I have a distribution box that has no spare fuse terminals they are all being used. I have just ordered some SWA 6mm2 cable to wire my garage up is there any way without changing the whole box? Can I add another smaller fusebox alongside the existing one?

 

I did domestic electrical installation at gsce level about 22 years ago on day release from school but things change including regualtions and my brain. Cheers for any help, here's a pic

Edited February 9, 201015 yr by 8ace

Yes you can add another dist board alongside BUT you must have only one means of isolation from the incomer. You would need to have a 100amp isolator before the two dist boards. I recall you will need building regs and you cant do it yourself anymore.

Bit rusty on regs now.

 

Allan

So if I got someone in to just install the 100A isolator in place of the 60A one that's there along with a new second dist board would I then be able to add the SWA cable at a later date myself or would a reg'd spark have to do that too?

cheers Allan

what circuits you got running on that board? i can see 3 5 amps what are they doing? if they are all lights then you could double them up if you know what they are running(how many lights/wattage etc) then you would have a free space in your excisting board, now if you get someone in they would probably condem your fuse board anyway so its up to you i'm a sparky & should really say this but they have no way of policing the regs & if u come to sell or have an insurance inspection your board would fail so they would get u to replace it you get it replaced by a sparky & aslong as you have wired up your swa in the correct way he would pass it . get me? if not call me 07719849993 westley

You'd still need it signing off by a registered electrician, looks like your board is pretty old anyway :tt2:

what circuits you got running on that board? i can see 3 5 amps what are they doing? if they are all lights then you could double them up if you know what they are running(how many lights/wattage etc) then you would have a free space in your excisting board, now if you get someone in they would probably condem your fuse board anyway so its up to you i'm a sparky & should really say this but they have no way of policing the regs & if u come to sell or have an insurance inspection your board would fail so they would get u to replace it you get it replaced by a sparky & aslong as you have wired up your swa in the correct way he would pass it . get me? if not call me 07719849993 westley

 

what would a spark charge to change the dist board to a new one do you think? If I run the cable in place ready then he can wire that too whilst he's here

You'd still need it signing off by a registered electrician, looks like your board is pretty old anyway :tt2:

 

as i said they wouldnt sign that off & nobody would know he done it so dont worry its all a load of money making sh1te, & the day you come to sell it or have a certificate for insurance they would have u replace the whole board so the sparky would sort it out then, (as your question was is there a way to do it without replacing whole board---YES)

what circuits you got running on that board? i can see 3 5 amps what are they doing? if they are all lights then you could double them up if you know what they are running(how many lights/wattage etc) then you would have a free space in your excisting board, now if you get someone in they would probably condem your fuse board anyway so its up to you i'm a sparky & should really say this but they have no way of policing the regs & if u come to sell or have an insurance inspection your board would fail so they would get u to replace it you get it replaced by a sparky & aslong as you have wired up your swa in the correct way he would pass it . get me? if not call me 07719849993 westley

 

I think they are all lights 1 per floor...3 floor house will have to check

I think they are all lights 1 per floor...3 floor house will have to check

 

so it can be done if you check how many light are on each circuit pair up the 2 with the least idely u would want the middle floor paired with one of the others rather than top & bottom floor paired! & mark the board up so u know what floors are on what fuse to stop any future confusion, then u will have a free way to use on your board, i would swap that earth trip for an rcd tho!! they are not to be trusted to be honest !!

so it can be done if you check how many light are on each circuit pair up the 2 with the least idely u would want the middle floor paired with one of the others rather than top & bottom floor paired! & mark the board up so u know what floors are on what fuse to stop any future confusion, then u will have a free way to use on your board, i would swap that earth trip for an rcd tho!! they are not to be trusted to be honest !!

 

That's a good idea fella all the lights in the house are low energy we have no traditional type bulbs at all so consumption is very low on those circuits. I'm also gonna at least change all the fuses for breakers if not get the whole box done. What would a spark charge to change ie. just to fit a new distboard with an isolator/breaker built in?

Edited February 9, 201015 yr by 8ace

yes he would put new board with mcb's & rcd fitted & upgrade your earth to 10/16 mmm

Fuk me wouldnt wana touch that, Change it and have done, at least you do have a rcd in line

B&Q have got killer deals on the 8 way RCA boxes atm..looking at that mate it needs the bin as its well out of current regs by the looks..my electrician who i use on my jobs charged me £60 to change mine and signed it off too;)

B&Q have got killer deals on the 8 way RCA boxes atm..looking at that mate it needs the bin as its well out of current regs by the looks..my electrician who i use on my jobs charged me £60 to change mine and signed it off too;)

 

cheers fella seen a few guide prices on the net and they say about £250-£400 including any earth upgrades needed. So I need to find an honest spark that's not gonna buttf### me

cheers fella seen a few guide prices on the net and they say about £250-£400 including any earth upgrades needed. So I need to find an honest spark that's not gonna buttf### me

 

whaaaaaaat to change a board...nah mate thats well ott,dont you know anyone who can put you intouch with a local spark for a saturday morning special;)

Also one last question....Does a PME system also have to have an earth rod in the system as well?

Guess it all depends where you live. My friend in London was qouted a grand to do it but I got an electrictian mate to do it for £200 labour. I just moved mine a little while ago cos I didn't like the way it was installed years ago

The great virtue of the PME system is that neutral is bonded to earth so that a phase to earth fault is automatically a phase to neutral fault. The earth-fault loop impedance will then be low, resulting in a high value of fault current which will operate the protective device quickly. It must be stressed that the neutral and earth conductors are kept quite separate within the installation: the main earthing terminal is bonded to the incoming combined earth and neutral conductor by the Electricity Supply Company. The difficulty of ensuring that bonding requirements are met on construction sites means that PME supplies must not be used. Electricity Supply Regulations forbid the use of PME supplies to feed caravans and caravan sites

Now there is a lot of variables on this question. Normaly a PME dose not have an earth rod, but some electricity boards will require an earth spike fitting, also if the garage is a seperate building it will require to be turned in to a TT system by dropping the earth and a earth rod fitted at the garage end or turn the whole house to a TT system.

The real answer is to get a part P registered electrition to do the work correctly, to comply to building snd electrical regulations.

Cant type anymore my fingers are numb!!

 

Allan

can of worms this job's gonna be:blink: Think my earth is gonna need sorting too just read that bridging bonds need fixing over any breaks like plastic push fits etc.(something I didn't think of when I put a push fit isolator valve in) I know I have one of those that needs doing also don't think the cable is big enough from the pipes to the board it needs to be 6mm I believe. I'll do what I can then get someone in to change the board.

16 mm main earth bond at the meter befor any tee fitting

10mm to gas / oil/ water bond within 30mm of incoming service

4mm cross bonding/ including bridging of plastic pipe fittings.

Guy in works brother's a spark and came to see it yesterday. The disb board is gonna be about £80 supply for a 10 way RCD/MCB he's getting back to me tommorrow with a fixed price for fitting the board then fault finding if any probs is an extra £12 an hour with £150 on top to get it signed off