Metal Consumer Unit but with plastic window Compliant? WYLEX NHRS44206

[DICEGEORGE]

I have bought a Metal Consumer Unit but with a plastic window , is this against the regs as the window could melt?

WYLEX NHRS44206

Could I legalise it by building a metal meter cupboard door in front of it?

or must I strip the RCDs and MCBs out and buy a new metal box for them?

I have notified the local council of this work (and paid a fee)

[george]

[Andy Burns]

When did the work/building notice start?

[DICEGEORGE]

The Building notice started five or more years ago. Red un-amended regs i think, but i want to follow third amendment as much as possible, I have bought a yellow on-site guide. [george]

[Andy Burns]

The non-combustible enclosure 3rd amendment only came in Jan 2016, so you shouldn't have to junk the C/U unless you want to, the regs don't specify what non-combustible means other than non-ferrous metal ...

[Mike Humphrey]

You can get a repalcement front cover to upgrade the NH units to the same front as the NM series - see page 11 of

I think yours is a 16 module so you need a NH16/MCLA255G.

Mike

[DICEGEORGE]

THANKS MIKE H !

[Brian Gaff]

Does this not seem a little bit like overkill, OK unfortunate term, but chances are most of the existing wires are PVC sleeved in any case. I can remember looking at some gear in an industrial switch room and the little, and some larger windows in the covers seemed to be made of a kind on Mica or so I was informed.

Brian

[Tim Watts]

You are not obliged to work to anything except the regs in force at design time/when the work started.

So yes, it is absolutely compliant.

The whole point of the "non combustible" bit was the London Fire Brigade lobbying due to cabling coming down in a fire and physically hampering fire crews by ending up stringing itself across a doorway.

But if you are worried that the CU is near flammable things (eg under the stairs), box it in with a fire resistant cupboard - metal, treated fire resistant ply, anything really.

[damduck-egg]

It was a combination of fire brigades who lobbied but the incident that finally triggered action was in Hampshire.

G.Harman

[Andrew Gabriel]

That's a different issue.

The metal CU change was caused by a number of plastic CU's catching fire in homes, when installed in the cupboard under the stairs. This often cut off the stairway escape route before it could be used, not to mention that most such cupboards are full of flammable things too. Also, newer plastic CU's had dropped in standard over the years, and were much more easily ignited than those many years old.

In all cases, the cause was bad workmanship (such as terminals not tightened), and in all cases, by electricians (fortunately not DIY or that would surely have been jumped on).

This was a known issue in the trade as early as 2000, when I replaced my parents' CU under the stairs and looked for an industrial metal one. However, it got much worse over the following decade as lots of new cheap plastic CU were being fitted, combined with poor workmanship.

[ARW]

I would suggest that the terminals on a CU should be tightened/tested within 12 months of fitting, and then at the 10 year inspection that we all have done!