Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section of
RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with their
own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason to choose
a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've got a few MK
MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different manufacturer?

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/2018 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section of
RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with their
own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason to choose
a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've got a few MK
MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different manufacturer?


I chose MK recently, purely on the basis that I have never been let down
by their gear.

It may be better value to buy one of the pre-populated ones?

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/18 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section of
RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with their
own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason to choose
a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've got a few MK
MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different manufacturer?

Hager is very solid and the range of devices is excellent. Also you are
less likely to find you can't buy a new MCB or RCBO that fits (properly)
in 10 years time like one crap brand I had dealings with.

If you can stump up the dosh, consider going all RCBOs - it's a superior
system to a couple of RCDs.

You can't have "unprotected" MCBs for anything much now - all sockets
need to be RCD protected and unless you are cunning with the cabling,
the routing of that tends to demand RCD protection.


One thing you could consider (what I did) as 14 circuits is a lot and
clearly some of yours are external:

Take a 40A +/- RCBO circuit to a secondary CU nearer where your external
circuits go (possibly even an external building if that makes sense to
run on from there) and populate that with MCBs.

Keeps the clutter down in the main CU and does save a bit of dosh by
putting several non critical external circuits on one RCBO.

Of course, if you have critical stuff outside (eg freezer) this makes no
sense...

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/2018 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section of
RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with their
own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason to choose
a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've got a few MK
MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different manufacturer?


Already been beaten to it by Tim:-)

Hager.

--
Adam

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/2018 15:13, GB wrote:
On 06/03/2018 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section
of RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with
their own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason
to choose a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've
got a few MK MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different
manufacturer?


I chose MK recently, purely on the basis that I have never been let down
by their gear.

It may be better value to buy one of the pre-populated ones?


BTW Did you recheck the tightness of your terminals on your CU?



--
Adam

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/2018 17:41, Tim Watts wrote:
On 06/03/18 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section
of RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with
their own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason
to choose a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've
got a few MK MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different
manufacturer?

Hager is very solid and the range of devices is excellent. Also you are
less likely to find you can't buy a new MCB or RCBO that fits (properly)
in 10 years time like one crap brand I had dealings with.
Hmm I've now seen other recommendations for Hager and a few negative
comments about MK - I'll investigate further.

If you can stump up the dosh, consider going all RCBOs - it's a superior
system to a couple of RCDs.
The plan is to put the critical stuff on RCBOs, but I'll look at the
cost difference with Hager.

You can't have "unprotected" MCBs for anything much now - all sockets
need to be RCD protected and unless you are cunning with the cabling,
the routing of that tends to demand RCD protection.
Understood, but the sheds and car charger all have their own RCDs.


One thing you could consider (what I did) as 14 circuits is a lot and
clearly some of yours are external:

Take a 40A +/- RCBO circuit to a secondary CU nearer where your external
circuits go (possibly even an external building if that makes sense to
run on from there) and populate that with MCBs.
I'm trying to do the opposite. At the moment I have two sub mains from
the garage to old Wylex fuseboards (one for lighting and one for
sockets) in the centre of the house, plus a whole bunch of small CUs in
the garage. I want to consolidate the whole mess into one location:
probably one CU for the house and a second one for the garage, workshop,
sheds and outside sockets.

Keeps the clutter down in the main CU and does save a bit of dosh by
putting several non critical external circuits on one RCBO.

Of course, if you have critical stuff outside (eg freezer) this makes no
sense...

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/2018 15:13, GB wrote:
On 06/03/2018 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section
of RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with
their own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason
to choose a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've
got a few MK MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different
manufacturer?


I chose MK recently, purely on the basis that I have never been let down
by their gear.
Now that I've looked around some more I've seen a few people moaning
about MK quality.

It may be better value to buy one of the pre-populated ones?
Because of the number of radial circuits the pre-pop units don't have
the mix I need

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/2018 19:46, ARW wrote:
On 06/03/2018 15:13, GB wrote:
On 06/03/2018 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section
of RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with
their own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason
to choose a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've
got a few MK MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different
manufacturer?


I chose MK recently, purely on the basis that I have never been let
down by their gear.

It may be better value to buy one of the pre-populated ones?


BTW Did you recheck the tightness of your terminals on your CU?





I did, and they were good and tight. I suspect that means I grossly
overtightened them the first time round.

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/18 20:26, wrote:
On 06/03/2018 17:41, Tim Watts wrote:
On 06/03/18 15:00, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?
I need a split amd3 board with one section RCD protected, one section
of RCBOs and a few unprotected MCBs for sheds and other things with
their own RCDs - probably a total of 14 circuits. Without any reason
to choose a particular manufacturer I'm drawn towards MK because I've
got a few MK MCBs - is there a good reason to choose a different
manufacturer?

Hager is very solid and the range of devices is excellent. Also you
are less likely to find you can't buy a new MCB or RCBO that fits
(properly) in 10 years time like one crap brand I had dealings with.
Hmm I've now seen other recommendations for Hager and a few negative
comments about MK - I'll investigate further.

If you can stump up the dosh, consider going all RCBOs - it's a
superior system to a couple of RCDs.
The plan is to put the critical stuff on RCBOs, but I'll look at the
cost difference with Hager.

