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Post by mick on Jul 16, 2023 9:01:21 GMT
In my kitchen I have an old cooker switch like the one linked below.
It's suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure in the 13A socket. I have British Gas Homecare and sent for their electrician. His advice:
The switch is pre-1970 and probably isn't available 'like for like'. If you replace it you will need to also replace the consumer unit (same vintage) and get recertified in order to bring the system to current regulations. Cost - almost 2k !!!
A local electrician. The switch probably isn't available, but it can be replaced with a modern one and the wall made good. It's regarded as maintenance and there's no question of replacing the consumer unit or recertification - I'll get back to you. He did get back within the hour and a like for like is available. Cost about 100.
Do any of our illustrious members actually know who is right?
Mick
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Post by geoffr on Jul 16, 2023 9:07:48 GMT
Not my industry so I don't know the regs but BG are known for bigging up a job. I would get another quote from a different local electrical company, based on a personal recommendation if possible. I think however that your electrician is right. Of greater concern is that your entire electrical system is pre 1970 and may be in need of other work.
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Post by spinno on Jul 16, 2023 9:08:33 GMT
Both!
Based on my brother's recent experience. He had his kitchen rewired and a qualified electrician put in a "semi independent consumer unit", which basically sounds similar to what the tradesman was offering, currently(!) It's being used to install a shower in an under stairs wet room as well.
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Post by andy on Jul 16, 2023 9:13:10 GMT
All the switches, from lights to oven, in my kitchen have been replaced over the years without replacing the consumer unit.
Did have one electrician suggest replacing it but I'm pretty sure he was just looking for work.
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Post by mick on Jul 16, 2023 9:45:03 GMT
Thanks guys.
To be fair the BG man did suggest getting a local quote because,"we tend to be a bit expensive".
The local guy said that if he was adding another circuit or doing, "major work" then the BG man would be right - but not for a like for like replacement.
Mick
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Post by zx9 on Jul 16, 2023 10:00:09 GMT
Thanks guys. To be fair the BG man did suggest getting a local quote because,"we tend to be a bit expensive". The local guy said that if he was adding another circuit or doing, "major work" then the BG man would be right - but not for a like for like replacement.Mick This (my bold) is correct. As for major works it would be sufficient to add a separate zone or zones for the kitchen to the existing using a new metal consumer unit with RCBO's or mcb's and a RCD. Go with you local qualified sparks who will install and test to current regulations.
I am not an electrician but have specified quite a lot of electrical works both domestic and commercial and acknowledge that what is required in both scenarios can be quite different.
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Post by zou on Jul 16, 2023 10:00:20 GMT
Not that I am going out of my way to be fair to BG, but it may be that their own company standards require the additional work. Not 'necessary' per se, rather their own systems of work might say "if doing anything with dated circuitry do x y and z as well"? For insurance/aftercare purposes, so they cannot be seen to be liable for something else in the system failing etc.
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Post by peterob on Jul 16, 2023 10:37:15 GMT
We had the consumer unit replaced ( rcd breakers instead of the fuse box) but we also had extra circuits put in at the same time. The cooker and associated 13 A plug might be on a dedicated 30 Amp circuit and, although I don't know for sure, it might need an rcd. I would have thought one could be placed in-line. I think our neighbours, who still have a fuse box, have had a master rcd installed in series and this trips rather than the fuses blowing. Whether this is out of choice or requirement I don't know. There have been major changes to regulations over the years. This house was built in a copper shortage. When we moved in we found that, in the attic all the wires were laid straight (short as possible) and joined by twisting ends together and covering with insulation tape. They must have been reusing "bits".
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Post by Kath on Jul 16, 2023 12:09:19 GMT
We had to have our consumer unit replaced a while back, again on recommendation of BG as part of their service programme. However our guy told us to get a quote from a local tradesman and the price for hte job was considerably less than quoted.
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Post by mick on Jul 20, 2023 6:42:24 GMT
In my kitchen I have an old cooker switch like the one linked below.
It's suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure in the 13A socket. I have British Gas Homecare and sent for their electrician. His advice:
The switch is pre-1970 and probably isn't available 'like for like'. If you replace it you will need to also replace the consumer unit (same vintage) and get recertified in order to bring the system to current regulations. Cost - almost 2k !!!
A local electrician. The switch probably isn't available, but it can be replaced with a modern one and the wall made good. It's regarded as maintenance and there's no question of replacing the consumer unit or recertification - I'll get back to you. He did get back within the hour and a like for like is available. Cost about 100.
Do any of our illustrious members actually know who is right?
Mick
Wow. Do I feel sorry for the guy! He turned up with the new switch and it seemed to fit. However MK had changed the design (to cheapen it I guess) that made it a complete nightmare to fit. What was supposed to be a 30 minute job turned into 2.5 hours.
I just don't understand the design change. They had separated the switch block from the faceplate so the switch block had to be installed and located (very precisely) before the faceplate could be offered up. Extreme precision was needed because the switch block had to line precisely with the faceplate (to fit into the available slot) and the faceplate had to line precisely with its screw holes and also be positioned precisely for the very short screws to catch those holes.
A very tough and unnecessary 3D puzzle made worse by the flimsy brackets which moved much too easily.
Mick
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Post by geoffr on Jul 20, 2023 7:07:47 GMT
In my kitchen I have an old cooker switch like the one linked below.
