Consumer Unit Price
Installing a new consumer unit
Here is a guide to installation of a new consumer unit and
what should be considered before yothave any works carried out at your home. See this website for advice.
Why upgrade your consumer unit
There are many reasons to upgrade your consumer unit, maybe
your existing unit is of the old rewire able fuses type (and is giving you
constant headaches) or maybe you have a more modern type of consumer unit but
you have no RCD (Residual Current Device) protection present in your property –
more on that later. BS7671 IEE Wiring Regulations state ‘ where a consumer unit
is being replaced, additional protection by means of RCD’s should be provided
to the extent required by the current regulations BS7671.
What is a RCD
(Residual Current Device)?
An RCD, or residual
current device, is a life-saving device which is designed to prevent you from
getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live, such as a bare
wire. It can also provide some protection against electrical fires. RCDs offer
a level of personal protection that ordinary fuses and circuit-breakers cannot
provide.
Every year in the UK around 70 people die and 350,000 are injured as a
result of electrical accidents at home. A Government report also indicated that, each
year, about 4,000 fires caused by electricity in homes might have been
prevented if RCD protection had been fitted in the consumer unit. Despite
this, more than half of UK homes – that’s 13 million - don’t yet have any, or
an adequate level of, such additional protection.
RCD protection has
been mandatory on all newly installed circuits in England since 2008 (17th
edition wiring regulations).
Main earthing,
protective bonding conductors and tails
The person carrying out the installation must verify that:
· The main earthing terminal of the installation is connected to an adequate means of earthing via a suitably sized earthing conductor
· The main protective bonding conductor is adequate
· If any the above conditions are not met then the customer must be informed immediately that upgrading is required. If the customer refuses then the installer should not proceed with the installation of the consumer unit
· The main earthing terminal of the installation is connected to an adequate means of earthing via a suitably sized earthing conductor
· The main protective bonding conductor is adequate
· If any the above conditions are not met then the customer must be informed immediately that upgrading is required. If the customer refuses then the installer should not proceed with the installation of the consumer unit
Before carrying out
the work
Replacing a consumer unit in a domestic premised in England
or Wales is notifiable work with Building Regulations. Unless the work is
carried out by an installer able to self certify his/her own work and a member
of one of the various certification bodies ie NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA then local
building authority control must be notified before work begins.
Before carrying out the work the installer should encourage
the customer to have an electrical condition installation report carried out on
the whole of the existing wiring system at the property ascertain if there are
any immediate or potential dangers which could lead to unwanted tripping of an
RCD. The minimum the installer should carry out is:
·
Making enquiries with the customer if there are
any existing faults, defects or damage to any parts of the installation
·
A visual inspection of the existing wiring
system to check the type and condition of the installation wiring
·
A visual inspection of all external parts of the
wiring system that are accessible
·
A measurement of Ze (external earth fault loop
impedance)
·
A continuity test of CPC (circuit protective
conductor) and each circuit
·
An insulation resistance test of the whole
installation at the consumer unit between live conductors together and the CPC
connected to the main earthing terminal
If any immediate dangers or
faults which would cause tripping of an RCD are found then the customer must be
informed that remedial work is required to rectify such faults.
The remedial works could add
considerable cost to the install depending on the extent of work required; this
could include installation of new wiring.
Also the customer would have to
be aware of the damage that could be caused to decoration of the building
(unless wired surface in conduit, trunking etc) and this would have to be made
good.
Inspection and Testing
Once the installation of the
consumer unit is complete any additions or alterations need to be verified with
the requirements of BS7671 and an electrical installation certificate in
accordance with BS76761 listing all of the works carried out should be given to
the customer.
Costings
The price of a consumer unit
upgrade can vary depending on:
·
Size of consumer unit used ie 4 way or 10 way
·
Brand used ie Wylex, Hager, MK, Schneider
·
Amount of remedial work required
·
If exsiting wiring needs extending for example
Electricians in general I feel would
expect the average consumer unit upgrade to cost roughly in the region of
£350.00 to £450.00 and this would include a full electrical installation
certificate and notification to local authority building control.
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