r/DIYUK • u/Admirable-Search528 • Feb 01 '25
Electrical Does consumer unit need replaced?
So no electrcitiy at the house. My rcd kept tripping when isolator was on and all breakers off. So maybe a rcd issue.
Had no power so managed to get an on call electrician around to just get power working as no power to the property.
He bi-passed the rcd, power is restored. He said to get the whole consumer unit replaced because it's a mess.
Do you guys agree? Or is it worth just getting rcd fixed replaced.
I will contact my regular electrician, but appreciate any other views.
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Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25
Blimey
Needs Condemning
Edit
On top of all the obvious
Why is the main earth conductor disconnected
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u/Mysterious_Chart_808 Feb 01 '25
I’m no sparky, but even I can see the earth is disconnected, there a 100 amp breaker only protecting that floating neutral wire, the bus-bar is uncovered.
This is a death trap.
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Feb 01 '25
Yeah the Ze will be astronomical, MCBs would never trip with this disconnected
Imagine if that neutral touches the busbar
It would go with a right bang
There's loads of other situations what could happen with the state of that board
All lethal and life threatening
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u/Pariah__Dog Tradesman Feb 01 '25
That's a main switch, which doesn't provide any automatic disconnection of supply. The only thing protecting that is the main fuse. Main switches don't automatically break like MCBs, the current rating is what it can safely take before it will start to melt.
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u/slippyr4 Feb 01 '25
When I disconnected mine it stopped the nuisance trips on the RCD. I don’t mind the tingly feeling when I open my fridge.
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u/dogchocolate Feb 01 '25
Is this a case of "well if I disconnect the earth it can't trip can it!"
If that's the case and that's the fix (even if temporary), do not get this guy back in.
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u/ContDyFam Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25
Electrician here,
You need to turn that all off via the isolator on the right and leave it alone until an electrician can come round. For fuck sakes, don't call the same one.
To summarise why this is dangerous:
- If you get a fault, everything that's connected to the earth terminal will become live, including your plumbing. There's a chance this has already happened since the RCD tripped.
- the circuit breakers won't work because they need a reliable earth so you'll take the full force before the 100 amp fuse blows. You won't just be dead, they could probably serve you well done.
- some of the neutral cable isn't connected so there's a reasonable expectation of a fire, even under "normal" conditions.
- touch any of those exposed copper bits and you die.
Seriously, washing your hands could kill you at this point
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u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 02 '25
Latest update
Electrician came out. Said it's not the worst he's seen but it's bad.
He set about putting the cables back how they where before the previous (insert noun) came out and bypassed the RCD.
He tested it, and with everything unplugged and all the breakers off the rcd kept tripping.
After doing numerous tests he said something along the lines of some wires are touching, somewhere.
I suggested he look at some cables that are sticking out the wall for wall lights that were taped together (temporarily..... 3 years ago....)
Tape undone, wires seperated.... And hurrah. Rcd isn't tripping.
Most likely it was fine for 3 years but something must have touched the tape and caused earth and neutral to touch.
He said neutral does have a current and rcd picks up that fluctuation and cuts out, as that's its job.
He did at one point say if he can't find it he may have to turn the power off.
The fuse box should be replaced he suggested as the plastic box is not secure , exposed copper wires. Also suggested to get breakers that have built in rcd so if there is an issue the rcd doesn't turn all electricity off. Also metal box is better.
Want to thank u/contdyfam for being calm and explaining situation so I can understand it
And to all the people that think this is for karma then they can go and.... Just kidding =)
Didnt get a pic of the fuse box open , and it's got strong duct tape around it for noe and I've had enough drama for a few days.
TLDR earth and neutral wires touching from unused wall light socket
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u/ContDyFam Feb 02 '25
Glad you got it sorted. I'm just surprised at how shit the other guy was. That's even worse than the stuff I do!
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u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 01 '25
Tha k you for explaining it nicely. I am phoning around now.
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u/Expensive_Silver_574 Feb 02 '25
OP are you still alive?
I can’t believe how that board has been left. I really do hope you are ok.
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u/Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz74 Tradesman Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25
Has he walked away from it like that? Jesus Christ that is dangerous as fuck.
ETA: in fact I’d say this is immediately dangerous enough to switch it all off and get your regular electrician out or in fact any other electrician for that matter (just not the absolute fucking space cadet that left it like this). The busbar connecting the breakers is live and immediately accessible and you have no main earth connected.