It's suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure in the 13A socket. I have British Gas Homecare and sent for their electrician. His advice:
The switch is pre-1970 and probably isn't available 'like for like'. If you replace it you will need to also replace the consumer unit (same vintage) and get recertified in order to bring the system to current regulations. Cost - almost 2k !!!
A local electrician. The switch probably isn't available, but it can be replaced with a modern one and the wall made good. It's regarded as maintenance and there's no question of replacing the consumer unit or recertification - I'll get back to you. He did get back within the hour and a like for like is available. Cost about 100.
Do any of our illustrious members actually know who is right?
Mick
Wow. Do I feel sorry for the guy! He turned up with the new switch and it seemed to fit. However MK had changed the design (to cheapen it I guess) that made it a complete nightmare to fit. What was supposed to be a 30 minute job turned into 2.5 hours.
I just don't understand the design change. They had separated the switch block from the faceplate so the switch block had to be installed and located (very precisely) before the faceplate could be offered up. Extreme precision was needed because the switch block had to line precisely with the faceplate (to fit into the available slot) and the faceplate had to line precisely with its screw holes and also be positioned precisely for the very short screws to catch those holes.
A very tough and unnecessary 3D puzzle made worse by the flimsy brackets which moved much too easily.
Mick
Yesterday evening my wife turned on the lights in the lounge, well she turned the dimmer but nothing happened. Screwfix are ten minutes away so I went out and bought a new dimmer. Then spent an hour fitting it because the screws were too long and one hit the back of the box and sheared. The problem being that at 6:00 it was merely dim in the lounge, by 7:30 it was somewhat darker (East facing room) and I couldnāt turn the lights on. It isnāt the first time that a new fitting has proved to be less than a straight swap. I get the impression that the hardware is actually deeper than it used to be and my 40 year old boxes arenāt as deep as current ones. As for your cooker switch, all I can say is thanks, if I need one Iāll avoid the MK one. |
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Post by kate on Jul 20, 2023 7:32:01 GMT
We had to have our consumer unit replaced a while back, again on recommendation of BG as part of their service programme. However our guy told us to get a quote from a local tradesman and the price for hte job was considerably less than quoted. As a matter of interest, has there been any resolution of your billing problems? |
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Post by Kath on Jul 20, 2023 7:56:16 GMT
We had to have our consumer unit replaced a while back, again on recommendation of BG as part of their service programme. However our guy told us to get a quote from a local tradesman and the price for hte job was considerably less than quoted. As a matter of interest, has there been any resolution of your billing problems? No. In fact if anything it's getting worse. I've been in tears every day this week over it. I can't remember where I'd got to in relaying what's happened but after the last letter, we phoned again and the person said they'd put a 90 day hold on things. I was sceptical because they'd already put a 30 day hold on, and we'd had another pair of letters saying that they were going to put it out to a debt collection agency. Sure enough, yesterday there was another hand-delivered letter saying that if we didn't pay up they'd be applying for a warrant etc etc. Michael has emailed and will be sending paper copies also, to Ovo, Ofgem, the Ombudsman, our MP, our MSP and I can't think who else right now. I'm terrified that someone is going to break into our house, seize our things, change the locks and install a prepayment meter...which will presumably still go to British Gas and not Ovo because we are not their customer! The only saving grace at the moment is that they clearly don't know which flat is involved. The letters are addressed to The Occupier, not us by name, and the flat they're addressed to is 1/A. That configuration doesn't exist. It's not us and it's not our neighbour. I am clinging to the hope that they can't barge in to both flats on the off chance that one is right. I mean, neither are right, but you know what I mean.  |
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Post by kate on Jul 20, 2023 8:12:13 GMT
As a matter of interest, has there been any resolution of your billing problems? No. In fact if anything it's getting worse. I've been in tears every day this week over it. I can't remember where I'd got to in relaying what's happened but after the last letter, we phoned again and the person said they'd put a 90 day hold on things. I was sceptical because they'd already put a 30 day hold on, and we'd had another pair of letters saying that they were going to put it out to a debt collection agency. Sure enough, yesterday there was another hand-delivered letter saying that if we didn't pay up they'd be applying for a warrant etc etc. Michael has emailed and will be sending paper copies also, to Ovo, Ofgem, the Ombudsman, our MP, our MSP and I can't think who else right now. I'm terrified that someone is going to break into our house, seize our things, change the locks and install a prepayment meter...which will presumably still go to British Gas and not Ovo because we are not their customer! The only saving grace at the moment is that they clearly don't know which flat is involved. The letters are addressed to The Occupier, not us by name, and the flat they're addressed to is 1/A. That configuration doesn't exist. It's not us and it's not our neighbour. I am clinging to the hope that they can't barge in to both flats on the off chance that one is right. I mean, neither are right, but you know what I mean. I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope the steps you've taken work. I'm puzzled over the hand delivery of the letter though. Shame you can't catch whoever is doing it. Any CCTV among the neighbours? I certainly would want to sue whoever is doing this for harassment and defamation. Strange it should be addressed to the occupier as well. You're not above a shop are you? It's all a puzzle and very upsetting for you. |
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Post by kate on Jul 20, 2023 8:20:54 GMT
PS I wonder if the hand delivered letters are from a debt collection agency? It could be that a previous owner owed money which is now being chased up? I know I get really frustrated by chase up letters coming from debt collection companies - for two of the people who rented my place before the owner sold it to me. Any return address on the envelope?
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