CU location - wall type

[PeterW]

Quick one for the sparks. 

 

Current plan for the CU is to go into a cupboard which is roughly central to the house, with the main supply coming up from the slab ducting and then an isolator and into the CU. 

 

I know the CU casinghas to be a metal one for fire risk, but does the wall structure need to be anything other than a standard stud wall - albeit reinforced to take the CU etc. It would most likely be a timber stud wall with fermacell both sides but could be blockwork if necessary. 

[ProDave]

No special requirements for the wall, just an amendment 3 compliant CU  No need for an isolator unless you want one.  Is the meter going there or is that remote mounted somewhere else?
 

[Temp]

As I recall if the CU is more than 3m from the meter (tails longer than 3m) you must have a isolation switch/fuse in the meter cabinet. Have heard there are practical issues and issues of responsibility over who is responsible for installing that? Make sure your electrician is present when they come to install the meter so your man can install or move the switch/fuse if the meter installer is a "jobs worth" type.

[PeterW]

Meter is going at the gate with an 80a switched isolator before the 30m SWA run to the house. Secondary isolator on the end of this before it goes into the CU

 

 

[ProDave]

So you just need to terminate the SWA direct into the CU at the house end.

 

Choose your CU carefully. I fitted a Hager one recently (I used to like Hager) but was disappointed to find it only had square knock outs.  I know if you chose a BG CU at the moment they have a good delection of round knock outs that should take the SWA gland directly into the CU.

 

It baffles me that wholesalers don't advertise such important things like which CU has how many of what size and shape knock outs and where.