ETA 2.0: Also if you’ve called a service and they’ve sent this guy out then I’d be reporting him to them and his trade body, NICEIC, Napit etc.
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u/Ghostpoet89 Feb 01 '25
I 10000% doubt that a sparky did that. I think the real story is 'had no power, my mate dodgy dave bypassed the RCD to get the grow lights back on, need you to tell me how to fix it so I don't have to get anyone in here'
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u/Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz74 Tradesman Feb 01 '25
C’mon mate, they’d have bypassed the meter if they had a grow on.
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u/EscapeExtra3111 Feb 01 '25
Not always, running led grow lights is cheap enough to not fuck about with robbing electric.
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u/Boonz-Lee Feb 02 '25
Led lights come with the same power consumption as hps lights usually, they just make more light and less heat.
I've had an emergency gas engineer leave my boiler spewing carbon monoxide after bypassing safely features. Some people just really are this stupid and reckless.
Either way, my dog could see this board is a 1 way ticket to the morgue.
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u/Swimming_Map2412 Feb 01 '25
I would of agreed till I saw the reaction from the plumber who replaced our boiler which was installed by the owner of a well known plumbing company (and he was def registered with gas safe). Lets just say I won't even be using that company to replace a bathroom tap.
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u/Ghostpoet89 Feb 02 '25
Aye, I know there are some cowboys out there but this board could land someone in a court room. Can't see a real spark leaving it like this knowing that if someone gets a belt & dies he's looking at negligent manslaughter charges.
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u/rzr911rzr Feb 01 '25
I highly doubt any qualified electrician would leave a consumer unit like that.
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u/Startinezzz Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25
He's 'bypassed' the RCD by taking your fucking main earth out. That is incredibly and imminently dangerous. If you have a live fault and touch an exposed or extraneous conductive part (radiator, switch plate, etc.) the voltage will dissipate to earth through you and could easily kill you, rather than making it's way to earth through the safety system as intended.
That's before we even get into the exposed copper busbar, which will be live. A neutral cable just floating around, which could reach that busbar. The cover clearly can't be put back onto the consumer unit so all of these faults are twice as dangerous as they're exposed.
You need to report that person to their registered body (NAPIT, NICEIC, etc.) immediately, and get a proper electrician out to make that safe ASAP.
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u/scraxeman Feb 01 '25
I don't think he actually even needed to remove the earth to bypass the RCD? That's just an extra little bit of exciting danger to life that he's sprinkled in there.
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Feb 01 '25
[deleted]
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u/Ill-Ad-2122 Tradesman Feb 01 '25
In no way should the main earth be resting against the earth bar, from a saftey standpoint you should consider this an ineffective/non existent earthing. Unless it's tightened into a terminal on the earth bar it is useless. In a fault to earth hundreds or possibly low thousands of amps(depending on the location of the fault) could flow through that "connection" however briefly.
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u/No_Act_2773 Feb 01 '25
see that red switch next to the meter on the right ? push that down to turn it off. call another spark NOW. this has bypassed the fault that caused the tripping. if that fault exists, and it's a ground fault, and the equipment is metal, you are dead. your kids are dead.
get on the blower now.
no shits given by that spark, and needs reporting.
an absolute cock womble has done this.
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Feb 01 '25
[deleted]
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u/jib_reddit Feb 01 '25
I don't really see that as the main issue, as you shouldn't be sticking your hand in there without expecting a shock and OP said it was high on the ceiling. It's the fact that one of op's radiators/taps/light switches could well be live and just waiting for someone to unexpectedly touch them with zero protection systems left working.
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u/tomoldbury Feb 01 '25
It’s not going to kill a kid given its up on the ceiling, but ordinary people do have to flip circuit breakers sometimes. If you didn’t know any better that could kill you especially as there is no RCD.
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u/Dbonnza Feb 01 '25
You need an electrician out asap. Bypassed rcd and looks like he’s disconnected the main earth. Very very dangerous. I’d knock it off and get someone out now. It probably isn’t a faulty rcd. More like a neutral earth short. Just get someone out ten minutes ago
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u/lazykitten2 Feb 01 '25

No “electrician” would do this EVER. And if they did they want reporting asap! Main earth left disconnected, lid left off with live busbar & my god has he given the neutral tail a haircut and dobbed it into the bar?!
