Hi all, advice and inspiration needed.
(Please see Photos and Quick Summary at bottom)
Should I change my Consumer Unit and wiring ?
I have recently bought a flat which had old Storage heaters (with asbestos) and an unvented hot water cylinder all wired for Economy 7 electricity (No gas to the building).
We have removed the storage heaters and are planning to replace them with some form of electric panel heaters/radiators (advice welcome).
The problem is that the young (inexperienced?) electrician I have asked to move a some sockets has told me I HAVE to replace the consumer unit, an MK Sentry from Mid 90’s without RCD which was what I expected. The left side is wired for normal circuits, lights, Sockets, cooker, etc. The right side is dedicated to the Economy 7 Night Rate electricity and is individually wired to each storage heater and the hot water cylinder. He said he is going to disconnect the night rate side of the consumer unit and the meter and fit one 20 way consumer unit which thinks is mad considering it's only a flat. Someone else said it might be better to use two separate consumer units side-by-side?
Would it not be better to replace the consumer unit with an updated MK Sentry and keep the existing the Economy 7 setup even if it would only be used for the the Hot Water Cylinder?
Each storage heater and the water cylinder was supplied by two flex outlet sockets, one for night electricity and one for the day electricity. He has suggested putting blanking plates over the night rate outlets and putting a normal switched single socket on each ‘day-time’ flex outlet to plug in the new panel heaters. He didn't know anything about the Hot Water Cylinder or how having only one of the two immersion heaters working would affect the water temperature and electricity bill.
Do I ‘HAVE TO’ replace the Consumer Unit or is it just recommended
Summary-
Should I..
1. Keep my existing consumer unit?
2. Replace it with an updated MK Sentry and keep the Economy 7 electricity for the Water Cylinder
3. Fit one 20-way consumer unit (then each of the old Storage Heater outlets which would now be blanked off and unused would have its own circuit ! ? )
4. Fit two separate consumer units (Don't know if this recommendation intended to use one for daytime electricity and one for Economy 7 Night electricity or just all daytime electricity without the Economy 7 but is easier than fitting one 20 way unit?)
5. Will the Hot water cylinder work ok with just one of the two immersion heaters used ( I need to investigate the Horstmann Economy 7 Timer)
Photos link - https://photos.app.goo.gl/UmSRDEd57c4o6mNy9
Thanks in advance
(Please see Photos and Quick Summary at bottom)
Should I change my Consumer Unit and wiring ?
I have recently bought a flat which had old Storage heaters (with asbestos) and an unvented hot water cylinder all wired for Economy 7 electricity (No gas to the building).
We have removed the storage heaters and are planning to replace them with some form of electric panel heaters/radiators (advice welcome).
The problem is that the young (inexperienced?) electrician I have asked to move a some sockets has told me I HAVE to replace the consumer unit, an MK Sentry from Mid 90’s without RCD which was what I expected. The left side is wired for normal circuits, lights, Sockets, cooker, etc. The right side is dedicated to the Economy 7 Night Rate electricity and is individually wired to each storage heater and the hot water cylinder. He said he is going to disconnect the night rate side of the consumer unit and the meter and fit one 20 way consumer unit which thinks is mad considering it's only a flat. Someone else said it might be better to use two separate consumer units side-by-side?
Would it not be better to replace the consumer unit with an updated MK Sentry and keep the existing the Economy 7 setup even if it would only be used for the the Hot Water Cylinder?
Each storage heater and the water cylinder was supplied by two flex outlet sockets, one for night electricity and one for the day electricity. He has suggested putting blanking plates over the night rate outlets and putting a normal switched single socket on each ‘day-time’ flex outlet to plug in the new panel heaters. He didn't know anything about the Hot Water Cylinder or how having only one of the two immersion heaters working would affect the water temperature and electricity bill.
Do I ‘HAVE TO’ replace the Consumer Unit or is it just recommended
Summary-
Should I..
1. Keep my existing consumer unit?
2. Replace it with an updated MK Sentry and keep the Economy 7 electricity for the Water Cylinder
3. Fit one 20-way consumer unit (then each of the old Storage Heater outlets which would now be blanked off and unused would have its own circuit ! ? )
4. Fit two separate consumer units (Don't know if this recommendation intended to use one for daytime electricity and one for Economy 7 Night electricity or just all daytime electricity without the Economy 7 but is easier than fitting one 20 way unit?)
5. Will the Hot water cylinder work ok with just one of the two immersion heaters used ( I need to investigate the Horstmann Economy 7 Timer)
Photos link - https://photos.app.goo.gl/UmSRDEd57c4o6mNy9
Thanks in advance