Advice on safety of new Consumer Unit Install

[minorcamount]

Hi all, new to posting but been reading for years.

I inherited a house from my grandmother who passed in 2021, I intend to renovate and rent out, step by step, job by job as money allows.

Getting the property ready to rent has uncovered a fair few jobs needed to bring it out of the 1970's

I knew the electrics needed sorting so found an electrician via Check-a-trade website. He inspected wiring and said I just need an upgrade to the consumer unit. old system was 2 old bakalite cu's on day night mode I think it was called (2 different tariffs for day and night)

So he quoted and installed a single consumer unit dual rcds. 5 original circuits but I told him to disregard the shower as I would be installing a mixer tap shower .

Circuits now are, Cooker, Lights up & Lights Down on same breaker, Sockets Up and Sockets Down on separate breakers (He said their all radial circuits)

Now here comes the question as I don't think its safe.

He has installed the new consumer unit half on and half off the wooden board that the meter and main fuse are on.

Used 1 screw to fix it, the half of the consumer unit hanging off the wooden backing board there is a 30 to 35mm gap behind to the wall.

There is one screw in the bottom left into the board (I know, I took the cover off (I did safely isolate)) The CU is so unstable and wobbly.

He has had to move the CU approx 10 inch down and 14 inch to the right, so he has joined the wires above the ceiling to extend them by using junction boxes (Old bakalite types, so they must have already been there) They are free hanging between the joists under the bedroom floorboards which is just above the CU on the kitchen wall.

CU is installed at top of kitchen wall (2200mm from floor level, approx) so not accessible for kids to pull off wall or anything but it is still very loose.

There is no strip around the rear entry knockout and no fire barrier, just a large knockout with the several wires coming in.

Is this right? Safe? I need a EICR before I rent, will this even pass with those issues?

I can take photos and post them if you can't quite get what I mean.

Thanks in advance, I just want to be prepared in what I say when (if i should) call him back in to put it right.

Now, maybe the thing that should have rang alarm bells is he charged £250, is that too cheap?, I have had a glance on line and seen its usually £400 upwards.

I did as mentioned get him through check-a-trade so thought he would be reputable and everything, ultimately I want to know where I stand before contacting them and him.

thanks for the patience in reading this long winded post.

David

 

[swaRRR]

To be honest I couldn’t wait any longer myself so I’ve just nipped round to the house and pulled the floorboards (by hand) as he didn’t re fit them properly and to be honest I didn’t think it could get any worse

He had to extend the cables as they would not reach so everything your about to see is what he has done. They may be the original JBs but he has re used them and, Well. Here you go. Have a look

One of the JBs I couldn’t open because it’s so tort to the ceiling/floor plasterboard that there is no play to twist it enough to open the screw let alone move it. And this is how I found it so nothing secured all floating with bare circuits (al be it a dead old shower 6mm (doesn't look like 10mm, maybe 6mm so probably better i didnt have him re-connect it as it was running an 8.5kw shower). I asked him not to reconnect as we’re removing it for mixer shower off boiler)

I’m pretty upset to be honest. I know it was only £250 but I thought it would be done to at least a basic standard. I could have done that better if I was allowed, I’m not and he is and he has certificates telling people he is allowed to install that and why oh why oh why. Any way. Any Thoughts on the JBs?? (I say sarcastically), He couldn't even put any sleeving on the bare cpc's.

I did safely isolate before opening the JBs

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Shocking work. Just an FYI, 6mm is fine for an 8.5kw shower as long as the run isn't massive.

 

[littlespark]

I’m not condoning anything this charlatan has done, but a handwritten test certificate is just as acceptable as a computer generated one… it was the way things were always done not that long ago…. And it looks like he’s attempted to fill things in… some cowboys don’t even bother.

EIC versus EICR… yeh ok… a consumer unit change should be an EIC, but an EICR shows all the same information and is (wrongfully) demanded by letting agents rather than an EIC.

To think the guy never even had a bit of green/yellow sleeving in the van….



Repeating what others have said… being listed on check a trade, my builder, even the NAPIT or NICEIC websites does not guarantee competence… however these companies may claim.

The best place to find a reliable tradesman is, as it’s always been, word of mouth.
Even the ones on here, I can’t trust them as far as I can throw ‘em….

 

[Aaron b]

wow, this is shocking. It might be worth noting that the board is in the same configuration as is sold on Screwfix. If you have any photos of the original boards it might be useful to check if the circuits are on the correct size devices. Odd that they used a tails gland

 

[nicebutdim]

wow, this is shocking. It might be worth noting that the board is in the same configuration as is sold on Screwfix. If you have any photos of the original boards it might be useful to check if the circuits are on the correct size devices. Odd that they used a tails gland

Given that cables were extended, the board could be dressed in any configuration.

Why would you consider it odd that they brought the tails in through a gland?

 

[DPG]

Given that cables were extended, the board could be dressed in any configuration.

Why would you consider it odd that they brought the tails in through a gland?

I think he means it's surprisingly professional compared to the rest of the work.

