Consumer units with lots of bottom entry options, are there any?

[Chris Green]

My consumer unit move planning has hit a (minor) problem. I have bought a Havells all RCBO 16-way consumer unit and, while it looks fine, nearly all the cable entry knock-outs are in the top. I really need to have nearly all the cables entering at the bottom.

So, I could cut new holes in the bottom, or at the low edge of the back but it will be fairly messy and laborious.

Are there consumer units out there with the option of lots of bottom feed cables? If so what makes are they? I need it to be flush mount just to add to the confusion.

I can (fairly) easily return the Havells one if I can find something better, though I doubt if I'll match the price (£208 for fully populated 16 x RCBOs).

[Adrian Caspersz]

Search youtube for 'consumer unit'

Wylex?

I watch a lot of electrical videos....

[nothanks]

The MK Sentry CUs have knock-outs on the bottom, but why not use a chassis punch to make holes in the Havells box where you want them, or a jigsaw to make slots? There are partially RCBO-loaded MK CUs on eBay, as well as RCBOs, for sensible prices so you should be able to build whatever you need for not too much more than £208.

[Roger Hayter]

I'd just cut holes of the size and position I wanted with a narrow jigsaw blade. You can do rounded corners with a 1/2" drill and straight lines between them just the size you want. And line them with grommet strip, or cut 30mm grommets in my case. Take less time than sending it back.

[Chris Green]

A punch might well be the right solution, the Havells CU comes with sealing membranes for its holes so I only need to get the right size punch and I'll have all I need.

Yes, though one might not then have a properly conformant CU with mixed makes of devices.

[John Rumm]

A fine tooth metal blade in a jigsaw, and a bit of grommet strip can work wonders!

[nothanks]

There's no shortage of MK RCBOs, but an RCBO is an RCBO. Providing it fits correctly (not always easy to confirm without buying one) and has the right spec then there can't be a problem.

[tabbypurr]

Punches can distort surrounding metal severely. Beware of punches.

NT

[stephenten]

You may find you are able to turn the back box upside down relative to the front panel if you take out all the innards and turn them upside down and put it all back in?

The RCBOs and main switch all sit on a single din rail and the bus bar is held by all the RCBO bottom screw terminals. You may find that the neutral and earth bars will end up upside down if there is no corresponding mounting holes for them in the opposite corner

[ARW]

And glue on the grommet strip. I seldom use the knockouts when doing a CU swap and a long strip is better than 4 holes.

[charles]

Whar are called hole punches actually cut into the metal from both sides. I've never noticed severe distortoin. How about a "conecut" or similar drill. You can make a 20mm hole with one of these.

[Steve Walker]

Or a nibbler. A cheap, hand operated one would do for such a one-off job

- I managed to use one to cut the stainless-steel bonnet of my kit-cat in half along its whole length to insert a piano-hinge. It handily removed the right width of metal to allow the hinge pivot to fit between the halves without making the bonnet wider.

SteveW

[tabbypurr]

As I said, some do. BTDT.

That's the easiest option for diy, & much cheaper than a punch last time I looked.

NT

[harry]

Don't know your particular make but on many the cabinet can be inverted. ie all the guts taken out and fitted in the other way up. So check this first.

If not don't use metal punches, use a holesaw. Remove the guts to keep metal particles from getting into the MCBs etc.