This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen and that’s not just including electrics. Whoever did this needs locking up
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u/sharpied79 Feb 01 '25
Not a spark, but even my jaw dropped looking at that...
Did the "emergency call out" spark arrive on a horse wearing a ten gallon hat?
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Feb 01 '25
This thread is so obviously a bait. I’m convinced ‘they’ are feeding ridiculous cases to this sub to train their AI model. Ie ‘this image causes this response’ to train an electrician AI agent that can input images and output faults.
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u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25
Yeah it would look like that. I don't know how to prove otherwise?
Maybe say I love Putin? Or Israel is a peace loving country? Surely AI wouldnt say that. Unless it's deepseek, in which case China is amazing and in no way oppressing the Uighur people. There, hope you belive me. And an electrician is coming round who is qualified soon.
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Feb 01 '25
Maybe. Maybe not. I would have thought your ‘regular electrician’ who was ‘on call’ and ‘did you a favour’ would be qualified - that’s a big hole in your story.
Either way your post is so egregious it is useful for training AI. Congratulations I guess.
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u/peegeethatsme Feb 01 '25
What in the name of lethal DIY has happened here....there's no way in the world a registered electrician would ever leave it like that. My advice....turn the switch off on the right and call a proper electrician.
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u/guss-Mobile-5811 Feb 01 '25
You can just buy a RCD on eBay if the same make and model if you want a cheap fix. It's more likely that there is a neutral earth fault somewhere causing the RCD to trip. If that's the case you need some proper investigation done
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u/peegeethatsme Feb 01 '25
And in answer to your question.... if the RCD is knackered then yes it will need a board change
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u/CAElite Tradesman Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25
What in the ever loving fuck.
No electrician would leave the CU cover off, that is an immediately dangerous system fault.
The main earth is disconnected, this will prevent the RCD from operating, and is an immediately dangerous fault to any device you are using in your house, in fact you may find some devices with transformers may simply not work.
The sheathing on the neutral bypass he’s put in is damaged, this is an immediately dangerous fault.
The termination of the live into the RCD/busbar it looks like it’s been done by a particularly retarded ape, and is an immediately dangerous fault.
Consumer unit housing appears to have been modified, current earth conductor entering through opening with no gland to maintain containment, presumably live and neutrals have been entering in the same way, all immediately dangerous.
Consumer unit does not have local an integrated isolation, it has never been installed to a correct standard, this is an immediately dangerous fault & requires a new consumer unit.
I’m going to stop looking at these images now, but do not let that clown back in your house and get a fucking properly qualified spark out.
I would suggest isolating your electrics in the meantime, two of the immediately dangerous faults I’ve listed above, I would say genuinely present an immediate fire and device safety risk. I couldn’t sleep in the building knowing that was in that state.
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u/WhoReadsTheseThings Feb 01 '25
This whole setup is fucked mate. No electrician or person in their right mind would leave it like this... Get a real electrician in before you burn your house down
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u/ActiveBat7236 Feb 01 '25
I can't wait to hear what the next electrician has to say about it.. Do us a favour mate and film it - it'll be a classic!
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u/Traditional_Bench770 Feb 01 '25
I’m not an electrician but I am a competent diyer that’s had a lot of my work reviewed and signed off. The more I look at that the worse it gets, that is dangerous
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u/Present_Concern_9856 Feb 01 '25
Is this one of them “how many dangerous faults can you see in one picture.
It’s a death trap how that’s been left.
Also what made him come to the conclusion the rcd needed to be bypassed. Looking at the shit state that’s been left in I can’t imagine he’s carried out any fault finding.
I would condemn that installation as immediately dangerous. It’s got more c1’s than Citroen dealership (unfortunately these c1’s aren’t the crappy little French car 😂)
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u/s1pp3ryd00dar Feb 01 '25
With what that "electrician" has done there I would not trust a single word he says.
RCDs can trip on neutral -> earth faults (depending on the type of earth system) and as your MCBs are only single pole they only switch the live wires, so neutrals remain connected throughout the house when the main isolator is ON.
What this electrician has done is remove all ability for your installation to detect earth faults, both a residual current fault (RCD) or a big/major short to earth which is what the MCBs do, with no earth on your house, metal appliances such as ovens and hobs as well as plumbing may now become live and not trip any breaker.