 

[nicebutdim]

I think he means it's surprisingly professional compared to the rest of the work.

Started to think that after posting.

 

[Aaron b]

I think he means it's surprisingly professional compared to the rest of the work.

Yup exactly that. The glands are £7 on a £45 board.

 

[nicebutdim]

Yup exactly that. The glands are £7 on a £45 board.

Any ideas on what was done with the cables that were going to the contactor?

Missed those - they appear to be taped together and tucked alongside the meter.

 

[minorcamount]

He took the Proteus Heating Contactor, looked on CEF they're not cheap, did that belong to me or EON? the sticker said EON on it

 

[westward10]

He most definitely should not have taken it, it belonged to EON. Were the off peak circuits no longer required.

 

[minorcamount]

He most definitely should not have taken it, it belonged to EON. Were the off peak circuits no longer required.

No longer required, my grandmother had old storage heaters which I had removed and a full ch system installed so no further use of economy 7 or what ever they call it now, So I should ask him for it back in case EON 'come a calling'?

 

[minorcamount]

Is replacing that broken JB under the bedroom floor for say a new wiska box and wago connectors notifiable? Am I allowed to do it?

I've been around the building industry all my working life until disability laid me up, I am competent in doing it as long as its non notifiable. As said before, I am more competent than his attempt and if it was allowed I would have done a much better job than he did.

I won't touch it if its notifiable, just checking

 

[Dartlec]

Yup exactly that. The glands are £7 on a £45 board.

It's actually a £70 board, with Type A RCDs - he really went the extra mile

The gland confused me too - shows that some competence went into it, which makes the rest all the more baffling.

 

[Dartlec]

Is replacing that broken JB under the bedroom floor for say a new wiska box and wago connectors notifiable? Am I allowed to do it?

That work isn't notifiable no. Is that the circuit that is no longer needed, or is it planned to be reused for something in the future?

If it's 6mm, then Wago do 6mm lever connectors, but they are not suitable for use in their Wago boxes as a designated Maintenance Free box (for whatever reason) - Only the push fit Wago ones (773-173) are.

 

[minorcamount]

Te

That work isn't notifiable no. Is that the circuit that is no longer needed, or is it planned to be reused for something in the future?

If it's 6mm, then Wago do 6mm lever connectors, but they are not suitable for use in their Wago boxes as a designated Maintenance Free box (for whatever reason) - Only the push fit Wago ones (773-173) are.

There are 2 x 6mm circuits. one is bare and not terminated under the floorboards which was the old shower which I told him to leave out. I wont be re-suing it and will be ripping it out from the bathroom eventually. ( un-terminated 6mm shown in one of the images)

The other 6mm is the cooker circuit. Its roughly a 6 meter run from dp cooker switch up the wall to under landing floorboards through bedroom and down to that junction box just over the ceiling above the cu.

I thought 10mm was better for cooker? Now I know its 6mm I take it I should stay away from installing an induction hob when fitting the kitchen!

 

[swaRRR]

Te


There are 2 x 6mm circuits. one is bare and not terminated under the floorboards which was the old shower which I told him to leave out. I wont be re-suing it and will be ripping it out from the bathroom eventually. ( un-terminated 6mm shown in one of the images)

The other 6mm is the cooker circuit. Its roughly a 6 meter run from dp cooker switch up the wall to under landing floorboards through bedroom and down to that junction box just over the ceiling above the cu.

I thought 10mm was better for cooker? Now I know its 6mm I take it I should stay away from installing an induction hob when fitting the kitchen!

Unless the appliance is pulling over 47a, 6mm is fine.

Most induction hobs will be absolutely fine on 6mm. Some pull as little as 2kw.

 

[Dartlec]

Te


There are 2 x 6mm circuits. one is bare and not terminated under the floorboards which was the old shower which I told him to leave out. I wont be re-suing it and will be ripping it out from the bathroom eventually. ( un-terminated 6mm shown in one of the images)

The other 6mm is the cooker circuit. Its roughly a 6 meter run from dp cooker switch up the wall to under landing floorboards through bedroom and down to that junction box just over the ceiling above the cu.

I thought 10mm was better for cooker? Now I know its 6mm I take it I should stay away from installing an induction hob when fitting the kitchen!

The load a cable will safely take is dependent on the length, whether it goes through insulation, etc - but in this case the limiting factor is likely the 32A MCB that protects the circuit, which in theory gives you 7.36kW in total load.

However, some allowance is allowed for the actual demand, because every ring on the hob is unlikely to be on at full power, particularly at the same time as connected oven etc.

You may need to seek advice with specifics when the kitchen is done, but I doubt there would be much problem with fitting an induction hob, as long as it was not the 5 or 6 ring type!

Edit: swaRR got there first!

 

[ipf]

I’m not condoning anything this charlatan has done, but a handwritten test certificate is just as acceptable as a computer generated one… it was the way things were always done not that long ago…. And it looks like he’s attempted to fill things in… some cowboys don’t even bother.

