I'm getting ready to do some renovation work on a condo I recently purchased.  I noticed it has a consumer unit (circuit breaker box) that is recessed into the (red brick + render) wall.  Can any standard consumer unit be recessed or is it only units specifically manufactured to be recessed?

 

Also, I notice that the air cons and water heater are not on separate breakers.  They apparently are piggy backed on some other circuit.  Shouldn't they each be on separate circuits with their own breaker?  I'm also going to install a dryer -- should that be on a separate circuit/breaker, too?  I'm planning to try to add earthing and while I'm doing that I might as well fix any other issues.

 

I was pleasantly surprised to see an RCD/RCBO (I never quite seem to grasp the right name but it's a main double-switch with a reset button and the dial to adjust the sensitivity.)

One wouldn't normally bury a unit not intended for flush mounting, not to say it can't be done.

 

If you are re-wiring then putting the water heaters and aircon on their own circuits is a good idea, but in reality if the aircon is less than 18,000 BTU and a water heater less than 3,500W so long as the breaker isn't oversized for the cable there's no hazard in having them running of the power circuit.

 

Domestic dryers run off a regular outlet here, no need for a separate circuit unless you have other large loads on the same breaker (like the water heater and aircon).

 

 

Thanks.  The one air con is 18,000 BTU and I'm not sure of the power draw of the water heater.   Good to know I might not have to replace the existing consumer unit.

How many breakers do you have in the current CU? Any spare space?

 

You may be able to juggle things so that the A/C(s) and water heater(s) have their own breakers without having to replace the box.

 

Many installations here have lights and power on the same circuit, in the UK we would frown at that (although not illegal), much of Europe has similar systems, no less safe, just different.

I can't recall now how many breakers there are -- the place is rented out until 30-Nov and I was just over there with permission of my tenant to show a potential contractor around -- but I know there is no room for more.  I *think* there were four breakers:  living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen?   They were labeled with cryptic names like "L room" and "M room".

 

My ideal would be to have:

- living room

- bedroom

- bathroom

- kitchen

- aircon 1  (18k BTU)

- aircon 2  (12K BTU)

- dryer

- water heater 

 

But, as you said, dryer could be put on another circuit (like bedroom, which shouldn't have much draw) and maybe the water heater could be on the bathroom circuit.  Would it be reasonable to have the bedroom + 12k BTU air con + dryer  all on one circuit?

 

I will have a top-loading washing machine on the bathroom circuit.  If I were to change to a front-loader with a water heater, would that be too much on the bathroom circuit with a shower water heater?

When you have a new installation and have the capability to put everything on its own circuit, that just makes things electrically "cool".  If you are stuck with whatever, it's not necessarily a problem unless you are plagued with over-current breaker tripping.  If the breaker is sized to the wire, don't worry about it unless there are issues.  IE: if a breaker starts tripping, figure out how to re-distribute the load.  Otherwise, NEVERMIND.

but if you have just redistributed  the load into yourself/family   you may wish to reword your post

13 hours ago, Lamkyong said:

but if you have just redistributed  the load into yourself/family   you may wish to reword your post

 

Interesting concept.  Does that involve holding hands or how would that be accomplished?

 

I think I'll stick with what I said.

 

Just now, bankruatsteve said:

 

Interesting concept.  Does that involve holding hands or how would that be accomplished?

 

I think I'll stick with what I said.

 

either/either   together if you wish    depends on how your day is going