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Plastic external consumer unit ? Is it allowed ?

aligarjon

Hi guys.   I probably need to install a consumer unit outside. Customer has purchased an induction hob. CU is the other side of the house, house is less than 10 years old so all chipboard floors etc and she doesn't want the disruption. The meter box is on the same wall as the kitchen hob and has an isolator in it ( i dread to think how the tails are run but that's a different story ) . Anyway there is no room in the meter box for a 2 way CU so she has asked for an external one can be fitted. It's on the side of the house behind a fence so not quite as bad as it sounds.    

In these days of metal consumer units is it compliant to fit a plastic enclosure, a wiska type of thing with a din rails in it etc or would it still have to be metal even though it's outside so nowhere for a fire to spread.  Any searches i am doing at the moment just bring up the plastic variety anyway. 

As a side i need to leave a spare way in it for a possible future car charger.

Thanks

Gary

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  • 0

    Yes I would say that’s fine to fit a plastic one outside as it’s not “within” domestic premises, and assuming that it’s on a non-combustible surface and any fire wouldn’t spread into the house from where it’s located. Hager do a decent ip rated one.

    BG do a nice little 3-way IP rated metal consumer unit that is solidly made and can come with a main switch or rcd. They also do a version with surge protection if you need that. It gets a little more complicated with the ev charge point as their rcbo’s are only single pole. 

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  • 0

    Yes I would say that’s fine to fit a plastic one outside as it’s not “within” domestic premises, and assuming that it’s on a non-combustible surface and any fire wouldn’t spread into the house from where it’s located. Hager do a decent ip rated one.

    BG do a nice little 3-way IP rated metal consumer unit that is solidly made and can come with a main switch or rcd. They also do a version with surge protection if you need that. It gets a little more complicated with the ev charge point as their rcbo’s are only single pole. 

Children
  • 0 in reply to Sparkymark

    I am afraid that "premises" are not restricted to a house. The origin is a deed which conveys all the land which is transferred on a sale so it includes the house, the garage, any outbuildings, the gardens, etc.

    I like that BG cast CU - built like a brick dunny, but I would only install it under cover such as a porch, etc.

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