You can resolve that issue with crimps very easily. I needed to install a much larger CU than the original and there was no space for it. Plus it was in an awkward place.
However I could fit a box of smaller size, so basically extended the cables from the old position to the new using crimps inside the box. THe main challenge is to make sure that the wires remain identified OK. You can buy numbered cable markers for this.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Yep. I've done this with my workshop circuits using two stacked CUs.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
My next problem could be the amount of cable I have to play with. The existing Wylex is mounted about 100 mm below the ceiling, with outgoing circuit cables all running upwards into a space where access would be, at the least, a real pain, and not a vast amount of slack inside the cu. The exact internal layout could be crucial :-(
Chris
I have a split load CU. Presently everything goes through the RCD but, as I said, I planned to feed the outbuildings directly from the non-RCD side of the CU into separate consumer units in the outbuildings with their own RCDs. Electrical installations are not my speciality but I cannot see how this would compromise safety in any way. After all the circuits would still all be RCD protected but would operate independently of the main house supply - ie if an appliance in the garage tripped the RCD in the CU only the garage supply would be cut off. If you are correct about the 100mA RCD being required on TT supplies (and I am not disagreeing - although it would mean that my supply doesn't conform at present) why is this? Surely a 30mA RCD gives greater protection?
On Sat, 3 Jul 2004 20:07:16 +0100, "Eco Warrior" strung together this:
As I said, (I think!), that is a better way of doing it but it was just the non-RCD bit I was querying, see below.
I think you may have misunderstood. The 30mA RCD is required for _all_ sockets powering outdoor equipment. The 100mA RCD is required on TT systems for _all_ circuits, lights, sockets and everything.
100mm below the ceiling with all the cables running upwards does not sound too bad. Mount the new box a little higher and you should have plenty of cable once you have dug it out of the plaster.
Adam
Do shop around. For some things TLC prices are fair, but for others very expensive.
If you can make the time, try to put a shopping list together and send it to several wholesalers like WF, Newey and Eyre etc. and ask for a quote. For anything more than about £100 this can be worthwhile.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Fortunately no plaster, as it is in the garage. The suggestion, in other posts, to use in-line crimps could well be useful. The problem is that in the existing CU some cores, notably earths, are cut a lot shorter than others. If the internal layout of the replacement CU is significantly different, I think the crimping tool will have to come into play. A few more items on the TLC shopping list I fear.
Chris
On Sat, 3 Jul 2004 23:27:20 +0100, "Adrian Chirgwin" strung together this:
Tenby or Legrand, they're both the same
And so do all the crap boards really, personally I'd rather put a decent board in and crimp the cables in it..
SNIP
Out of curiosity, why do you not like them? What is it that puts you off using them? Regards John
On Sun, 04 Jul 2004 10:01:10 GMT, "J" strung together this:
Legrand, Tenby. Too much of a PITA to assemble and build. MCB's slide up and down th DIN rail.
Vynckier\GE\Sector. Absolute crap, MCB's dont sit on the half DIN rail affair, main switch falls off if the tails are bigger than 6mm, jaggedy metal bits poking out every inside the board. MCBs won't stand up straight or fit at all and push the base\cover alignment out.
Moeller. Fall a long way short of being a decent board. Cheap though,
5+5 split c\w 10 MCB's for £50!
What about Contactum? (just about to fit a pair so I expect I am going to find out the hard way! ;-)
On Sun, 04 Jul 2004 17:24:53 +0100, John Rumm strung together this:
Cheaper end of the market, but one of the better cheap ones. I wouldn't complain too much at having to fit Contactum.
I fitten Contactum inside my own house, although it wasn't split load. I bought it because it had the cheapest Type B RCBOs I could find and came in large sizes (required as the RCBOs were double width).
It appeared to be well made and designed inside. No problems whatsoever fitting it.
Christian.
Although the regulations only ask for 30mA RCD protection on outdoor sockets (and a few other cases), it is still a good idea to provide 30mA RCD protection on almost all sockets. This provides additional indirect and direct protection against shock and fire. Leaving aside the whole installation TT RCD, some sockets should not be RCD protected. These are things like the fridge/freezer which will cause considerable inconvenience if tripped.
In my case, I current have 4 socket circuits, soon to be 6.
This would mean all but 4 sockets are RCD protected. The sockets in question are remotely switched and located directly behind their associated integrated appliances and couldn't possibly used for outside portable equipment.
Christian.
Jolly good. I went for the contactum because you can get single width RCBOs for them if required (TLC have them in their "web only" catalogue). As it happens I decided to go for a two CU solution in the end.
In case it is of any use I can also confirm that Hager and Contactum switches and MCBs etc. seem to interchange just fine.
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