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Wylex plug in MCB's

Jaymack
I have copies of a recent EICR and a follow up quote, these by a proven, registered electrician and are for a church, (C & G 2391 anyone?, and not the watered down version). The particular body is not relevant in this case, but the EICR is UNSATISFACTORY, one reason given is that fuses are not now permissible. ? There are around 5 Wylex fuse boards with plug in MCB's, these have gaps all around them because the original screw in covers over the original fuses, have been removed, being too shallow, so invalidating the IP integrity.

Wylex technical help say that they no longer supply these MCB's, but that the whole board cover should have been easily packed out, in order to accommodate the original cover over the plugin MCB's. (I don't recall any instructions to this effect on the consumer packaging for plugin MCB's).

How many of these doctored fuseboards still exist without these metal fuse covers, justifying a recall? I am thinking of the fatalities in a Glasgow care home, thought to have been caused

by a deficiency in the integrity of consumer unit.

More relevant, should suchlike electrical inspection reports only be carried out by a registered INSPECTOR, who must have a separate, periodic assessment?.


Jaymack .   .
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  • 0
    The old style plug in "B" range of Wylex miniature circuit breakers (B6, B16, B32 etc.) did leave a small gap around themselves in the all insulated consumer units, about 2 or 3mm I believe, but far too small to get a finger in. I seem to recall that the Wylex metalclad consumer units displayed a bigger gap around the plug in M.C.B.s and even some copper busbar that could be touched by a screwdriver, but I will have to check on that. It may be possible to buy some old Wylex consumer units just for the covers on fleabay. The centre part of the grey covers did indeed come out with careful use of a Stanley knife and file to smooth the edges as Sparkingchip says. This was to enable the M.C.B.s to be fitted where rewirable fuse carriers had been used before. This cover/frame should fill any gaps around the M.C.B.s.


    This illustration shows the metal type Wylex consumer unit with the cover/frame in place. Perhaps the visible busbar that I referred to before is the neutral one visible if the frame is removed, near to the main switch.

    https://www.flameport.com/electric_museum/wylex_fuse_boxes/wylex_standard.cs4


    Z.
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  • 0
    The old style plug in "B" range of Wylex miniature circuit breakers (B6, B16, B32 etc.) did leave a small gap around themselves in the all insulated consumer units, about 2 or 3mm I believe, but far too small to get a finger in. I seem to recall that the Wylex metalclad consumer units displayed a bigger gap around the plug in M.C.B.s and even some copper busbar that could be touched by a screwdriver, but I will have to check on that. It may be possible to buy some old Wylex consumer units just for the covers on fleabay. The centre part of the grey covers did indeed come out with careful use of a Stanley knife and file to smooth the edges as Sparkingchip says. This was to enable the M.C.B.s to be fitted where rewirable fuse carriers had been used before. This cover/frame should fill any gaps around the M.C.B.s.


    This illustration shows the metal type Wylex consumer unit with the cover/frame in place. Perhaps the visible busbar that I referred to before is the neutral one visible if the frame is removed, near to the main switch.

    https://www.flameport.com/electric_museum/wylex_fuse_boxes/wylex_standard.cs4


    Z.
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