I would be grateful for some advice on the following matter of electrical safety: My consumer unit is in a cupboard in the hall and - as part of a house extension - I want to incorporate this area into an enlargement of the bathroom. Would it be permissable to leave the CU in its present position - which would then (obviously) become a cupboard in the bathroom?
I am not sure there is a rule against it, but if I were a BCO I would insist on its being removed.
Our 1950s place was built with a similar arrangement, even worse the "cupboard" "walls" are T+G. Possibly not the most sensible design ;) I'd move it if the supply company didn't want to charge such an extortionate price to do so...
Lee
"Farmer Giles" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:
As far as I am aware it could not be in zones 0, 1, or 2. Zone 3 would be ok if the cupboard had a suitable ingress protection rating.
troubleinstore Email address in posting is ficticious and is intended as spam trap Personal mail can be sent via website.
Actually as a BCO you'd have no authority to do so until next year. But as somebody with some common sense, I'd hope you'd at least advise the OP to move it !!
Adam
Provided the cupboard needs tools (i.e. a key or screwdriver) to open it, I believe it is OK. Any such area in a bathroom (even under the bath if so panelled) is considered outside the zones. The intention is to stop someone wet from the bath or shower operating electrical switchgear. You're unlikely to obtain the requisite tools and modify ring main circuits whilst still in the nod. At least, if you are prone to such endeavours, the Darwin award is likely to awarded more quickly through other equally novel means.
Christian.
I need fast and instant access to my consumer unit every time a ruddy bulb blows and it trips a lighting ring, or more rarely the overall RCD.
Yes, sometimes in the nude, and once, rather wet as well.
You've just given me a horrible image!
You really should install RCBOs and energy saving lightbulbs. I remember in the distant past the race to the consumer unit every half hour when a bulb blew from my parent's house. I don't get that dubious pleasure any more.
Christian.
Why fast? A bit of dark ain't going to do any harm if you don't rush around.
Bulbs usually blow as they are switched on which suggests there's someone else in the house who can reset the MCB while you stay in the bath.
And, of course, if it blew when you were in the bath and are going to reset it wet and nude anyway, then it is probably safer that the consumer unit is in the bathroom, as you won't fall down the stairs in the dark whilst locating it.
Christian.
Avtually, most of teh bulbs are LV tyopes and don't blow, and domn't trop wen they rarely do.
The killer is this ditzy lighting that She likes - candle bulbs everywehere, one a wekk in winter goes, and 50% take out something. Take yor pick between RCD. MCB, or the dimmer.
Now have uprated RCD and dimmers....
I haven't yet shown her how...
Oi'll give you that one Christian :-)
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