Cu on board or direct on wall

[sivoodoo]

Whats the current thinking on this?
In older properties is it wiser to place the CU on wooden board or is it ok straight onto an unplastered wall, the wall is dry! internal.

Sorry im a newbie!

Any thoughts or pointers

Thanks Guys

Si.

 

[Ross Trician]

Hello mate, I will quite often fix a ply board to the wall first to give a nice flat surface for the cu to go on to. I have found sometimes that if the wall is not flat the cu although seems to mount flat is actually slightly twisted and it doesnt acceot the front properly.
if it goes onto a new plasteder wall then I mount straight to the wall...

 

[eskimo39]

Also bear in mind with stone walls that even if you get the CU looking reasonably flat/straight on the wall, can you then mount other items around it looking the same.

We have just installed in a barn conversion and got the CU looking great on interior stone wall, however once we added isolator and MET it looked out of line. Off it came and a nice old piece of board went on before reinstalling everything.

 

[sivoodoo]

Thanks guys, I see the point about other units along side.

 

[jeremy]

I always mount my CU on 2 bits of batten and then bring all cables in through the back so IP requirements are always met.

 

[sivoodoo]

Good idea, and it would make for easy access of cables, nice one, might adopt that.

 

[hamlettphil]

doing the 17th this week, found out that if bringing cables into the board via the top side, your not allowed to have a gap bigger than 1mm showing. didnt realise it was that small either

 

[jeremy]

Hence the 2 bits of batten!! Holes in the back of the CU can be as big as you like, you'd be really hard pressed to get an inspection finger into them, and you never have probs getting the lid on, and if the wall is a bit 5hitty you can secure the batten anywhere along its length

 

[sivoodoo]

doing the 17th this week, found out that if bringing cables into the board via the top side, your not allowed to have a gap bigger than 1mm showing. didnt realise it was that small either

Wow! Where in the regs is this?

 

[jeremy]

Don't know the 17s but any top horizontal surface will be IP4X or better., .Stops dust getting in etc Easy way round it is to squirt in decorators caulk. If your creating it easiest way is not to have an opening in the top horizontal surface. REM all others must be IP2X or better

 

[slocm3105]

Wow! Where in the regs is this?

As above, top surfaces of CU must meet IP4X requirements, which therefore means must not be more than 1mm can get into it

 

[acvc]

There's a post somewhere from someone who failed an assessment due to the size of the openeings left on the top of the C/u, even though the board was mounted at the top of the wall.

 

[iceman]

hi iv just installed a new c/u ready for my assessment the cables comin in to the board are frm the top iv cut openings out for plastic trunkin everythin is in place but there is about 1mm exposed cap where the trunkin fits, theres no way a finger can get in there i knw the top of the board should have protection of atleast ip4x i think i gotta get a new cover, wot ya recken guys???

 

[Spudnik]

Use decorators caulk or silicone to seal the gap.

 

[iceman]

hello again fellas i just went and messured it lol i thinks its half of 1mm on me rule its showin somethin like this -
|..|..|
0 1mm
^this is where the gap finishes am i rite in sayin where 1 mm is on me rule? lol

thanks

the messure moved wen i posted it dame anywau the arrow is inbetween 0 and 1 thanks