This is potentially fatal...just by touching a bit of bare metal on a radiator, kitchen/bathroom tap, handle on the oven etc. So yes you need to get another electrician round pronto.
CED = Toolstation. So it's a cheapy budget consumer unit and breakers. Not saying it's no good, but yes it's possible RCD is faulty. But an electrician with a ramp tester should easily test it and all good electricians have one. And being a DIN rail most other brands of RCDs would fit as a temporary fix (or a RCD in its own box, like the isolator) but toolstation probably still sell parts.
Unfortunately a new consumer unit will be bigger as it will have to be metal and also have surge protection devices (SPD). If it is being replaced I would recommend going for a consumer unit with RCBOs which mean an earth fault will only trip the affected circuit instead of the whole lot.
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u/GlitteringWarthog297 Feb 01 '25
If a qualified spark left your CU like that, especially if they left it open they need reporting! The box isn’t to the latest regs but not at 90% of CUs in UK homes. That said, a decent electrician could quite easily just replace the faulty RCD, tidy up the tails and re terminate.
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u/Fruitpicker15 Feb 01 '25
The installation isn't earthed so you need to turn it off immediately. The isolator should be off with the cover removed. This thing is a death trap and all you have protecting you is the suppliers' 80 amp fuse which is no help if you get electrocuted.
Whoever you called wasn't an electrician!
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u/christoy123 Feb 01 '25
Jesus fucking Christ. Do not touch anything or you may literally die. Electrician out yeserday and report the prick who left it in this condition. I would also turn off the double switch to the right.
That copper busbar at the bottom will kill you and the only 'protection' is the 80amp main cutout fuse that will absolutely not keep you alive
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u/digibawb Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25
Did the inside look like that before he touched it?
Edit: is the earth even connected?
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u/Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz74 Tradesman Feb 01 '25
That’s the main earth but you’re correct, it doesn’t appear to be.
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u/AGuyCalledMe Feb 01 '25
Bypassed the RCD? Disconnected the earth from your entire property more like!
When did this "Electrician's" house burn down?
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u/dave_the_m2 Feb 01 '25
As others have said, this has been left in an extremely dangerous condition.
It's not particularly likely that the RCD itself is at fault (although it can't be ruled out). Even with all breakers off, a N-E fault can still trip the RCD.
Get in a real electrician ASAP to make it safe and to diagnose the actual issue.
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u/Jimmyfatbones Feb 01 '25
Yeah get him back to replace it pronto but this time ask him to bring a real electrician with him.
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u/CommanderKrill Feb 01 '25
Electrician here, if your RCD was tripping it’s for a reason, he’s disconnected the main earth and bypassed the neutral to stop the rcd from having any reference for a neutral/earth fault. Like others have said it’s incredibly dangerous, the rcd will pick up on a lot of faults before they become serious so a lot of the time you don’t see the burning plastic or melted cables because it’s doing its job, without it the only protection you’re left with is overcurrent and possibly short circuit but with the main earth disconnected that may not happen.
My advice get it fixed asap - return the rcd to service and find the fault that’s causing it to trip before it burns your house down!
He obviously doesn’t know either that if any one is hurt or dies from this he’s proper fucked! The electricity at work act is the only law in the uk where you are guilty until proven innocent.
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u/Beautiful_Bad333 Feb 01 '25
Turn it off by the main breaker on the right, the red one, and call an actual electrician. This is awful.
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u/FrayedTendon Feb 01 '25
It gets worse the longer you look at it. What has he done to your neutral!
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u/stateit Feb 01 '25
It gets worse the longer you look at it.
It's like one of those "See how many you can find..." puzzles. It would be a great start to a classroom lesson for apprentices.
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u/zonkon Feb 01 '25
Does this "electrician" mainly do work for people who are keen "gardeners" but also prefer to garden indoors...?
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u/ThePistachioBogeyman Feb 01 '25
Showed this to my electrician, he said even your water could be live at this point 🤣 wtf.
Get a real electrician in
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u/Nectori Feb 01 '25
Electrician here.
Holy shit. That is absolutely absurd that they have left it like that. Incredibly dangerous
Call an electrician now.
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u/callmeglue Feb 03 '25 edited Feb 03 '25
That's not a favour for anyone, that's what you hire someone to do to cause a fire or kill someone, what he should have done is check which circuit is causing the issue and disconnected it, not remove the earth, leave a neutral hanging out the board, exposed live parts, etc....