You can't have "unprotected" MCBs for anything much now - all sockets
need to be RCD protected and unless you are cunning with the cabling,
the routing of that tends to demand RCD protection.
Understood, but the sheds and car charger all have their own RCDs.


One thing you could consider (what I did) as 14 circuits is a lot and
clearly some of yours are external:

Take a 40A +/- RCBO circuit to a secondary CU nearer where your
external circuits go (possibly even an external building if that makes
sense to run on from there) and populate that with MCBs.
I'm trying to do the opposite. At the moment I have two sub mains from
the garage to old Wylex fuseboards (one for lighting and one for
sockets) in the centre of the house, plus a whole bunch of small CUs in
the garage. I want to consolidate the whole mess into one location:
probably one CU for the house and a second one for the garage, workshop,
sheds and outside sockets.

Indeed - there is no right and wrong here.

My CU was a bit full (I like to leave gaps between each pair of RCBO for
cooling) and all my external circuits exit from the other side of the
house - so it made sense to put a secondary CU upstairs near the exit point.

I also had to site a small CU over a doorway thanks to EDF's annoying 3m
rule on meter tails...

I don't normally ave anything good to say about American power systems,
but the fecking enormous breaker panels they install does make things
much more pleasant to work with:

http://www.kilowatthvac.com/assets/i...ut-breaker.jpg

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 06/03/2018 21:11, GB wrote:
On 06/03/2018 19:46, ARW wrote:

BTW Did you recheck the tightness of your terminals on your CU?





I did, and they were good and tight. I suspect that means I grossly
overtightened them the first time round.

There is no is such thing as grossly overtighten-;)

It just means you did the job properly first time. I consider the extra
time you spent rechecking them to be time well spent.

Nice one.

--
Adam

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On Tuesday, 6 March 2018 15:00:12 UTC, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?

Chint are on Deal of the Day next Thurs at Screwfix.

Beware anyone booking a CU change for next Friday :-)

Owain

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On Tuesday, 6 March 2018 22:01:03 UTC, Tim Watts wrote:
I don't normally ave anything good to say about American power systems,
but the fecking enormous breaker panels they install does make things
much more pleasant to work with:

.... makes more space for the pig's ears

https://www.raderelectric.net/active...-%20before.jpg

Owain

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

In article ,
wrote:
I chose MK recently, purely on the basis that I have never been let
down by their gear.
Now that I've looked around some more I've seen a few people moaning
about MK quality.

I've never been an MK fan. Top end prices - but definitely not top end
design. And in terms of looks, well behind many others. And as for
reliability in normal domestic use, not sure there's that much difference
between any reputable brand.

--
*Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

In article ,
ARW wrote:
I did, and they were good and tight. I suspect that means I grossly
overtightened them the first time round.

There is no is such thing as grossly overtighten-;)

Tighten them till they groan. ;-)

--
*Go the extra mile. It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 08/03/2018 11:51, wrote:
On Tuesday, 6 March 2018 15:00:12 UTC, wrote:
Are there any reasons to choose one make over another?

Chint are on Deal of the Day next Thurs at Screwfix.

Beware anyone booking a CU change for next Friday :-)

I am not sure if they are the re badged MGCs from CEF or the other way
around. Either way a pile of ****.


--
Adam

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 08/03/2018 14:49, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
wrote:
I chose MK recently, purely on the basis that I have never been let
down by their gear.
Now that I've looked around some more I've seen a few people moaning
about MK quality.

I've never been an MK fan. Top end prices - but definitely not top end
design. And in terms of looks, well behind many others. And as for
reliability in normal domestic use, not sure there's that much difference
between any reputable brand.


The one thing I can say for MK is that at least they make MCBs that
cannot be fitted with the bus bar terminal behind the MCB terminal.

But yet all schools and hospitals around my way always seem to spec MK
stuff (apart from DBs).



--
Adam

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
ARW wrote:
I did, and they were good and tight. I suspect that means I grossly
overtightened them the first time round.

There is no is such thing as grossly overtighten-;)

Tighten them till they groan. ;-)

This is not, unfortunately, true of traditional junction boxes.

--

Roger Hayter

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

On 08/03/18 14:49, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
ARW wrote:
I did, and they were good and tight. I suspect that means I grossly
overtightened them the first time round.

There is no is such thing as grossly overtighten-;)

Tighten them till they groan. ;-)


Everyone knows the correct way is:

Tighten it until the head snaps off;

Do the replacement up slightly less tight.

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

In article ,
ARW wrote:
I've never been an MK fan. Top end prices - but definitely not top end
design. And in terms of looks, well behind many others. And as for
reliability in normal domestic use, not sure there's that much difference
between any reputable brand.


The one thing I can say for MK is that at least they make MCBs that
cannot be fitted with the bus bar terminal behind the MCB terminal.

But yet all schools and hospitals around my way always seem to spec MK
stuff (apart from DBs).

Probably because it's the only name the architect knows. Given it's been
around for ever.

--
*Filthy stinking rich -- well, two out of three ain't bad

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Which make of Consumer Unit?
 

In article ,
Roger Hayter wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
ARW wrote:
I did, and they were good and tight. I suspect that means I grossly
overtightened them the first time round.

There is no is such thing as grossly overtighten-;)

Tighten them till they groan. ;-)

This is not, unfortunately, true of traditional junction boxes.

The sort with the U shaped terminals? Best avoided. Spawn of satan.

--
*If you can read this, thank a teecher

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.