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Noob2013

A friend has asked me to install a couple of extra sockets in there kitchen.

The consumer unit is an old Wylex with rewireable fuses so there is no RCD protection.

Would you carry out the work and recommend a new consumer unit/upfront RCD or would you not do the work unless they agree to have the extra work carried out aswell?

Some people are too tight or unable to afford the extra work so can't make them do it.

Cheers
 
ideally, to do an inexpensive compliant job. feed from the CU 30A 3036 ( and N) with 6mmtails into a stand alone RCD, then divert the RFC ( including your new sockets) from the CU to the outgoing RCD terminals
 
ideally, to do an inexpensive compliant job. feed from the CU 30A 3036 ( and N) with 6mmtails into a stand alone RCD, then divert the RFC ( including your new sockets) from the CU to the outgoing RCD terminals

That's a good option.

Does that require a metal enclosure to amendment 3?
 
haha. debatable point. tails might then need upfront RCD thus making a whole bollox of it. ashas been debated before, a silly reg.badly thought out by suits who have less idea of the real world than they have of interstellar flight.
 
Yeah its silly.

What about an upfront 63A rcd to protect the whole consumer unit?

A bit of a pain if it trips as you lose everything but cheapest option.
 
Yeah its silly.

What about an upfront 63A rcd to protect the whole consumer unit?

A bit of a pain if it trips as you lose everything but cheapest option.

Personally I would avoid this. Tels suggestion is the way to go. How is the bonding installed
 
The regs say you can't make it WORSE (got them open in front of me), and that any alterations the existing stuff has to be right to start with (as in earth loop impedance, fault current etc). So you actually don't have to install a new consumer unit, but a new ring or radial has to be to standard (RCD etc). So provided you are simply extending what is already there, and not actually installing a new circuit, you are OK to just leave the consumer unit "as is". That said, wording can be tricky and although you would be within the law, it's not the best option as we all know.

As other folk have said, popping an RCD in there might be best, or even an RCBO. My consumer unit at home has one RCD before everything else, it's a pain but at least it's not going to kill anyone (hopefully!). But we also all know what will happen if you put an RCD in there straight off the meter tails, the whole lot will keep tripping and you'll get blamed for "doing something" because "it was ok before you touched it!".

Were I in your shoes, I would offer to put the sockets in, make it clear that although legal is not best, strongly advise an RCD be fitted at the very LEAST, and urge a consumer unit change sooner rather than later and perhaps provide some sort of documentation outlining this. Just my 2 pence, but then I'm only starting out as a spark the regs are very fresh in my mind as I've just had two weeks of exams and reading (though I do have 14 years offshore and military engineering behind me so do know a little about electrical lol!)
 
I would go with Tels suggestion, not my option, but if you friend does not want to spent on CU upgrade, not much else you can do really, try and persuade him that all round it would make sense to upgrade the CU. Just MO.
 
I'll try my persuasion skills to get new CU.

If not then 6mm from 30A fuse to an enclosed 32A 30mA RCD to supply the one ring will have to do.
 
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