Consumer unit space

[nickd911]

Hi,

We moved into a new build last year and want to add a couple of extra circuits but the consumer unit has no space and all the circuits are used. Is there any requirement for there to be space in the consumer unit and should i ask the housebuilder (Redrow) to resolve or pay myself for a new larger unit?

Any help appreciated,
N

 

[Mikegh]

Good question I'll hazard a guess as usual.Not familiar with bs7671 btw

I would say it's good practice but not a requirement

 

[James]

Involve an electrician sooner rather than later.
they will be able to give you a professional opinion about the compliance of the installation.

also, they may be able to free up a spare way in the board.
e.g. If intruder alarm and door bell are on separate circuits, they may be able to combine them.
there are other things that may be grouped but a site survey would be best.

 

[DPG]

Corner cutting or bad planning when it was built. There should be at least one spare way when a consumer unit is fitted.

 

[Dustydazzler]

IS the OP sure that some of the MCBs are not empty ? In the past I have left unused MCBs in the actual board. Especially when I used to do new builds rather than have dozens of MCBs kicking about the van I used to leave them sited in the actual board.

 

[pc1966]

A photo of you CU would be helpful (blank of any personal info though).

As @Dustydazzler said it might be a standard pre-built unit and some of the MCBs are not actually used, but a photo or getting a sparky in to look should reveal it.

Incidentally what extra circuits do you need for a new build property?

 

[MJPD29]

Hi,

We moved into a new build last year and want to add a couple of extra circuits but the consumer unit has no space and all the circuits are used. Is there any requirement for there to be space in the consumer unit and should i ask the housebuilder (Redrow) to resolve or pay myself for a new larger unit?

Any help appreciated,
N

There is no requirement for them to supply you with extra ways to be used, although a bit of thought ahead would have been helpful from them. Usually this comes down to price but if you want more space you'll have to pau for it yourself.

 

[DPG]

There is no requirement for them to supply you with extra ways to be used, although a bit of thought ahead would have been helpful from them. Usually this comes down to price but if you want more space you'll have to pau for it yourself.

Isn't there a reg (or at least a written guideline somewhere) giving a guidance of spare capacity for a consumer unit?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Another option could be to swap out RCDS/MCB for RCBOS but all depends on what is in the current board and what circuits are present.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Seen quite afew builds with literally 1 light or 1 socket on its own mcb

I would be tempted on these situations to move this onto a similar mcb and free up a way

 

[7029 dave]

There will always be a situation that the last spare way will be used.
Its all the radial circuits going in these days clogging up all the capacity. ?

 

[DPG]

There will always be a situation that the last spare way will be used.
Its all the radial circuits going in these days clogging up all the capacity. ?

Not good on a brand new build though eh.

 

[ipf]

IS the OP sure that some of the MCBs are not empty ? In the past I have left unused MCBs in the actual board. Especially when I used to do new builds rather than have dozens of MCBs kicking about the van I used to leave them sited in the actual board.

It's a new build.....they should check the schedule, EIC or, at least, the labelling, to get some info. If nothing , contact the providers for details.
Any spare breakers should be labelled as such.

 

[MJPD29]

Isn't there a reg (or at least a written guideline somewhere) giving a guidance of spare capacity for a consumer unit?

I'm not aware of a reg although that's not to say there isn't one. As for guidlines there could well be but you probably couldn't go back to the builder with it. Still pretty poor when designing a new build it wouldn't even have cost much, if anything extra.

 

[pc1966]

Still pretty poor when designing a new build it wouldn't even have cost much, if anything extra.

Exactly, unless you hit the max size for a given range the cost difference in the bigger box itself is trivial.

 

[littlespark]

Can we see a photo of the board as it is? maybe there's a physical space that a bigger CU just wont fit into.
With some boards its the same box for say an 8 way and a 10 way with just a different front cover and busbar length.

Might be a relatively cheap upgrade

 

[freddo]

The requirement was 12% spare wasn't it?

 

[DPG]

The requirement was 12% spare wasn't it?

I can't remember where it is stated. Might check the OSG later.

Either way it's a bit crap when you have a brand new house and there isn't even a spare way for an EV charger.

 

[littlespark]

OP, how confident are you with electrical work?

a suggestion, as others have previously mentioned there may be circuits that can be doubled up….
Is there a service isolator that can turn off the consumer unit? (Red switch on the tails between meter and CU)

Take a photo of the board, with circuits written on so we know which circuit does what.
Then with the power off, take the cover off the board and photograph inside. Post them to the thread.

please only attempt this if you are confident.

 

[telectrix]

please only attempt this if you are confident.

both in opening the box, and taking a clear photo that is not so blurred that it makes our eyes water tryingtomake it out. ??

 

[Timbo]

please only attempt this if you are confident.

both in opening the box, and taking a clear photo that is not so blurred that it makes our eyes water tryingtomake it out. ??

Drink a few more beers, Tel. That'll straighten it out! ?

 

[ipf]

please only attempt this if you are confident.

both in opening the box, and taking a clear photo that is not so blurred that it makes our eyes water tryingtomake it out. ??

''Open the box'' was the yell.....''Take the money'' was the other.

Dosh for me....no danger.

