Is it worth upgrading a consumer unit?

Is it worth upgrading a consumer unit?

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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
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So £300-500 to pay a registered electrician to upgrade the consumer unit, I’ve seen them in DIY stores for £75. How hard can it be, and is it actually worth doing? Don’t worry I’m probably not going to attempt a DIY job due to the voltages involved, sorry to disappoint smile.

I’ve heard the RCD switches can be one hell of a lot more sensitive for a start, tripping out far more frequently and I’ve no issue changing fuse wire on the old units. Is a new CU a selling point on a house? Is it worth doing? Are they safer but really necessary? It’s all health and safety today, what could possibly go wrong in keeping an old fuse box?

DrDeAtH

3,586 posts

231 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
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Upgrade it. It will make the whole installation safer. Rewireable fuses often have the fuse wire doubled up if they keep blowing.. seen that a good few times. that increases the potential fire risk.
RCD nuisance tripping is less of an issue nowadays as people use LED or CFL lamps as opposed to filament types, which were known to sometimes throw an RCD when they blew.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
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Schmed said:
So £300-500 to pay a registered electrician to upgrade the consumer unit
And test and certify the install.

Schmed said:
I’ve seen them in DIY stores for £75. How hard can it be
If you have to ask...

Seriously, it's not that hard - so long as all the wires reach where you want them in the new CU... If they don't, that's when the fun starts.

Schmed said:
and is it actually worth doing?
Depends.
If you're on rewireable-fuses, then... hell, yes.
If you're on non-RCD but with breakers, then... mebbe.
If you're on an older RCD/breaker CU, then no.

Schmed said:
Don’t worry I’m probably not going to attempt a DIY job due to the voltages involved, sorry to disappoint smile.
Wuss. It's not that hard or scary. Honest.

Schmed said:
I’ve heard the RCD switches can be one hell of a lot more sensitive for a start, tripping out far more frequently
RCDs can trip when light bulbs go - but, that apart, if they trip it's because something's caused them to.

Schmed said:
Is a new CU a selling point on a house?
More a case of the other way around. If somebody sees an old rewireable-fuse box, they're instantly going to barter you down a few grand for a full rewire - or walk away, scared at the thought of the upheaval.

Schmed said:
Is it worth doing? Are they safer but really necessary? It’s all health and safety today, what could possibly go wrong in keeping an old fuse box?
<points upwards>
Schmed said:
Don’t worry I’m probably not going to attempt a DIY job due to the voltages involved, sorry to disappoint smile.
So are you scared of 230v, or not? You probably don't want to find the tingly way that your toaster or metal-housing light has shorted N-E, do you?

Sheepshanks

32,523 posts

118 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
quotequote all
Schmed said:
…. and I’ve no issue changing fuse wire on the old units.
How old is the installation you've got now?

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
Schmed said:
…. and I’ve no issue changing fuse wire on the old units.
How old is the installation you've got now?
I'd guess at 70s or earlier, if it's rewireable fuses.

hairyben

8,516 posts

182 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
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If you have it done properly, the fit will include a comprehensive test and inspection of the installation which will highlight any issues that may cause the RCDs to trip if they're not addressed.

Most of the consumer units I fit have a parts cost in the region of £200-300, I could fit $75 boxes but after I explain the difference the majority of people are happy to pay the extra.

Saying what's the point of spending the money, is like saying what's the point of a new Porsche when you could have a 15 year old vectra for 500 quid. In a broad sense they do a very similar job.


RCDs can, and do, save lives. Its like the difference between an old cortina on cross plus and no seat belts and a new mondeo with sips, 27 airbags and esp. Expectations of safety change, how we expect to be taken care of changes, which would you prefer to put your wife and kids in?

Edited by hairyben on Saturday 21st July 18:13

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
quotequote all
Thanks all, useful info. I think we’re definitely talking 70s...


TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

204 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
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Yes definitely if it's fuses they are a pain to sort and not as safe as Rcds etc

It will probs cost double what you think , no doubt they will find issues when upgrading probably , still worth it if you have cash to spare

Andrew_S

704 posts

79 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
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Schmed said:
Thanks all, useful info. I think we’re definitely talking 70s...
I’m not sure it’s that new.

