electric shower and limiting use of other high current equipment. Then have the electricity company come and move the tails across from the old CU to the new CU, with minimal 'downtime'.

Only if the meter has a separate cover for your meter tails. If it only has a single connection cover for both sets of tails (as is the case with most meters), breaking that seal is supposed to be viewed very seriously as an attempt to bypass the meter.

[scuzzle]

Thanks for all your replies. Seems to be a bit of a grey area, I will contact my supplier.

Is Part P only enforced in some areas of the country then?

Scuzzle