Fuse Box

[porkchop]

I have an old style fuse box which houses the ceramic fuses with the little round glass window which shows the one which is blown.
If we were to change the box to the new type of fuse box can you give any brand names which may be suitable for domestic use. I may purchase the new box and then get an electrician's estimate to install it. If the electrician supplied the new box he may add to thetotal cost. Any advice would be welcome.

[Old_Geezer]

If you get an electrician to install it why not let them use their trade discount to buy the one they think is best quality ?

[Old_Geezer]

Ensure materials and labour are listed separately on the invoice.

[Captain2]

When I was in the surveying/building game Wylex were usually specified

http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-lighting/domestic-consumer-units/cat7230028?brand=wylex

[bookbinder]

My house has a Wylex box, which was installed by the house builders in 1994. It has switches, instead of ceramic fuses. If something blows, the appropriate switch is tripped, and I just have to push the switch back up (after having figured out where the problem is!). There is no fuse wire to fiddle with.

[KARL]

Trade discount works like "tax/duty free" at airports: The goods at the airport which (under the right circumstances) the shop does not pay tax/duty on are available cheaper off-airport and similarly the tradesman usually sells you at "list/recommended price" (i.e. full/highest price, or at least with a mark-up on what he pays) whatever he buys at a discount. The advice to get a quote separated into material supply and work is a good one.

The maker of casing for the circuit breakers is immaterial except that it must be the size you need to take the correct number of breakers and switch(es). You are very unlikely to come across anything but the German designed/standard circuit breakers which are now pretty universal, they are made by a variety of manufacturers and are very easily changed in the unlikely event that the need arises.

[The Builder]

Hager; Contactum; MK; Wylex; Crabtree; Legend; Proteus.

All industry standard units used by the trade. Let the electrician choose the ones he uses.

By all means get your own, but remember that you may have overlooked something, and get the wrong one. When testing your existing circuits, he may decide to change the rating of one or more breakers. They aren't expensive at all. The electrician will get exactly what is needed.

Also, under the latest 17th Edition Regulations, it should be a metal consumer unit rather than the plastic ones (fire regulations.)

[Ryzen]

porky.....let the contractor supply the distribution board as TB says he will be responsible for ordering the right breakers etc...but more importantly if you supply and there is an issue with the board further down the line you could be on your own.The guarantee given through part P and the registration company will not cover any parts supplied by the customer.

[neuron]

porkchop, I suggest you ignore the comment by Ryzen and go ahead and do as you wish in purchasing the new consumer unit. It's not rocket science because nowadays, consumer units come with a good selection of typical mcb's pre-installed along with suitable RCD's. The only thing that you need to check is if your consumer unit is split-load or not - check the two types on the Screwfix website. Should the electrician wish to modify the mcb ratings, it would be cheap enough as others have said and should cost no more than a tenner.

Part P does not stipulate that a consumer unit has to be obtained via the installer. In fact, when the installer has finished the job, you will receive an Electrical Installation certificate signed by the installer that the installation meets BS7671 and a Buildings Regulation Compliance Certificate confirming that the installation meets the requirements of the Building Regulations.

In essence, the certification process gives guarantees regarding the work done. It does not require the installer/electrician to physically purchase the stuff himself or herself. A metal consumer unit is a must to comply with current regulations.

A comment such as "(if) there is an issue with the board further down the line you could be on your own" is not the same as "Will be on your own" and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

[paul1763]

If it's just for convenience,you can just change the ceramic fuses for the trip switch type. I did this for mum after dad died due to a few ten mile calls to change a fuse because a bulb had gone or something like that and blew a fuse in the main box.

[RobNorth]

You should let the electrician do the whole job - they will know which is the best unit to fit, considering things like possible future capacity requirements and other stuff to which you are not privy and it's their job to know about. As for cost, my guess is that if they normally get say £400 out of the job, they will get it anyway, whether or not you supply the unit...

[Ryzen]

neuron... ;-)

[neuron]

RobNorth, an assessment of possible future capacity requirements does not fall within the remit of an electrician employed to change a ceramic fused consumer unit to one containing mcb's and rcd's. Such an assessment would only incur additional expense for porkchop along with him having to listen to the drawing of air through the teeth along with fictitious future scenarios, all with the sole aim of extracting further funds from porkchop.

Porkchop, i've got no idea what RobNorth refers to when he mentions that an electrician would essentially conceal from you certain information. If you are treated as if you do not deserve to be privy to that information, show the electrician the door. Do not allow yourself to be treated as an ignoramus without the capacity to understand these matters.

