Critical Feedback recent Consumer unit install Please.

[MrShine94]

Hi, I would like to know how I could improve on this board. All opinions

welcome.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Yeah make it more tidy. Lol.

 

[Des 56]

Hello MrShine94
From my perspective and at first glance the terminations other than the Live of the bottom 16A Rcbo ,they look very neat

Is the board spaced out from the Plyboard ? the cables seem to have been squashed between the unit and the Ply

 

[buzzlightyear]

Begging qestion where is the big tails from meter or is it a trial run .

 

[Devonchris]

Have those fly leads been shortened?

 

[Andy78]

Could be significantly improved by it not being made by Proteus.

How are the cables managed outside of the board ? Looks like they are just draped across the wall.

 

[drzsta]

I personally like to leave more length on the conductors for future DB changes.

 

[westward10]

Invest in some serrated grommet strip it stays in place better. What is the 40A device with the 6mm doing.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Agree with above, it would be good to have a service loop of slack in the CPCs, as there is in the L & N. If one of the top circuits in the earth bar needs reterminating after it has been removed for testing or rearrangement of circuits following an alteration, there's hardly any slack available.

 

[The Ghost]

Heat shrink earth on the box earth. Shorten the earths in the terminals so they are not all poking out on the other side of the terminal. There is one neutral fly lead from the RCBO around the middle that looks like it needs moving up slightly in the terminal. The T&E coming through the back should have been stripped using an electricians knife not ripping out the earth. Cut off the unused bus bar live unless there are more RCBO's to go on. I assume the bus bar (live) cover is going to go on when you are finished? I would try to achieve a straighter line on the neutral fly leads from the RCBO's rather than them all sweeping in as they do. Apart from that lovely!

 

[Shoei]

That's seriously tidy work, the only thing I'd think about is whether the CU back openings on a wooden board could compromise the fire enclosure. It's a grey area but if it were in my house I'd want any material completing the enclosure to have a reasonable fire rating.

There's some chat about it on the voltimum site here. In reality it's unlikely ever to be an issue, but worth a thought.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - all the above and my things are
- external cabling to CU needs support.
- don’t forget to hoover .

 

[marconi]

Number the cables and conductors and provide an identification and purpose list.

 

[suffolkspark]

Havnt we seen this photo before?

 

[rsgaz]

serrated grommet strip

Crenellated grommet strip, dang it!!

 

[Wilko]

Crenellated grommet strip, dang it!!

I learnt a new word .

 

[Dustydazzler]

Is it just me...or is the bus bar at the bottom awfully close to the base of the consumers unit

It almost looks like it is touching or at best a smoke paper away from touching

 

[Jon Bateson]

It’s not finished, repost when it’s all complete

 

[Charlie_]

Why 2 separate feeds?
Is it all on 1 phase?
The main problem you have is the very poor lay out of the panel..
You would have done better yourself building one from scratch..

 

[westward10]

Dual tariff.

 

[Charlie_]

With dual tariff over there, do you have 2 separate meters?
Or does it depend on the DNOs?

 

[Jon Bateson]

Sometimes two meters or a single meter with timed extra live output

 

[Jon Bateson]

Sorry line

 

[buzzlightyear]

looking at that c/unit there is a lot of juice being pulled ,what are the tails may I ask .

 

[MrShine94]

Hello MrShine94
From my perspective and at first glance the terminations other than the Live of the bottom 16A Rcbo ,they look very neat

Is the board spaced out from the Plyboard ? the cables seem to have been squashed between the unit and the Ply

Board is being boxed in and have used some 2 by 1 to bring the board more forward

 

[MrShine94]

Have those fly leads been shortened?

No they have not been shortened just tucked behind

 

[MrShine94]

Crenellated grommet strip, dang it!!

Yes I could do with some of that current grommet strip is rubbish having to tape it on

 

[MrShine94]

Could be significantly improved by it not being made by Proteus.

How are the cables managed outside of the board ? Looks like they are just draped across the wall.

everything is being boxed in

 

[MrShine94]

Havnt we seen this photo before?

