In preparation for an extension to my house, I wish to replace my
consumer unit (wired fuse type) with a larger one with spare ways for
the circuits in the extension. The CU replacement will be fairly
straightforward but I have a couple of items I wish to check first.


The power reaches the house by way of a long overhead cable, running
underground from the very last post to our house. Incoming is a fat
black cable which splits to two smaller but still fat cables running
into the company fuse and a henley(?) block.

From these two blocks I have fat red and black cables to the meter,
then same large red & black to a Chilton Current Operated Earth
Leakage Current Detector. Finally cables run from the ELCD to the
Consumer unit. A separate earth cable runs from the CU to an earth
spike. (I will replace this with a much fatter earth cable at the
same time as it looks a little thin to me)

I wish to have a split load CU, with the usual circuits on the RCD
side and lighting/freezer on the other side. Is this ok ? and do I
have to leave the ELCD in the circuit or can I connnect the new CU
direct to the meter ?

Finally I want to run separate RCD circuits to the shed (back garden)
and garage (front garden) from the spare ways in the CU. Should these
be on the RCD side or the other ?

LHW