Finally, £400 quid out of such a job RobNorth? You've got to be joking. Try looking up the cost of a amendment 3 consumer unit and add in the hourly cost of a electrician. Doesn't look like you've replaced many recently.

[Ryzen]

So thats a pinch of salt for your advise too Rob!!....wheres Bright Spark when we need him?

[melv16]

Why not ask the electrician what he uses and go and buy his choice?

[neuron]

Ryzen, I'm curious as to why you feel the need for back-up from Bright Spark. You seem to imply when you use the word "we" that other posters may also require the back-up of Bright Spark. Can I assume from this that despite your answers regarding the question asked by porkchop, you have no real knowledge of Part P, nor the required practical experience to comply with it? Taking it a step further, do you have any knowledge of the wiring regulations whatsoever?

[neuron]

melv16, I suggest you read the remarks made by KARL before considering that asking the electrician what he/she would buy before starting the job. Asking the electrician will at a stroke eliminate the possibility of the electrician charging more for the consumer unit than he actually paid for it. It's popular nowadays to attribute the high cost of a tradesman doing the job to labour costs. Beware, RRP prices and typical DIY shed prices allow tradesmen to add a fair bit to the cost of a job when they have actually sourced the consumer unit from an electrical wholesaler at a substantially reduced price that you will never be privy too.

As I said earlier, a good fully populated modern consumer unit compliant with amendment 3 will meet all the requirements to replace a fused consumer unit and it will cost no more than a tenner to modify if absolutely necessary. It's pretty unlikely in most situations all the same.

[Ryzen]

neuron......me thinks you are getting a little over excited here.
As a nationwide contractor for over 25 years and a NICEIC AC QS I would consider my knowledge to be ok.That said we have several accounts with national wholesalers.We keep up to speed with all prices and demand the highest discounts.You may pay Screwfix prices but we wont.Even with 10% added we still command a better deal..so the customer benefits.IF there becomes an issue with the equipment fitted at a later date we will replace free of charge.However if you need to try and save what will amount to around a tenner at best then go ahead..but dont expect a quick response from me at 3 am when the RCD trips and you cant switch it back on. I think porkchop has been given his simple answer from other posters and myself... and its for him to decide.I you want to continue ranting and trying to look good then continue..but I suggest you stop taking the Screwfix catalogue to bed and get a life.

[neuron]

Ryzen, I have a life thank you. i'm grateful that you've enlightened us all with your qualifications. Me, I've also got a few years under my belt in these matters including advising NICEIC on specialist installations and earthing , lecturing in electrical installation and practice, a senate member of the IET and a few others I won't bore you with. My knowledge could reasonably also be taken as OK.

I cited Screwfix as it's a pretty comprehensive catalogue that porkchop could read to give him some guidance. The catalogue can readily be picked up in most major towns at Screwfix stores or ordered online if he so wished. He doesn't need a trade account to purchase and they'd be slightly cheaper than the DIY sheds. I could just as easily have recommended Toolstation.

Porkchop doesnt need the technical stuff available in CEF or Ednundson catalogues that contractors like you use and besides could not purchase one from them anyway. Even you should agree with this.

Demanding discounts does NOT mean that you pass on these savings to the customer. At the end of the day, if pushed, you will tell the customer the trade cost of the consumer unit. The customer has no means of establishing the veracity of the figure you give. You may be honest about the figure, but not all contractors are.

Your post says that you will replace faulty equipment. Is that equipment purchased by you or the client? Your earlier answer seems to contradict this.

I don't doubt you are part of a nationwide company but lets get real here. £400 quid for doing the job porkchop wants all in including a new consumer unit? No sign of you trying to reassure us that you could do it for that price. Clearly, your not handling the financial aspects of your installations.

Incidentally, my favourite bedtime reading are the CEF and Newey and Eyre catalogues. That way my company can provide an honest cost of an installation rather than increasing the equipment cost to slightly decrease the labour cost.

[neuron]

Where you got the idea that I pay Screwfix prices is beyond me Ryzen. I never said I did. Reading posts carefully is always helpful if you want to contribute or indeed, criticise a fellow poster.

[neuron]

Hey Ryzen, at 12:58 on 13 July, it seeems you need back-up from Bright Spark to support your argument, despite you being a nationwide contractor with over 25 years experience.

Let's be honest here and admit that if you really knew what you where talking about, you wouldn't need any back-up from anyone.