New consumer unit required - does it mean none fire rated down lighters need replacing?

[Ronski]

I've got a couple of sparks here doing the AC side of my solar install.

As we're re-routing the entire house feed through the inverter (Quattro 48/10000) I've been told that the consumer unit needs replacing, its a split load unit fitted in circa 2005 so not up to current standards.

We did have DNO fuse - Meter - CU, it will now be DNO fuse, Switched fuse, Inverter, CU, so the only two things being altered on the consumer unit, is the supply, and an additional circuit being added for an induction hob, but there is a spare way for that. Does the CU require replacing?

They've now implied that if any existing down lighters are not fire rated they will need replacing, as they have to check these as part of their electrical checks with the new consumer unit.

Do existing none fire rated downlighters have to be replaced?

I have 3 rooms with a lot of downlighters, and habitable rooms above, its a detached residential house, two floors, ground and first floor, single layer plasterboard ceilings, normal joists and proper floorboards. I do need to check as some of the downlighters may be fire rated, but I'm pretty certain not all of them are.

Edit: Luckily all the downlights are either fire rated or had hoods fitted, but still curious if the above is correct.

 

[Murdoch]

Show them the door …..

and surely the inventor isn’t between the switch fuse and the consumer unit

 

[Ronski]

Show them the door …..

In relation to what part, the new consumer unit or the downlighters? Would really like to understand the requirements.

Unfortunately I'm stuck between a rock and hard place, in relation to finding an electrician that would work with me, and is happy to work with solar. I've done most of the DC side, and they are doing the AC side.

PS. I did add an edit to the first post, the downlighters are fire rated.

 

[Andy™]

no need to change to fire rated to change a consumer unit

do your rooms have fire doors? from the description of the house it looks like a single fire compartment and doesn't need fire rated downlights anyway. anyone saying otherwise is simply incompetent

 

[Ronski]

No fires doors, just a normal detached house, single family home.

Does the CU need updating?

I don't really mind the CU being updated, but if they are going to start feeding me BS to milk the job, then thats a different matter.

 

[Murdoch]

The inverter should be feeding an MCB (not on a shared rcd) in the fuseboard

 

[Ronski]

It's not, it's feeding the entire consumer unit.

 

[Andy™]

Does the CU need updating?

no. might be a good idea long term however just because something was isntalled to a previous edition doesn't suddenly mean it needs changed. the work could most likely be done without changing it

 

[binky]

Drivel, for reasons stated above.

 

[Murdoch]

It's not, it's feeding the entire consumer unit.

this does not make sense. How can the inverter feed the entire fuseboard

 

[Ronski]

Thanks @Andy™ and @binky thats what I suspected.

@Murdoch. The Victron Quattro 48/10000 has 100 amp pass through, it can supply 8kw (dependant on temperature) from solar/batteries, and is perfectly suited for whole house backup. It contains the required relays to disconnect the grid should the grid fail, and carry on running the entire house so long as the maximum loads not exceeded. Could have gone with the 48/15000 but that's even more expensive. I even have an existing inverter on the CU, this will stay running in the event of a grid failure, the Victron will frequency shift to shut down this inverter should the batteries be getting full.

 

[kerching]

Tell them to quote you the relevant regulation
When they can't throw them off the job

 

[Murdoch]

Sadly "misinformation" by manufacturers AND CPS's have sown in the ears of band of cowboy sparks have meant that poor customers like you can easily get shafted.

There is no regulation saying adding a new circuit to an older fuseboard must mean upgrading the fuseboard
There is no regulation saying downlights have to be fire rated in a detached property;.

 

[rjp44]

I've got a couple of sparks here doing the AC side of my solar install.

As we're re-routing the entire house feed through the inverter (Quattro 48/10000) I've been told that the consumer unit needs replacing, its a split load unit fitted in circa 2005 so not up to current standards.

We did have DNO fuse - Meter - CU, it will now be DNO fuse, Switched fuse, Inverter, CU, so the only two things being altered on the consumer unit, is the supply, and an additional circuit being added for an induction hob, but there is a spare way for that. Does the CU require replacing?

They've now implied that if any existing down lighters are not fire rated they will need replacing, as they have to check these as part of their electrical checks with the new consumer unit.

Do existing none fire rated downlighters have to be replaced?

I have 3 rooms with a lot of downlighters, and habitable rooms above, its a detached residential house, two floors, ground and first floor, single layer plasterboard ceilings, normal joists and proper floorboards. I do need to check as some of the downlighters may be fire rated, but I'm pretty certain not all of them are.

Edit: Luckily all the downlights are either fire rated or had hoods fitted, but still curious if the above is correct.

Can't see why the CU would need replacing, but you probably do need an extra fused switch on the Quattro output before the CU unless the whole CU is protected by a 100A MCB/RCDB terminating the tails. That unit can add 45A to the passthru (even more instantaneously around 2x the continuous inverter rating, so it will actually do around 90A peak).
If you have a 100A cutout, then it will happily drive 145A of output all day long and has no output protection built in. Taking that direct to the CU on 25mm2 tails into a 100A rated main switch doesn't seem like a great idea.

 

[Ronski]

He told me this morning he'd checked this with NICEIC, as it was on some check sheet. He seems a genuine decent guy, much better than other trades I've used in the past, and his work is neat and tidy, he turns up on time as well.

I think it is just a case of misinformation, rather than anything else, and as my downlighters are fire rated he's happy with that.

 

[Old Dog]

Down lights come under building regulations and does not need commented on when catching out electrical inspections

 

[Fleeting]

The spare way they are using for the hob will it need additional RCD protection and is an RCBO readily available for it. Can you show a pic of it.

 

[Ronski]

@Fleeting The entire consumer unit is being replaced, and I've opted for RCBO's.

 

[BorisJ]

No doubt there is a big hole where your stairs go. What difference would fire rated downlighters make?

 

[UNG]

Bit of a pointless thread it's gone from does the consumer unit need replacing to I'm getting it done anyway

Although it does highlight the state the electrical industry is in with the amount of misinformation it is breeding