Hello

We have a 1960s house that needs:

A new consumer unit to replace the old fusebox and possibly some other
electrical work

A new kitchen floor (once the woodworm underneath has been dealt with).
A repaired and skimmed kitchen ceiling.
A completely refitted kitchen to include moving the gas hob across the
kitchen.
A Partially rewired kitchen with separate unprotected circuit for freezer?

The kitchen will have to be stripped out before the work can be done and
we do not wish to be without the kitchen for months while different
contractors get around to doing their bits and I DIY some.

Looks like we will have to

a) get a specialist firm to do the woodworm.

b) bite the bullet and use a firm that can undertake all the kitchen work.

c) get a separate electrical contractor to do the consumer unit and any
other necessary work.

1) Any comments on how to tackle it? Consumer unit etc or kitchen rewire
first?

2) When the consumer unit is replaced and the kitchen is rewired just
how much of the other wiring has to be checked? Lighting circuits do
have earths and the sockets are rings with the odd spur. Have noticed
the gas supply is not earthed.

Thanks in anticipation. I have refitted a couple of kitchens over the
years but this is a bit more than I want to tackle.

Invisible Man coughed up some electrons that declared:

Hello

We have a 1960s house that needs:

A new consumer unit to replace the old fusebox and possibly some other
electrical work

A new kitchen floor (once the woodworm underneath has been dealt with).
A repaired and skimmed kitchen ceiling.
A completely refitted kitchen to include moving the gas hob across the
kitchen.
A Partially rewired kitchen with separate unprotected circuit for freezer?

The kitchen will have to be stripped out before the work can be done and
we do not wish to be without the kitchen for months while different
contractors get around to doing their bits and I DIY some.

Looks like we will have to

a) get a specialist firm to do the woodworm.
b) bite the bullet and use a firm that can undertake all the kitchen work.

c) get a separate electrical contractor to do the consumer unit and any
other necessary work.

1) Any comments on how to tackle it? Consumer unit etc or kitchen rewire
first?

Not a professional electrician, so this free advice is worth what you've
paid for it ;-


I would go for the CU change first. Here's why I think that:

BTW - Do you know when the last re-wire of the house was carried out?

With the extra provisions of the IEE wiring regs (17th), you will probably
need most if not all of the final circuits protected by 30mA (or less)
RCDs.

Circuits in special locations (eg bathroom, shower room), 30mA RCDs are
mandatory on all circuits. All 13A socket circuits (including cooker
circuits where the cooker switch has a socket) need a 30mA RCDs too. The
rest of the circuits will generally need RCD protection due to the cables
not being buried 50mm deep in the walls/ceilings or having other
mechanical protection.

In short, a lot of electricians won't be happy to wire new/replacement
circuits like your kitchen to a non compliant old board.

So new CU first is probably easier. CU would need either 2 (or more) RCDs in
a split configuration (so called "17th Edition boards") an RCBO per circuit
(MCB+RCD in one unit) as the two most common solutions.

You *can* have your non-RCD circuit from the fridge or freezer, but the
socket should be marked accordingly *and* the cable must be either run on
the surface OR mechanically protected (MICC or SWA armoured or in earthed
steel conduit) OR buried 50mm under the surface (often impossible) OR
earth-foil-screened to a certain BS (which I can look up if you ask), eg
FlexiShield or XL-Shield cable.

2) When the consumer unit is replaced and the kitchen is rewired just
how much of the other wiring has to be checked? Lighting circuits do
have earths and the sockets are rings with the odd spur. Have noticed
the gas supply is not earthed.

That's an area of some debate. Some electricians will insist all circuits
comply with the 17th. Some will feel able to justify only the circuits
they've altered or replaced being 17th, and note the others as limitations
ie OK to an older edition of the regs). But I would expect them to test all
the circuits regardless and rectify any faults. In theiry, they should
complete an EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate) after changing the CU
and this needs test figures from all circuits.

Hopefully you shouldn't expect to have any major problems unless your wiring
is actually the original 60's stuff, in which case it might be getting past
its prime - lack of earthing on lighting circuits is the biggest pain, but
you have this. Obviously, only the person looking at your wiring can pass
the final judgement.

If the electrician does the CU change thoroughly, they'll be looking for
(major items, not complete list):

1) CPCs (earths) on all circuits with proven continuity to all outlets and
switches.

2) Live-Earth loop resistance to be low enough on each circuit to comply
with the choice of breaker/fuse protecting that circuit.

3) General polarity correctness (live goes to live terminals etc).

4) Main earth bonding correct (eg your gas and water pipes plus oil pipes,
structural steel etc if you have any). Also any supplimentary bonding as
required.

5) Insulation resistance checks L-N, N-E and L-E to be greater than 1 megohm
at 500V test per circuit (hopefully much much higher, like 100's megohms).

====

Item 2 above can be sometimes fail due to loose terminals. If the failure is
marginal, one can skirt the issue with a lower breaker rating or RCBO
depending on the severity and other informed judgements.

3 is usually fixable (swap the wires where they're wrong)

4 - this will be the first thing that must be fixed. But it's generally a
trivial job involving suitable green/yellow wire and some clamps to the
right places.

5 - if this fails, you've got problems that may need a re-wire of the
affected circuit, unless the problem can be isolated to a faulty accessory.

You *might* find an electrician who is happy to be less rigorous, but it's
not so bad if you look on it as a good opportunity to have the whole system
health-checked, then you can rest easy knowing the whole system is safe.

Thanks in anticipation. I have refitted a couple of kitchens over the
years but this is a bit more than I want to tackle.

Yeah - I feel the same way about my house renovation. Been compensating b y
planning it to death!

Cheers

Tim

Invisible Man wrote:
Hello

We have a 1960s house that needs:

A new consumer unit to replace the old fusebox and possibly some other
electrical work

A new kitchen floor (once the woodworm underneath has been dealt
with). A repaired and skimmed kitchen ceiling.
A completely refitted kitchen to include moving the gas hob across the
kitchen.
A Partially rewired kitchen with separate unprotected circuit for
freezer?

Much easier to do the wiring/gas pipe before the floor & ceiling are done.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk