UK What’s the chances me getting a 40amp cooker on this?

[Justyjust]

I recently purchased a property not looking under the the stairs at the electrics, now I’ve had chance and thinking about getting a new board installed and fitting a 40amp electric cooker.

I’m in doubts and unsure if it needs an upgraded cut out, the meter has a 1995 date on it. Smart meter blokes out on Wednesday to fit a meter

What’s your thoughts could this have a 30amp under the hood? Will the DNO have to sort this out??

Thanks j

 

[MJPD29]

They will be able to advise better when they call out, what is that second thinner cable coming our of the top of the cutout?

 

[James]

Looped supply to next door would be my guess

 

[freddo]

They will be able to advise better when they call out, what is that second thinner cable coming our of the top of the cutout?

MICC feed to a neighbouring property?
Edit: oops too slow

 

[ipf]

MICC feed to a neighbouring property?
Edit: oops too slow

Horribly terminated, though.

 

[littlespark]

MICC liable to be accidentally struck.

3 phase head… L1 for you, L2 for next door. L3 empty

If you’re getting a smart meter fired, get them to fit a service isolator as well, as it will mean changing the fuseboard in the future will be easier.
Hopefully the meter monkey doesn’t walk away because it’s not a newer standard fuse to pull.

 

[Justyjust]

They will be able to advise better when they call out, what is that second thinner cable coming our of the top of the cutout?

It’s an old 1900 Victorian house been split into to large flats, the lady upstairs has a new meter fitted and looks like them cables from my supplier spur off to hers. She has a 60a fuse though.

 

[littlespark]

The main head in your cupboard was possibly the original when it was all one house, and has been altered.
Might find there is 100A fuses in the main head, or a fuse for yours and just a link in the other one, as she has her own fuse in her flat.

You can ask about the MICC, but it’ll have been there for decades now without damage.

The cable itself is very sturdy, fireproof and can take some rough treatment, but the inner cores in black, and the “pot” on the end should all be within an enclosure for protection.

 

[Justyjust]

MICC liable to be accidentally struck.

3 phase head… L1 for you, L2 for next door. L3 empty

If you’re getting a smart meter fired, get them to fit a service isolator as well, as it will mean changing the fuseboard in the future will be easier.
Hopefully the meter monkey doesn’t walk away because it’s not a newer standard fuse to pull.

Do you think I should buy a isolator and ask him to fit it? Does the isolator go before or after the meter?

 

[littlespark]

Isolator goes after the meter, and should be fitted by them as they seal the incoming side.
They might do it anyway as part of the meter upgrade, but best to check.

 

[Vortigern]

If you are thinking of a new circuit for the cooker etc., each new circuit will have to be upgraded to modern regs. So a new box is pretty well inevitable. I find that nowadays as the manufacturers who make the devices we are increasingly forced to fit by regs, also make the items we are forced/corralled to fit means the cost of you upgrade can increase by a factor of 5 x. Meaning if you fit Surge Protection Device and Arc Fault Detection Device and RCBO the cost of each unit is currently around £150 ish so a 6 way unit will now cost around £1000 plus as opposed to a year or so ago 2-300. I say this as this really is a scam on the part of large corporations imho.
Anyway upgrade is the way to go. If you are living in flats depending on the size you may have to fit AFDD. It looks like your supply has an earth, which is good, as the whole system (earthing) looks in need of some upgrading as well. In theory you could run a cooker from it as there is probably a circuit already there for one. It would need testing as a matter of being safe before connecting though.

 

[Justyjust]

The main head in your cupboard was possibly the original when it was all one house, and has been altered.
Might find there is 100A fuses in the main head, or a fuse for yours and just a link in the other one, as she has her own fuse in her flat.

You can ask about the MICC, but it’ll have been there for decades now without damage.

The cable itself is very sturdy, fireproof and can take some rough treatment, but the inner cores in black, and the “pot” on the end should all be within an enclosure for protection.

Is the fuse held in this part??? Cheers

 

[James]

Is the fuse held in this part??? Cheers

I would expect the main service fuses to be in there.
p.s. it is not something to be concerned about or messing with.

 

[littlespark]

Yes. there will be 3 fuses in there (or possibly a fuse and a link) but as James says... not for you (or us) to be poking about in.

In your other photo you see a number of holes along the top. 2 for L1, 2 for L2, 2 for L3 and 2 for Neutrals.

 

[Justyjust]

Yes. there will be 3 fuses in there (or possibly a fuse and a link) but as James says... not for you (or us) to be poking about in.

In your other photo you see a number of holes along the top. 2 for L1, 2 for L2, 2 for L3 and 2 for Neutrals.

Thanks hopefully Wednesday the smart meter bloke will fit a new meter and not have any issues.

 

[MJPD29]

I wouldn't worry anyway its their equipment so if they want to change it it won't be at your expense.

 

[Justyjust]

Bloke come to fit the meter, I asked him to fit an isolator and he said the supplier normally charges extra so I offer him some money for doing it. He said he wasn’t allowed but he must have felt good today because he done it anyway.

Both feeds have 60amp fuse, there was also an extra feed with with a fuse 60amp but unused.

 

[sammym]

I’d be ashamed to leave it in that state. It was never going to look rolls Royce - but he would have tried.

 

[pc1966]

With a 60A fuse you have no real issues with a typical cooker, most domestic ones are fine on a 32A breaker as they rarely are all on max for any length of time and thus the typical diversity allows that even for ones that are of the order of 11.5kW = 50A (formula is 10A plus 30% of remainder so 10 + 0.3 * (50- 10) = 22A).

It is not very tidy but at least you have the isolator so rest of electrics can be sorted now. And you really should!

That board is probably pre-1970 and looks like single 30A circuit for sockets (fairly common for a flat), 5A for lights (electrically OK as rarely much power demand but practical/safety better with two so in the event of a fault you have some lights still working), and a 30A cooker. You don't really need that many circuits but think about anything you want added and at the very least get the sparky to fit one with a couple of spare ways for anything in the future.

If you have just moved in then think about if it needs a rewire. The existing cable might be OK (PVC if not abused by overheating, rodents, or exposure to sunlight will last many decades) and some inspection and insulation testing would determine that, but given the apparent age there are unlikely to be enough sockets or lights in each room or where you want them to be.

Yes, it is a non-trivial expense but if needed at all then best to do before you spend much on decorating, etc.