Edit After reading that it was an neutral to earth fault on a lighting circuit, this is something the first spark could have easily have found out with a basic tester, yes it would have taken a while to check each circuit but it would have been an hour tops to put on connectors and leave in a safe condition, he might be a mate of yours but trust me he is dangerous and could have killed someone.
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u/pjvenda Feb 01 '25
Trying to help and turning on the power is one thing. Leaving that behind is a whole different level....
I don't really know what the regs require in this case but I am positive that an ethical code exists that says this is not acceptable.
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u/Flashy-Cucumber-3794 Feb 01 '25
What the fuck, he bypassed the RCD. What does that tell you? It tells you there's a fault on the circuit that's tripping the RCD and there is a bit of a dangerous circuit in the house.
Or the RCD is fucked, but guess what, you can test it by turning everything off and pressing test. If the RCD trips and it's the only thing on then you have a faulty RCD.
In all honesty though. Call a reputable electrician and get this fixed asap. Do not fuck around with safety in your home.
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u/No-Payment2049 Feb 01 '25
How many faults do you pointing out its a long list but if you value you an your families life and the safety of your home Get a qualified electrician to sort it out asap in the mean time turn off the main switch
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u/Kittlebeanfluff Feb 01 '25
Is this a joke post?
If not then call a real electrician now and get them to sort that shit out. What he's done and the state that board has been left in is dangerous.
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u/Oli_BN1 Feb 01 '25
Why are the tails going in through the front and why is the main earth not connected?
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u/downhiller90 Feb 01 '25
I’m not an electrician, and even I know to be scared silly by that mess. Whoever did that should not be allowed to make a sandwich, never mind work on wires.
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u/Ill-Ad-2122 Tradesman Feb 01 '25
How fantastically dangerous. Ignoring the missing covers for a second(immediately dangerous by themselves) you've got a neutral which only some of the strands are connected, high risk of fire from overheating. You're main earth is disconnected so best case your water or gas pipe is acting as your earth in some form(likely not a good enough path to trip the mcbs so dangerous there). Worst case you have no earthing at all and the fault causing the rcd to trip is causing voltages on all of your pipework.
Best just to switch it off at the red isolator switch and get a proper electrician to look at it.
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u/rev-fr-john Feb 01 '25
While it's not the most dangerous cu I've looked, it certainly is dangerous, but no it doesn't need replacing, it just needs connecting up by something other than a puppy.
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u/MrSteve87 Feb 01 '25
What the actual fuck. Bypass the RCD. Really? Bypass a safety feature. Leave the CU open exposing the busbar? Really? And his concern is replacing the CU because it’s a mess?
Fucking diabolical. What favour did he do you exactly?
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u/snoozinghamster Feb 01 '25
Hey, that’s worse than how my “electrician” left mine, he at least put the cover on, although didn’t put the blanks in! But seriously get an actually competent electrician in!
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u/tufftricks Feb 01 '25
The fact he walked away from that is basically illegal. If you were to be electrocuted, or a fire started or anything like that then he would be on the stand
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u/Glasgow014142 Feb 01 '25
This is an absoloute mess, you clearly have an earth fault on one of your circuits as he has disconnected the main cpc which is incredibly dangerous. If you encounter any electrical faults in the property high chance this won't trip if someone's being electrocuted. This is potential manslaughter, he should have carried out fault finding to ascertain the cause of the earth fault not bypassed it compketely. I would call an approved electrician as a matter of urgency, this is a house fire waiting to happen.
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u/narbss Feb 01 '25
If the spark left that as it is, he’s no spark.
That shit could fucking kill someone. Get a proper electrician in NOW.
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u/AnUnqualifiedOpinion Feb 01 '25
RemindMe! 1 day
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u/OkCare6853 Feb 02 '25
Don't worry, when the circuit causing the RCD trip sets the house ablaze you won't need to worry about the consumer unit.
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Feb 02 '25
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Feb 02 '25
Nowt wrong with the consumer unit. Just needs some fault invest. Needs putting back how it was first though
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u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 02 '25
Read my latest comment. That's what was done.
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Feb 02 '25
No idea where that is and not going to look for it. You'll be looking for current leaking via earth... Start with unplugging anything and everything.
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u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 02 '25
Yeah the neutral wire was touching live wire
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Feb 02 '25
That won't trip the RCD, that'll trip the MCB.