 

[pirate]

How often do the phrases "it's a new build" and "I have a problem with..." appear in the same post?
I know...it's a bugbear of mine...but for a reason. The particular builder mentioned here has been a cause of many complaints, but to be fair, they just farm out the installation to local firms and you can be lucky too.
However, just look at the cost of a new house and ask why, with the huge amount of money involved, the electrical installation is poor...and the answer is always the same: profit...every penny a prisoner. I hate cheapskate cost-cutting in every walk of life, but to save a few hundred quid on a build at a few hundred thousand quid just annoys me. Installing the CU above the WC in the ground-floor cloakroom next to the front door really pi$$es me off...

 

[freddo]

It's not fun putting pictures on the wall in new houses, cables don't often seem to be installed in the safe zones anymore. One 15 month old house I did work in had loose mains tail connections, got 4 turns on one! No grommets used in boxes, some CPCs had no sleeving, copper nicked during stripping. Conductors not dressed in the box before pushing the sockets back, just wires shoved in any angle. Some faceplates were cracked around the fixing screws so I assume they fitted back with an impact driver. Accessories installed at several different heights and spacings looked untidy too. Then there was that house with the SFCU in zone 1.

 

[Dustydazzler]

New build wiring is generally horrific , im convinced 90% of all new build electrics is now thrown in by the builders labourers and second fixed by the painters

Some of the stuff i come across is truly appauling like missing earths at metal lights , connector blocks slung under kitchen units , completely mangled cables entering the consumers unit with no grommet / grommit strip

 

[ipf]

How often do the phrases "it's a new build" and "I have a problem with..." appear in the same post?
I know...it's a bugbear of mine...but for a reason. The particular builder mentioned here has been a cause of many complaints, but to be fair, they just farm out the installation to local firms and you can be lucky too.
However, just look at the cost of a new house and ask why, with the huge amount of money involved, the electrical installation is poor...and the answer is always the same: profit...every penny a prisoner. I hate cheapskate cost-cutting in every walk of life, but to save a few hundred quid on a build at a few hundred thousand quid just annoys me. Installing the CU above the WC in the ground-floor cloakroom next to the front door really pi$$es me off...

Not just electrics. It's a shame, a dangerous shame in many case but, generally, the money makers couldn't care a to$$. Thousands of new housing estates going up all over making millions for certain entities.
There used to be on-site managers or clerks of work, brought up in in the different trades. What happened to them? It's now down to the contractors to inspect their own work so what is to be expected?
With our 'magnificent' Health and Safety systems and Regulations, be they actual law or not, should we not be able to get a grip?
Just look at Grenfell... we learn plenty but what do we actually learn to do?
The authorities or government departments just dither.

 

[Mikegh]

Not just electrics. It's a shame, a dangerous shame in many case but, generally, the money makers couldn't care a to$$. Thousands of new housing estates going up all over making millions for certain entities.
There used to be on-site managers or clerks of work, brought up in in the different trades. What happened to them? It's now down to the contractors to inspect their own work so what is to be expected?
With our 'magnificent' Health and Safety systems and Regulations, be they actual law or not, should we not be able to get a grip?
Just look at Grenfell... we learn plenty but what do we actually learn to do?
The authorities or government departments just dither.

I think the US has a system where the work is inspected twice rather than just self-regulation

We have an unbelievable problem here now whereby up to 5,000 houses will probably have to be demolished because of mica in the blocks, problem went unchecked

 

[nicebutdim]

I think the US has a system where the work is inspected twice rather than just self-regulation

We have an unbelievable problem here now whereby up to 5,000 houses will probably have to be demolished because of mica in the blocks, problem went unchecked

Some of those houses in Donegal have partially demolished themselves while finger pointing exercises continue.

 

[ipf]

I think the US has a system where the work is inspected twice rather than just self-regulation

We have an unbelievable problem here now whereby up to 5,000 houses will probably have to be demolished because of mica in the blocks, problem went unchecked

The US seem to have something on us both with their new builds then, in principle at least.

 

[littlespark]

The US seem to have something on us both with their new builds then, in principle at least.

They just need to get their heads round rfc’s and fused plugs…..?

 

[DPG]

They just need to get their heads round rfc’s and fused plugs…..?

And proper testing.

 

[telectrix]

in the US, bang testing has been a tried method since the red indians nicked the telegraph copper wires for bangles, why change?

 

[Dustydazzler]

And proper testing.

No need for any testing if you follow the code

 

[ipf]

When talking about the 'good old', it is always meant with an element of jest.....

 

[brianmoooore]

22 year old son has just bought a new build, and has had me over on curtain pole fixing duty.
Construction is catnic lintels with dot and dab plasterboard.
A piece of 4x2 thrown loose into the recess on the face of the catnics would have made the job soooooo much easier!
Checked one socket and one switch and pleasantly surprised.

 

[Dave OCD]

22 year old son has just bought a new build, and has had me over on curtain pole fixing duty.
Construction is catnic lintels with dot and dab plasterboard.
A piece of 4x2 thrown loose into the recess on the face of the catnics would have made the job soooooo much easier!
Checked one socket and one switch and pleasantly surprised to find cable inside. ?