Consumer Unit proximity to combustible material

What consumer unit is being placed in the wooden cupboard?

Peter Brooks

What consumer unit is being placed in the wooden cupboard?

Peter Brooks

Morning Peter  a "consumer unit' in this context means the circuit breaker equivalent of the traditional fuse board. Its a bit of a mis-nomer as it consumers next to nothing, rather serves as the automatic disconnection of things that do, should they become faulty.
examples..

https://consumerunitworld.co.uk/wylex-consumer-units-278-c.asp

Mike

Thank you Mike:

Again here in the US, we use the same words as you do in the UK, but it means something completely different !

Peter

Hello  Mike:

Breaker boxes can cause fires.

I had to have my main house breaker box replaced a few years ago because the design of this unit would allow (over time) high resistance connections to develop, There was also  a US Fire alert on this specific design/manufacturer.

Prior to getting it replaced one was advised to place one's hand on the box cover to see if it was getting warm to the touch once a month.

In fact my property insurance company would not insure me, until I got it changed out.

Peter 

There was also  a US Fire alert on this specific design/manufacturer.

Was that the (in)famous Federal Pacific  "stab-lok" ones?

We had a not too dissimilar situation a few years ago (although not related to any particular manufacturer) where design changes over time meant that some terminals (esp cage clamp ones with large stiff conductors) tended to overheat, and the plastic enclosures weren't quite as fire resistant as most expected. Modern consumer units (mostly with steel enclosures) are meant to have mitigated that risk.

  - Andy.

Yes Andy:

That was the manufacturer!

Peter  

Peter Brooks said:

Yes Andy:

That was the manufacturer!

Peter

Got them at home - circa 1982 vintage. Never been a problem! Mind you, the UK ones my be a different spec from the USA ones.

Hello Chris

Mine was installed in the house when it was built in 1970!

Peter 

Hello Andy:

This brings up a very interesting question -- Who in the UK determines if the proposed design change (example using plastic parts) is a "major" or "minor" change?

One of my jobs at one US company was "Configuration Control" and I was the person who made that "major" or "minor" change decision!  

Peter