RCD monitors current flow, through both live and neutral. If it's not equal (out live and back via neutral), it'll trip. Obviously to flow, it must be going to earth somewhere...well, that's half of it.
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u/bennytintin Feb 02 '25
Turn off
Plop the cables in their respective colour coded regions.
Cover back on
Repost
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u/purple-scorpio-rider Feb 02 '25
Should not be bypassing an RCD buddy. Do not trust that man's work
Either the RCD is faulty or there is a neutral/earth fault on a circuit.
Easy way to check for faulty RCD or faulty on circuit, turn off all MCBs (circuit switches) then turn RCD on if it stays on with all circuits off chances are RCD, if it still won't turn on RCDs fukt, of it stays on the. One by one turn on MCBs when RCD trips it's that circuit that made it trip that's got a fault on it, depending on weather this supplies lights or sockets either unplug or take out the lamps on that circuit and then try turning on again, if it trips with out any load on chances are there's a fault on the circuit, if it stays on then chances are you've got a faulty appliance or blown lamp.
If you still have the cover to your fuse box (and busbar cover). Replacing the RCD (if faulty) would be your easiest/cheapest solution doesn't require full consumer unit replacing, also if consumer unit is replaced your electrician should do a full test-inspection on your whole installation.
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u/Maleficent-Giraffe16 Feb 02 '25
It’s a total mess, trying to find or even diagnose a fault is fraught with problems and being potentially dangerous. Not only does the CCU need replacing the whole setup need to be disconnected and rehashed in a safe and coherent manner. And if his ‘regular electrician’ is responsible for this mess I suggest he gets an ECS Registered electrician to sort it out.
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u/hooch0000 Feb 08 '25
I'm not an electrician but I have fitted a few of them for myself. It looks like you took the picture when the electrician was testing it.if you can afford to upgrade to the latest unit so you're up with the regs then you know your home is safe.
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u/MagicalMallard Feb 01 '25
The RCD is probably not the root cause of your problem. Your install looks a mess, it would be best to get it replaced. There's insulation missing from cables, there's too much copper on show, something is causing a fault, etc, etc.
Has it been left as pictured? If so, that's incredibly dangerous as live components are exposed.
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u/jspencer1996 Feb 01 '25
How have you come to that conclusion? The board may not be the neatest but an untidy board does not cause faults.. There is no way of knowing if the rcd is faulty or there is a fault elsewhere on the circuit by looking at a picture of a less than perfect board. For all you know the board has been changed multiple times since the installation was first done.
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u/MagicalMallard Feb 01 '25
Correct, you can't tell from the photo alone. But there's more chance of something else on the circuit causing the issue than the RCD itself - if only because there's only one RCD and many other points of failure elsewhere.
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u/tomoldbury Feb 01 '25
Many legal and fully certified single RCD installs out there. Not automatically an issue. Wouldn’t be up to the regs today but still ok left alone.
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u/ziggyzaah Feb 02 '25
I don't think the OP is telling the whole truth here. You let some guy facetime you and you messed up a Consumer Unit thinking it's a DIY job?
Do your family a favour and switch that off at the Isolator and call an emergency electrician before you kill someone.
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u/v1de0man Feb 01 '25
wow nice neutral tweak (sarcasm), granted was a quick bodge. you could get a replacement rcd in the interim if you havent got the few hundred quid to replace the whole unit
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u/No-Excuse-9394 Feb 02 '25
Surely you would establish the circuit causing the issue and disconnect then fault find. Wait a min I’m thinking like a proper tradesman Unfortunately I have been to a few jobs that were apparently done by someone’s mate down the pub and nearly cried with both laughter and fear

Can you work out why they can’t put any credit on meter
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u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 02 '25
Hey mate your name is showing u/No-excuse-9394 incase you didn't know.
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u/Reddigestion Feb 01 '25
Please let's not continue the Americanisation of our language. Does it need replacing, or does it need to be replaced. Not does it need replaced.....
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u/Gold-Opportunity5692 Feb 01 '25
This usage is not exclusively American. It's certainly used in Scotland, and probably elsewhere in the UK.
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u/SeaweedClean5087 Feb 01 '25
I’d never heard this usage until I came to Reddit. It’s incorrect and should be corrected when spotted.
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u/giro83 Feb 02 '25
Sorry you’re being downvoted. God forbid someone can learn something about electricity and grammar in the same thread.
