consumer unit wiring

tom1ie

Hi all
I haven't wired a consumer unit in a few years now as im more into the 10kv switchgear end of things nowadays. The reason I say this is im currently re wiring the house and im gonna replace the consumer unit that is already there even though it has mcb's and an rcd. The unit that exists at the moment has an earth bar, neutral bar (for lights),and an rcd neutral bar (for sockets)

I went onto meteor electrical to buy a garo 3 rail board. When I enquired was the neutral bar split (as in a normal neutral for lights and an rcd protected neutral for your sockets) the guy said no, they don't come like that anymore.
If I choose the rcbo route wont that be more expensive?
The other alternative is just to put everything on the rcd, but I thought you weren't supposed to have lights and your immersion on your rcd?
Any help is greatly appreciated!

2011

Yes the RCBO route would be more expensive. Although this is the norm in industrial installations. My experience with Garo has been very negative. Poor quality budget components with terminals and enclosures that are too small. Go for a different make such as Hager is my advice.

.G.

Yeah I don't like Garo stuff either but I haven't seen a domestic board yet that didn't have a split neutral bar.Usually use GE one's,its a continuous plastic bar but the copper terminal bars inside the plastic are split into 2.

And the Immersion should be on the RCD

tom1ie

superg wrote: »

Yeah I don't like Garo stuff either but I haven't seen a domestic board yet that didn't have a split neutral bar.Usually use GE one's,its a continuous plastic bar but the copper terminal bars inside the plastic are split into 2.

And the Immersion should be on the RCD

Yeah I thought it strange that the neutral bar wasn't split in two! Thanks for all the help lads I might go for one of the other two makes ya suggested. Can you recommend a stockist online

gccrowley1

Immersion MUST be rcd protected..... And I never had issues with Garo.... The N will be one long plastic strip but will have 2 separate copper bars inside .....

IMHO I would go with the G26/7 on meteor elec and just add what ya need for particular installation...

tom1ie

yeah so if I get a db that is described as having an earth bar and a neutral bar it should be split anyway meaning I can do my original plan which was wiring the lights on my normal neutral bar and sockets and immersion on my rcd neutral. My electric shower will have its own rcd or rcbo as its over 5kw. As for the cooker ive been advised not to have it on the rcd side as its a fixed appliance and cookers can be leaky even when new, however others have said it should be on the rcd? Maybe ill put it on its own rcbo?

gccrowley1

tom1ie wrote: »

yeah so if I get a db that is described as having an earth bar and a neutral bar it should be split anyway meaning I can do my original plan which was wiring the lights on my normal neutral bar and sockets and immersion on my rcd neutral. My electric shower will have its own rcd or rcbo as its over 5kw. As for the cooker ive been advised not to have it on the rcd side as its a fixed appliance and cookers can be leaky even when new, however others have said it should be on the rcd? Maybe ill put it on its own rcbo?

Any DB for use in rep Ireland as stated on the garo one will have a main N and an RCD N.... Either both in a common plastic casing or completely seperate..... Defo shower on its own rcbo regardless of Kw , as now all water heaters have to have their own rcd/rcbo protected supply. ....... Cooker does not have to be on rcd and I think a seperate rcbo would be overkill..... I stand to be corrected but I think I am correct in line with regs......

gccrowley1

Just to clear up any confusion , when I say a water heater must have its own rcd/rcbo supply I mean if its an rcd protected circuit it must be the only thing on that particular mcb and if its on an rcbo well it going to be the only thing on it anyway ,presumably.... Ie: burco.

Bruthal

Rcbo,s on everything might eventually happen. Possibly even arc detection in them too for tripping circuits with bad connections.

mikehammer67

gccrowley1 wrote: »

Just to clear up any confusion , when I say a water heater must have its own rcd/rcbo supply I mean if its an rcd protected circuit it must be the only thing on that particular mcb and if its on an rcbo well it going to be the only thing on it anyway ,presumably.... Ie: burco.

circuits supplying water heating appliances shall be protected by a 30mA rcd

gccrowley1

mikehammer67 wrote: »

circuits supplying water heating appliances shall be protected by a 30mA rcd

That's the one.........

tom1ie

Bruthal wrote: »

Rcbo,s on everything might eventually happen. Possibly even arc detection in them too for tripping circuits with bad connections.

some difference in the price though! What harm with an rcd neutral bar and then separate rcbo for shower/water heater. Seems like good protection to me.