Recessing consumer unit

whosedaddy?

Hi,
I have a newly fitted consumer unit.
Now that its in, it protrudes much more than expected.
Could that be recessed into the stud wall - from a regs point of view?
Or would you need a special CU?

Cut plasterboard around CU, fit recessed baton between studs, screw CU to batons. all wires are fed into the CU from the top and there would be enough slack to reposition.. It would still protrude a couple of cm, but not the 15cm as present.

But I'm sure there are some rules...
And just to be clear, i'm not intending to do this myself, but looking guidance whether to even bother and try getting the sparky back who fitted it..

/WD

meercat

There are recessed distribution boards available. Your rec will advise

whosedaddy?

But that means rewiring the entire distribution board, which is not what i had in mind..
We didn't spot until it was all in.. and when I asked him originally, all he said was now too late as all wires are cut to fit. he didn't volunteer any info on alternative boards.. at the time he just wanted project over and move to next.

meercat

It’s never too late.

Your current set up looks ugly imho. That distribution board looks like it should be partially flushed too. There should be enough slack to replace a flush fitting board.
Perhaps he didn’t want to or was afraid to charge to for the extra work involved. I’d ask him to come back as another contractor wouldn’t be likely to do it on such a new installation.has he provided a certificate and test records.

Risteard81

meercat wrote: »

has he provided a certificate and test records.

Neither Cert No. 1 nor Cert No. 2 requires a TRS to be provided to the customer. This is only the case with Cert No. 3 and therefore I wouldn't expect that a TRS was provided to the client. The contractor is likely to have the only copy of this and justifiably so.

listermint

That's a horrible job. And yes is meant to be recessed. That's a recess box.

Horrible. Bit of pride seems to be lost

2011

Looks rough alright.

meercat

Risteard81 wrote: »

Neither Cert No. 1 nor Cert No. 2 requires a TRS to be provided to the customer. This is only the case with Cert No. 3 and therefore I wouldn't expect that a TRS was provided to the client. The contractor is likely to have the only copy of this and justifiably so.

While a TRS is not currently a requirement ,it would be good practice to leave it in a clear pouch inside the consumer unit door. It’s already filled out and the rec would also have a carbon copy.

whosedaddy?

Thanks guys..
I still have to pay for some of the extra work on the project, maybe that will get him back to do a neater finish. (also checked the original plans last night and in there its listed as recessed CU.. so he didn't actually do what was asked originally.
lets see if it works out..

meercat

Did you move the esb meter that you asked about a while ago?

whosedaddy?

hi meercat.
I did yes. internal move from one room to another location was not a problem.
ESB guys said that its not preferred, but they couldn't make us put it outside.. Got one of the new smart meter ..

meercat

whosedaddy? wrote: »

hi meercat.
I did yes. internal move from one room to another location was not a problem.
ESB guys said that its not preferred, but they couldn't make us put it outside.. Got one of the new smart meter ..

Great stuff

monseiur

While you're at it, raise it up closer to the ceiling and you'll have the added advantage of gaining loads of extra slack in cables etc. so your sparks will not that excuse ..........unless of course there's some obscure regulation that says there has to a minimum gap between it and the ceiling !
M

2011

monseiur wrote: »

.........unless of course there's some obscure regulation that says there has to a minimum gap between it and the ceiling !
M

There kind of is. There is a maximum permissible height for a wall mounted distribution board. Don’t know what it is off hand, but it is disappointingly low

Risteard81

2011 wrote: »

There kind of is. There is a maximum permissible height for a wall mounted distribution board. Don’t know what it is off hand, but it is disappointingly low

It's 2.25m - that's hardly disappointingly low.

Why on earth would any sane person want it higher?

2011

Risteard81 wrote: »

It's 2.25m - that's hardly disappointingly low.

Thanks.

Why on earth would any sane person want it higher?

I rather have it more out of reach of young children. Most distribution boards were mounted higher by RECs prior to this regulation.

Risteard81

2011 wrote: »

Risteard81 wrote: »

It's 2.25m - that's hardly disappointingly low.

Thanks.

Why on earth would any sane person want it higher?

I rather have it more out of reach of young children. Most distribution boards were mounted higher by RECs prior to this regulation.

Yes they were generally mounted higher, but was that really sensible?

listermint

Risteard81 wrote: »

Yes they were generally mounted higher, but was that really sensible?

Why not ? Because it's one more step on a ladder ?

Regulations don't always make the most sense.

Risteard81

listermint wrote: »

Risteard81 wrote: »

Yes they were generally mounted higher, but was that really sensible?

Why not ? Because it's one more step on a ladder ?

Regulations don't always make the most sense.

Why should someone fumble around in the dark for steps when the lights go out? Not sensible.

listermint

Risteard81 wrote: »

Why should someone fumble around in the dark for steps when the lights go out? Not sensible.

Because I don't know most people still can't reach it at the regulation max anyway and stand on kitchen chairs

So are you saying we should just lower it altogether..

Sensible regulations....

2011

+1

I think that we have to get away from thinking that every regulation is for the best. As professionals working in the electrical industry it is good to express our opinions even if they are at odds with the regulations. In fact thy is precisely what the NSAI are encouraging at present in relation to IS10101.

Risteard81

The reality is a height restriction is inherently sensible. In the north it is common for DBs to be in a cabinet at low level and the reality is that there isn't a problem with weans (kids) playing with them. I have no objection to mounting them higher (architrave height is good) but tight to the ceiling is just plain daft and always was.

2011

Risteard81 wrote: »

The reality is a height restriction is inherently sensible.

In your opinion.
Not everyone agrees.

antiskeptic

Risteard81 wrote: »

Why should someone fumble around in the dark for steps when the lights go out? Not sensible.

Don't they just grab a stick and tip the switch back up like I do?

Bruthal

antiskeptic wrote: »

Don't they just grab a stick and tip the switch back up like I do?

They turn on their phone light, then proceed with their chosen method to check the DB.

listermint

Bruthal wrote: »

They turn on their phone light, then proceed with their chosen method to check the DB.

No no they feel around in the dark and when they go to get a ladder they die in a ladder explosion

Bruthal

listermint wrote: »

No no they feel around in the dark and when they go to get a ladder they die in a ladder explosion

Exploding ladders are banned now:)

Risteard81

Say what you like, but the fact remains that sticking a DB up on the ceiling poses a risk to someone climbing a ladder (or more likely standing on a chair) in the dark to try resetting it before calling an Electrician in.

It is horrendous practise sticking them on the ceiling for this reason, and that is why it is prohibited by the Wiring Rules (and rightly so).

This has nothing to do with assuming all Rule changes are great - it seems more like people assuming that the old ways are always best despite all the evidence which demonstrates clearly that it was never a good way of doing things.

As I have pointed out you will find the average DB in the north much, much lower and there aren't piles of dead babies on the floor around them.

Bruthal

Risteard81 wrote: »

As I have pointed out you will find the average DB in the north much, much lower and there aren't piles of dead babies on the floor around them.

Meanwhile, the DB ladder body count rises.

meercat

Bruthal wrote: »

Meanwhile, the DB ladder body count rises.

Thanks, made me laugh

Rc3

Mounting MCB boards up to celling was always a crazy way to install DB thankfully they are now being installed at sensible height eye level.