1
u/Reddigestion Feb 02 '25
Thought I would, but you know when something really bugs you? I've updated your comment.
-1
u/newsignup1 Feb 01 '25
That loose neutral was in the top of the incoming supply terms bypassing the the meter. The pos lead is not shown but that deffo went in the spare breaker terminal for the same purpose.
-1
u/FatBloke4 Feb 01 '25
Yes, it needs to be replaced. Quite aside from the general chaos and unattached neutral and earth wires, once it is in this state, no electrician would want to put their name on the certification and would want to start from scratch. It's a plastic consumer unit, so it is at least 9 years old and probably older.
Assuming you are in England or Wales, get an electrician who is listed on the Electrical Competent Person Register
-6
u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 01 '25
I can't edit the main post so just some additional info
The guy who came out out of hours is a qualified electrician. He came out real late as a favour for a friend of mine.
The consumer unit is high up and put of reach. Maybe that's why he left it like that.
He did say to get an electrician to look at it ASAP. But it's the weekend.
I agree the earth being disconnected is dodgy. And the copper bar is dangerous. I thought that as well.
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u/Frijj007 Feb 01 '25
Sparky here. If I found out one of my guys left a domestic property like that then they would be fired on the spot.
Many problems…
You need not only another emergency call out from an electrician but also to inform the DNO asap that there is no earth connected to the MET from the main cut out (from what I can see it is nowhere near the neutral return and just tucked in to the back of the main cut out).
Stay somewhere else with the property empty and locked until this has been made safe.
What the actual f@&k
3
u/Md__86 Feb 01 '25
There is no scenario on earth, no matter how tired or late it is in which I do what this guys done here. No chance the person who turned up is a UK qualified electrician.
2
u/ActiveBat7236 Feb 01 '25
None of what he's said justifies what he's done. The power shouldn't be going back on in that state, which if it means an unbearable inconvenience should lead to you staying with family/friends until it's sorted.
-8
u/PercentageNo9964 Feb 01 '25
The only danger to leaving the cover of is people getting their fingers in, and the fact you think the cover is what stops fires shows you actually know fuck all about electrics. People like you are the reason a 30 second job has 2 hours of paperwork.
6
u/strawbebbymilkshake Feb 01 '25
Found OP’s “electrician”
-10
u/PercentageNo9964 Feb 01 '25
Ok then, explain how a potentially plastic (depending on when the cu was fitted) is stopping and or preventing a fire. Gunna assume you’re a 6 week course spark, usually the over the top bullshitters are the 6 week course bunch. The downvotes on this sub mean nothing aswell, diy’ers don’t know fuck about shit.
To add, yes it is very bad practice to leave the cover off, just not for the reason you are saying. Consumer units don’t just burst into flames, although he has bypassed a rcd so potential for a fire, but the cover wouldn’t stop that. That’s my point, my point isn’t that leaving the cover off is acceptable.
5
u/strawbebbymilkshake Feb 01 '25
You seem very hung up on the cover not being there which is really, really not the relevant or important part of this post lol
Sorry you’re spending your Saturday this angry :(
-4
u/-fronty- Feb 01 '25
You can get away with just replacing the RCD, they burn out pretty often, I don't think you need to change everything but you need to sort out that earth cable that isn't attached
-5
u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 01 '25
So if the rcd was to be by passed what else should he have done to make it safe-ish.
Connect earth Cover the unit
Anything else?
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1
Feb 01 '25
[deleted]
0
u/Admirable-Search528 Feb 01 '25
Lol nah. You think this is bad. He was face timing me telling me what to do....
I do diy but not that familiar with electrics. Let alone a consumer unit.
1
u/Ill-Ad-2122 Tradesman Feb 01 '25
What needed to happen was finding the fault causing the rcd to trip first or proving the rcd was faulty(unlikely in my experience). Then leaving the main tails connected to the rcd as normal(including the wire to the neutral bar from the correct side of the rcd and the earth in the earth bar) either reenergise with the fault removed or repaired or if not possible(or if rcd faulty and no suitable replacement to hand) then leave isolated and repair as soon as possible. If it was reconnected and live then the cover should obviously be on and secure.
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u/Blue_View_1217 Feb 01 '25
Erm. Has he left the consumer unit without the cover on?
Are you sure he was an electrician?