Electrical: replace wired fuse CU with mcb's - mandatory?

[dave]

Just been talking to electrical contractors about CU work at a small flat. It has an 8 way and a (4 way CU for Econ 7). The condition of the wireing is good and the installation looks to have been well done. The cabling within the cu's is Red/Black with green/yellow sleeved earthing. The cabling has been run very neatly within the CU's. The contractor wants to replace them both with a new CU with mcb's - which is nice but the work is going to cost. I would like to see the elec. shower (only) on a separate CU with, say, RCBO., and just replace the existing wire fuse carriers with plugin mcb's. Contractor says words to effect that regulation not happy with that. I can see his point but do not know if it is mandatory?

If I can find the £££ I'll have the whole lot replaced - but is it really needed given the above? thanks.

[ARW]

may help you with what is required. I am a bit busy ATM to give more help so have a read and then post back any more questions.

[spuorgelgoog]

Didn't see your original.

IMHO there is not much safety advantage with MCBs over rewireables. Neither provide much protection against electric shock.

Replacing the rewireable fuses with plug in MCBs is pretty pointless and is probably going to cost more than a packaged bundle of CU + RCDs + MCBs whi ch are only about £50 or so (until January) as pre-Amendment 3 stock is s old off.

Adding a separate CU for the shower will require henley blocks and tails et c which adds to the cost and looks messy.

If the wiring is in good order throughout the flat then a CU swap should be fairly straightforward.

Owain

[Andy Burns]

Apart from the work the electrician is suggesting, what is the actual work you've asked to be done?

[tabbypurr]

I'm sure the contractor wants to be paid for as much as possible.

why?

What is his point, or to put it another way what exactly is the problem?

not normally

but is it

why?

there's nothing in what you say that leads me to conclude anything needs re placing. What problem are you looking to solve?

NT

[Mike Humphrey]

Except for the Economy 7. If there are 2 consumer units, it's probably using the supplier's timer to control the heating. Moving to a single consumer unit will require adding a timer, and possibly contactors depending how many heaters there are. The alternative is to replace the two consumer units with two new ones - though ideally there should be a single main switch to turn everything off, in this kind of installation it may not be easy to achieve.

Mike

[spuorgelgoog]

Dual incomer CUs for Eco 7 heating are available

Wylex 4-pole REC isolator switch across all the tails.

Owain

[Andrew Gabriel]

There's no requirement for a single main switch, although a label is required warning if there's more than one when this would not be expected (particularly if they are not located in the same place).