That was a previous board from same site

 

[magnoliafan89]

Do the main tails and main earth enter the same point?

 

[Andy78]

looking at that c/unit there is a lot of juice being pulled ,what are the tails may I ask .

There's no need for that language !

 

[MrShine94]

Do the main tails and main earth enter the same point?

Main earth enters through a RPG.

 

[Spoon]

Main earth enters through a RPG.

Using a Rocket Propelled Grenade to make a hole for the main earth is a bit extreme...

 

[magnoliafan89]

Main earth enters through a RPG.

A what??

 

[buzzlightyear]

Using a Rocket Propelled Grenade to make a hole from the main house is a bit extreme...

lol.

 

[Wilko]

Rockets and artillery are really better used outdoors, I find.

 

[magnoliafan89]

Im still struggling to see if the tails and the earth come through the same entry point

 

[Jon Bateson]

Do the main tails and main earth enter the same point?

Why ?

 

[westward10]

It is a four-core swa glanded to the top of the enclosure.

 

[The Ghost]

better used outdoors

Mind you, they are stunningly effective indoors also!

 

[Dave OCD]

MrShine, regardless of the constructive criticism the quality of your board is in the top 10% and I've seen a lot. No one else advising you has posted pictures of their work as an example for you either. You'll find that as you do more you refine certain details but your work is good.

 

[magnoliafan89]

Why ?

Not that im suggesting he has. His board looks stunning and a good job. My experience is that 9 times out of 10 boards i come across that have the earth going through a different entry they also have thw main tails going through different entries to one another.

But in all fairness OP great job looks like you've actually taken pride

 

[Wilko]

Mind you, they are stunningly effective indoors also!

Ha. Reminds me of a certain training school where the instructor says “pay attention, I’m only going to show you this once ...”

 

[Jon Bateson]

Not that im suggesting he has. His board looks stunning and a good job. My experience is that 9 times out of 10 boards i come across that have the earth going through a different entry they also have thw main tails going through different entries to one another.

But in all fairness OP great job looks like you've actually taken pride

Earth can go through a different entry to the lines

 

[magnoliafan89]

Earth can go through a different entry to the lines

If u re read what i put i never say it cant...but simply ones that ive come across that do take the earth through a different entry point they also take the live through a different entry to the neutral. Its all there in my post.

 

[Jon Bateson]

If u re read what i put i never say it cant...but simply ones that ive come across that do take the earth through a different entry point they also take the live through a different entry to the neutral. Its all there in my post.

Bit irrelevant then really

 

[The Ghost]

521.5.1 Ferromagnetic enclosures: electromagnetic effects
The conductors of an AC circuit installed in a ferromagnetic enclosure shall be arranged so that all line conductors and the neutral conductor, if any, and the appropriate protective conductor are contained within the same enclosure.
Where such conductors enter a ferrous enclosure, they shall be arranged such that the conductors are only collectively surrounded by ferromagnetic material.

Not totally irrelevant @Jon Bateson as some take the above to mean the earth and line conductors should enter at the same point of a DB and there have been a few threads on here regarding this subject where it has been insisted that such must be done in installations by person ordering the work.

 

[telectrix]

Hi - all the above and my things are
- external cabling to CU needs support.
- don’t forget to hoover .

or henry.

 

[Jon Bateson]

521.5.1 Ferromagnetic enclosures: electromagnetic effects
The conductors of an AC circuit installed in a ferromagnetic enclosure shall be arranged so that all line conductors and the neutral conductor, if any, and the appropriate protective conductor are contained within the same enclosure.
Where such conductors enter a ferrous enclosure, they shall be arranged such that the conductors are only collectively surrounded by ferromagnetic material.

Not totally irrelevant @Jon Bateson as some take the above to mean the earth and line conductors should enter at the same point of a DB and there have been a few threads on here regarding this subject where it has been insisted that such must be done in installations by person ordering the work.

If you are going to quote a reg then at least use the third paragraph

 

[DPG]

You seem a friendly feller Jon.