# 18 th edition metal consumer unit



## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

theskid said:


> I've been a spark for 30 years and 17th qualified with 2391 and from the installation contracting background, but for the last 5,6 years I've been an maintenance electrician at a local hospital, and never had to replace a consumer unit since the plastic ones were allowed
> So a friend has asked me to upgrade his plastic non rcd fuse board
> So I'll be putting in a dual rcd metal consumer unit as I should I realise I have to get a special gland for the tails, but for the incoming cables in the back of the board can you seal the hole needed with intrimuscent fire sealant what do you guys do, and for entries into the box I hear blind grommets are sufficient is this true
> Thanks
> ...



First let me translate your Engish

I've been an Electrician for 30 years, and 17th qualified with 2391 *I was 17th in my class, with about 2,391 installs.*

"but for the last 5,6 years I've been an maintenance electrician at a local hospital, and never had to replace a consumer unit since the plastic ones were allowed" *What kind of consumer unit are we talking about ?
*
"So a friend has asked me to upgrade his plastic non rcd fuse board" * Is this an electrical panel with fuses ?*

"So I'll be putting in a dual rcd metal consumer unit as I should I realise I have to get a special gland for the tails", *WTH ? *

but for the incoming cables in the back of the board can you seal the hole needed with intrimuscent fire sealant what do you guys do, and for entries into the box I hear blind grommets are sufficient is this true *Photos , especially the gland ?*


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

dronai said:


> First let me translate your Engish
> 
> I've been an Electrician for 30 years, and 17th qualified with 2391 *I was 17th in my class, with about 2,391 installs.*
> 
> ...


They use to use plastic fuse boxes but now they have to be changed out for metal breaker panel with a main rcd (like a gfci but reacts at a higher threshold, I think, to lazy to google).

Tail i presume is the wire you put in the box. As most homes are brick you flush mount and the cable goes in the top of the box or the back. 

I think he needs to find a Uk based website.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Yeah, yank out the old box, slam in an all-in-one combo panel, a couple of Romex conns., maybe some duct-seal, and bobs your uncle.


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## theskid (Feb 11, 2020)

I thought this was posted in the uk section, as uk sparks will know what I'm talking about
Thanks for help anyway
17th refers to 17th edition of the wiring regulation
Tails and double insulated cabling coming from the meter to the consumer unit
I suppose I'll post this on a UK website

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

theskid said:


> I thought this was posted in the uk section, as uk sparks will know what I'm talking about
> Thanks for help anyway
> 17th refers to 17th edition of the wiring regulation
> Tails and double insulated cabling coming from the meter to the consumer unit
> ...


Im from Norfolk, You need to find someone from Suffolk as i here them folk have electricity inside there homes.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

gpop said:


> Im from Norfolk, You need to find someone from Suffolk as i here them folk have electricity inside there homes.


We speak the same language, but it's completely different

Had a employee from Ireland, and he called a homerun a ringloop


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

dronai said:


> We speak the same language, but it's completly different
> 
> Had a employee from Ireland, and he called a homerun a ringloop


Yer they don't use homeruns as everything is a ring main. Start at the breaker run a loop then return to the same breaker.

Had to re-learn a lot of stuff when i came to Florida.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

gpop said:


> Yer they don't use homeruns as everything is a ring main. Start at the breaker run a loop then return to the same breaker.
> 
> Had to re-learn a lot of stuff when i came to Florida.


Return to the same breaker ? Can you draw that circuit out on paper :vs_laugh:


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

dronai said:


> Return to the same breaker ? Can you draw that circuit out on paper :vs_laugh:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

theskid said:


> I thought this was posted in the uk section, as uk sparks will know what I'm talking about
> Thanks for help anyway
> 17th refers to 17th edition of the wiring regulation
> Tails and double insulated cabling coming from the meter to the consumer unit
> ...


You are in the right forum. Welcome by the way.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

gpop said:


> dronai said:
> 
> 
> > We speak the same language, but it's completly different
> ...


Ya'll need to watch more YouTube. A "homerun" in the US is a radial circuit in the UK. Rings are different. They also have gfp protection (Residual Current Device) on everything with either 2 RCD breakers protecting a bunch of smaller regular breakers (kinda like split bus panels), or RCBOs which are gfi breakers with neutral pigtails, so a ground fault won't knock out 1/2 a panel. Those seem to be the new hotness. They also have to put 8,000 warning stickers on their panels that say electricity is scary and colors may vary since they went from red/black to brown/blue for line and neutral colors. 

Hack would like them because the YouTubers are all about wago levernuts.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

First fix, second fix = rough and trim.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

Going_Commando said:


> Ya'll need to watch more YouTube. A "homerun" in the US is a radial circuit in the UK. Rings are different. They also have gfp protection (Residual Current Device) on everything with either 2 RCD breakers protecting a bunch of smaller regular breakers (kinda like split bus panels), or RCBOs which are gfi breakers with neutral pigtails, so a ground fault won't knock out 1/2 a panel. Those seem to be the new hotness. They also have to put 8,000 warning stickers on their panels that say electricity is scary and colors may vary since they went from red/black to brown/blue for line and neutral colors.
> 
> Hack would like them because the YouTubers are all about wago levernuts.


Guy i worked for as a kid always called a radial circuit a "spur". 
All the receptacles and lighting was on rings with the hot water heater, shower and oven on spurs. 
My favorite job was repairing ceiling rose joints in old home where all the wires are black. My least favorite was chasing brick walls to embed the cables


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