Moving Main Fuse

[skay]

Hi guys

I am on a job currently where a consumer unit has been extended and moved from one cupboard under the stairs to another cupboard under the stairs to make way for a new toilet.

Now the lady is having the meter and supply moved as well by edf, apparently you cannot have the main fuse under stairs below 4 metres. So the only option is to fit a flush meter box on the outside on external wall. We will have to buy the box chase the box, dig trench, etc. They will charge £2000 + just to cutoff road and chuck cable and meter in.

Now the run from the new meter position outside to the consumer unit under the stairs is approximatly 4 metres.

My questions are:

Can I run 25mm double insulated tails through floorboards for 4 metres? Or does it need to 25mm SWA?

Would I need to fit a 100a Switched isolator in the new meter cupboard? Baring in mind it will be tight for space in there?

 

[Pete999]

Who is insisting that the meter/fuse under the stairs? if it's EDF surely if it's non conforming with the supply regs then the DNO must field the cost.

 

[7029 dave]

As ^^^^ news to me.?

 

[skay]

The house owner wants the supply moved so she has to pay.

 

[HandySparks]

...apparently you cannot have the main fuse under stairs below 4 metres.

What are you trying to say here?

 

[skay]

There are two cupboards under the stairs. The old one with the old consumer unit and old meter is now going to be a toilet. So all the electrical stuff were supposed to be moved from this cupboard under the stairs to the next cupboard under the stairs. So the consumer unit is now in the next cupboard under the stairs. The last thought it would just be a straight forward job for edf to move the meter into the new position. But new regs say they cannot be under the stairs below 4m. Even though most if London is

 

[Guest55]

4 mtrs from what ?

the distance off the floor ?

for the price of £2000 i wouldnt be moving anything

 

[skay]

It's out of my hands she has already paid. It is neither here or there.

All I want to know is do the new tails I run need to be swa? And do I need to fit an isolator for a short 4m run from new meter position

 

[skay]

I meant 2metres and yes this is the height from
the floor

 

[telectrix]

tails over 3m require a switch fuse upstream. if buried in wall <50mm deep, they also need RCD protection. SWA does not need RCD.

 

[skay]

What about a 4 meter run under floorboards?

 

[telectrix]

tails will be OK< but you still need switch fuse supplying tails.

 

[skay]

Ok cheers

 

[joe.ninety]

I meant 2metres and yes this is the height from
the floor

I think you'll find that the requirement is that they can't be placed under stairs unless there is 2m headroom, not that the meter has to be installed at a minimum of height of 2m.

 

[tomspark93]

Why didn't she just have the toilet in the other cupboard under the stairs

 

[trev]

apparently you cannot have the main fuse under stairs below 4 metres.

That's millions of properties in the UK both domestic and commercial with a big problem then.

 

[imago]

That's millions of properties in the UK both domestic and commercial with a big problem then.

Especially as most stairs finish at 2.7 metres, so all the CU's would be on the landing. ;-)

As Joe Ninety says though, it's 2 metres headroom rather than meter height.

 

[NickD]

Why didn't she just have the toilet in the other cupboard under the stairs

Harry Potter's in it.

 

[jaypp]

tails over 3m require a switch fuse upstream. if buried in wall <50mm deep, they also need RCD protection. SWA does not need RCD.

I thought the same and perhaps someone can verify this, as I heard recently that with DNO permission they can be longer without.

 

[skay]

She can't have the toilet in the other cupboard as you can't even stand in it.

The previous electricians who are no longer on the job put the consumer unit in this smallcupboard not knowing putting the cutout in here would be a problem.

The funniest part is she hasn't even got a cutout fuse next to her meter at the moment. Just a piro going straight to the meter. Apparently the fuse is located in the house next door. Which is not uncommon in some parts of London

 

[skay]

I will ask them personally tomorrow if they want a switched fuse on 4m of double insulated tails

 

[NickD]

She can't have the toilet in the other cupboard as you can't even stand in it.

She stands up to go to the toilet? This I must see.

 

[Plonker 3]

She stands up to go to the toilet? This I must see.

Here you go

 

[NickD]

Here you go

Well that device is just taking the .................................................biscuit.

 

[7029 dave]

I thought the same and perhaps someone can verify this, as I heard recently that with DNO permission they can be longer without.

As far as I know the 3 meter rule still applies, however with the increasing number of self connect meters etc, it is hard to police (if not for a better word), eg fitted an single phase supply with self connect meter on back wall to house in meter box, copex duct an draw rope, went back 6months later to do gas safety check on gas meter, saw 25mm tails and earth conductor out of duct , cable run must of been at least a good 15meters.lol