EIC versus EICR… yeh ok… a consumer unit change should be an EIC, but an EICR shows all the same information and is (wrongfully) demanded by letting agents rather than an EIC.

To think the guy never even had a bit of green/yellow sleeving in the van….

I wonder what sort of van he had..........was there a horse pulling it?

 

[Dartlec]

I wonder what sort of van he had..........was there a horse pulling it?

A Reliant Supervan III, obviously! (very niche geek accuracy there...)

 

[ipf]

It's actually a £70 board, with Type A RCDs - he really went the extra mile

The gland confused me too - shows that some competence went into it, which makes the rest all the more baffling.

Probably nicked from work. I wonder if he's not qualified...just labouring with the day job. No way the to$$er's registered.

 

[UNG]

I’m not condoning anything this charlatan has done, but a handwritten test certificate is just as acceptable as a computer generated one… it was the way things were always done not that long ago…. And it looks like he’s attempted to fill things in… some cowboys don’t even bother.

There is handwritten and there is scrawl and the cert is definitely a piece of inaccurate scrawl

EIC versus EICR… yeh ok… a consumer unit change should be an EIC, but an EICR shows all the same information and is (wrongfully) demanded by letting agents rather than an EIC.

All down to education or more likely the lack of

To think the guy never even had a bit of green/yellow sleeving in the van….

He only charged £250 the sleeving was probably going to be an extra

Repeating what others have said… being listed on check a trade, my builder, even the NAPIT or NICEIC websites does not guarantee competence… however these companies may claim.

The way the NICEIC have gone in the last few years it amazes me they are still in business, it seems there are plenty of schemes and business lead companies not stepping up to the plate with proper vetting of those they allow on their registers and the electrical industry is embarassing itself by continuing to allow these outfits to operate

The best place to find a reliable tradesman is, as it’s always been, word of mouth.
Even the ones on here, I can’t trust them as far as I can throw ‘em….

Finding a reliable tradesman is very different to finding one with the skills and competencies to complete the job to a standard that meets the regs and looks like it has a professional finish

 

[ipf]

There is handwritten and there is scrawl and the cert is definitely a piece of inaccurate scrawl

All down to education or more likely the lack of

All your points, except the one regarding earth sleeving , have been regular topics on this forum for the last ten years, or more. Nothing is going to change, the infestation of our trade is too deep, as you know.
I think if they still did A, B and C certs there would now be a D cert......for all those short cutting the ABC's.
Plenty of these jokers don't even know their ABC.....but it don't matter, they're charging £250 for 3 hours of crap.

 

[Markyd]

Did the electrician offer you Surge or Arc fault protection, and as you are going to be letting the property you are going to need fire detectors.

Ha Ha are you having a laugh...looking at the pics he wont even know what they are

 

[Markyd]

My eyes are still bleeding from looking at those pics....Absolutely disgusting install, Tell the so called sparky that Screwfix which guaranteed is where he got the Consumer Unit from also sell rubbish bins and he should buy one then PUT ALL HIS TOOLS INTO IT

 

[swaRRR]

My eyes are still bleeding from looking at those pics....Absolutely disgusting install, Tell the so called sparky that Screwfix which guaranteed is where he got the Consumer Unit from also sell rubbish bins and he should buy one then PUT ALL HIS TOOLS INTO IT

Lol what's up with getting the unit from Screwfix? They're cheap.

Not saying you're doing this, but i always see those in the trade especially commercial sparks laughing at those who use Screwfix, but then go in CEF and pay 20% more for the exact same thing. I find it odd.

 

[pc1966]

Lol what's up with getting the unit from Screwfix? They're cheap.

It is just a shame they don't ask for evidence of competence if buying parts, like a CU, that are only ever for notifiable work.

 

[pc1966]

I thought 10mm was better for cooker? Now I know its 6mm I take it I should stay away from installing an induction hob when fitting the kitchen!

Others have already answered this as "it is fine" but the more detailed reason is for domestic cookers (not commercial kitchen!) the approved diversity calculation for the cable & supply protection rating is 10A plus 30% of remainder, or more detailed:

Required rating 10A + 0.3 * (load - 10A) + 5A if kettle socket present.

So a 32A MCB/RCBO along with 6mm cable is good to 10 + (32 - 15) / 0.3 for the cooker = 66A = 15kW cooker

Basically once a cooker gets up to temperature all of the elements cycle on/off to regulate things so the load drops dramatically, and domestic chefs are not in the habit of whacking everything on at once to pre-heat for the near continuous use that a commercial chef would have.

 

[littlespark]

It is just a shame they don't ask for evidence of competence if buying parts, like a CU, that are only ever for notifiable work.

Do electrical wholesalers in general ask if joe public comes in and pays cash?

It’s not just screwfix.

 

[Electro-tech]

I am giving BG the benefit of the doubt not a bad panel it does have a level built in !

 

[pc1966]

Do electrical wholesalers in general ask if joe public comes in and pays cash?

It’s not just screwfix.

No, but I guess Joe Public is not as likely to go in and ask as they are when they see them advertised on the walls of Toolstation and Screwfix.