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How to wire up a consumer unit

Arran Cameron

A semi-detached house has a prehistoric fuse box with rewirable ceramic fuses. It will shortly be replaced with a modern consumer unit. The existing circuits are:



 



1. Lights



2. Upstairs sockets



3. Downstairs sockets



4. Kitchen sockets



5. Cooker



6. Shower



 



The following circuits will be added to the consumer unit:



 



7. Central heating



8. Burglar alarm and CCTV



9. Outside lights



 



I have been informed that the best choice is a split load consumer unit with two RCDs and space for RCBOs. My intention is that circuit 8 has its own RCBO but what is the optimal way to allocate circuits to RCD A and RCD B? Also, should any other circuits have their own RCBO?


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    Simon Barker:

    It's a bit difficult with only one light circuit, but it's common to put the upstairs lights and downstairs sockets on one RCD and the downstairs lights and upstairs sockets on the other.  That way, if one trips, things don't go totally black.


    Perhaps put the lights on their own RCBO?




    There are future proposals to install a UPS next to the consumer unit for use during power cuts. The intention is that the lights will all be LED. My own proposal is to have a separate RCBO.


    Circuit 6 might be taken out following a central heating upgrade.



     

Reply
  • 0

    Simon Barker:

    It's a bit difficult with only one light circuit, but it's common to put the upstairs lights and downstairs sockets on one RCD and the downstairs lights and upstairs sockets on the other.  That way, if one trips, things don't go totally black.


    Perhaps put the lights on their own RCBO?




    There are future proposals to install a UPS next to the consumer unit for use during power cuts. The intention is that the lights will all be LED. My own proposal is to have a separate RCBO.


    Circuit 6 might be taken out following a central heating upgrade.



     

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