200Plus Club

10,668 posts

277 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
quotequote all
Schmed said:
Thanks all, useful info. I think we’re definitely talking 70s...

Were still being fitted way into the 80s and later. Perfectly acceptable still in the regs to this day, for existing installations, however of course modernising is safer overall.

Dr Mike Oxgreen

4,101 posts

164 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
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Does the lighting circuit have an earth?

My late Dad’s house (now sold) didn’t, which dates it to around 1968 at the latest.

I presume the new owners factored a full re-wire into their buying decision...

Slushbox

1,484 posts

104 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
quotequote all
Wylex have (or had) plug in miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) for those fuseboxes as fuse replacements.

A full replacement would gain an RCB though.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WYLEX-MCB-CIRCUIT-BREAK...





Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
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Anyone that can use a screwdriver can change one.

Piece of piss.

victoriansmallholding

33 posts

72 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
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We had the same thing done, old rewireable box replaced with a modern rcd, a light switch moved, two wall lights fitted, some wiring chased into the wall and others tidied up. Cost £400 and took the electrician about 4 hours. This was about 6 weeks ago. Very happy and feel safer. Old one had signs of hear damage (perhaps incorrect fuse wire usage in the past?)

Contract Killer

4,381 posts

182 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
quotequote all
victoriansmallholding said:
We had the same thing done, old rewireable box replaced with a modern rcd, a light switch moved, two wall lights fitted, some wiring chased into the wall and others tidied up. Cost £400 and took the electrician about 4 hours. This was about 6 weeks ago. Very happy and feel safer. Old one had signs of hear damage (perhaps incorrect fuse wire usage in the past?)
No testing of circuits done then.........

Sheepshanks

32,523 posts

118 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
quotequote all
Contract Killer said:
No testing of circuits done then.........
Does its own testing when turned on. wink

£100/hr’s pretty good going.

Autopilot

1,298 posts

183 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
Schmed said:
Schmed said:
Is a new CU a selling point on a house?
More a case of the other way around. If somebody sees an old rewireable-fuse box, they're instantly going to barter you down a few grand for a full rewire - or walk away, scared at the thought of the upheaval.
I bought an old derelict house and currently having a complete re-wire done. While I wouldn't be put off of buying a house that required electrical work, if I saw that old set of fuses, I'd assume that it all needs to come out.

In my case, floors are up, new cable runs in walls, new sockets, old (and VERY dangerous) cable coming out, loads of plastering work to do, wrong 40A power supply....the list goes on!! If it's just a consumer unit it's not a big deal, but I'd ask if anything else needs doing at the same time.

So in my opinion, a new CU means it's something a potential owner won't have to do and one less thing to scare people off when it pops up on a survey.

My complete re-wire feels like I'm a chinchilla and live in a dust bath....getting closer to finishing though!!

victoriansmallholding

33 posts

72 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
quotequote all
Contract Killer said:
victoriansmallholding said:
We had the same thing done, old rewireable box replaced with a modern rcd, a light switch moved, two wall lights fitted, some wiring chased into the wall and others tidied up. Cost £400 and took the electrician about 4 hours. This was about 6 weeks ago. Very happy and feel safer. Old one had signs of hear damage (perhaps incorrect fuse wire usage in the past?)
No testing of circuits done then.........
Don't know! It's the rcd for half our house (5 rooms - no kitchen or high load items, services 7 double sockets, 10 light fittings). The other half is more modern. Not sure if he tested the circuits - he did label them (weren't previously labelled). I wasn't there.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
quotequote all
victoriansmallholding said:
Contract Killer said:
No testing of circuits done then.........
Don't know! It's the rcd for half our house (5 rooms - no kitchen or high load items, services 7 double sockets, 10 light fittings). The other half is more modern. Not sure if he tested the circuits - he did label them (weren't previously labelled). I wasn't there.
He didn't leave you the test certificate?

victoriansmallholding

33 posts

72 months

Sunday 22nd July 2018
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
victoriansmallholding said:
Contract Killer said:
No testing of circuits done then.........
Don't know! It's the rcd for half our house (5 rooms - no kitchen or high load items, services 7 double sockets, 10 light fittings). The other half is more modern. Not sure if he tested the circuits - he did label them (weren't previously labelled). I wasn't there.
He didn't leave you the test certificate?


Left nothing