It is possible to star earth multiple radials from a dedicated CU
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Its a common reaction, most ânormalâ people think audiophiles are nutters.
Persevere until you find an intelligent sparkie who gets it, you will in the end.
I found that there is also a degree of interpretation with some regs on the part of the electrician. So if one says what you want is against the regs get a second opinion to be sure. Sometimes if a sparks thinks your raving bonkers he/she will say its against regs because he/she doesnt understand or want to do the job.
As an example, when I was scouting for a sparks to do mine, the regs at the time stated something to the effect that all ground floor sockets had to be protected by RCD, it was explained to me that this reg was in place to add appropriate safety protection to ground floor sockets that could be used for outdoor appliances, lawn mowers etc. When I said that I believed RCD degraded sound and wanted RCD, the sparks gave me the stock âsorry mate its against the regsâ. I found another properly qualified sparks who agreed with me that a dedicated HiFi supply used by a competent person was not going to be used to power lawn mowers etc, he did the installation how I wanted it and signed the work of as compliant.
Incidentally, I found similar differences in interpretation of regs when having a central heating and gas boiler system installed in to my 200 year old cottage which threw up some challenges, but I digress sorry.
Obsessed Audiophiles in Japan Are Installing Their Own Power Poles To Improve Sound
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Thanks - yes, I have also encountered this use of âitâs the rulesâ by lawyers and finance people to obstruct anything that is not done in what they consider to be âthe normal wayâ.
BTW, did you mean âRCDsâ at the end of the above quote?
Or âMCBsâ?
Several peope have advised me to use Type C MCB, 50amp, not RCDs, for better SQ.
But as the regs changed in Jan 2019 I think non-RCD installations are now not allowed, according to Jamesâ diagram above.
The usual recommendation is to use MCBs and not RCDs if (your electricianâs interpretation of) the regs will allow it. The new 18th edition may change this, but I havenât checked the details.
The type C MCBs are recommended over type B as they are much less likely to trip when you switch on your power amp, so not in itself a sound quality issue as I understand it.
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Sorry Jimdog,
I may have been mistaken. I think RCD were perhaps superseded by MCB as regulations changed.
Iâm a Taxi driver and between jobs, pass time listening to music and reading Naim forum and other stuff. So Iâm writing from memory, I can check exactly what type of protection was fitted when I return home.
The important point Iâm making is if at all possible avoid RCD. I dont recall the science but they are said to degrade SQ.
I havent done listening comparisons of different types of curcuit breaker, but I take the view that if there is any question that RCD affects SQ negatively then best avoided if at all possible. Likewise there is similar opinion, although I think thr Jury is still out, regarding Smart Meters so I am resisting having one fitted until compelled by regulation.
All that said, a dedicted CU with RCD is still most likely to sound better than the domestic ring main, distribution blocks etc. So, I wouldnt get hung up about it.
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Youâll have MCBs on each radial (preferably type 32A type C). In front of these you have an isolator switch / RCD. Pre 18th regs, you could just have an isolator switch instead of the RCD version (with certain conditions met, surface cable run, labelled sockets) but with the 18th this is now not allowed. The isolator switch must contain an RCD and the diagram has been updated as such.
As Dread says, donât get too hung up on it.
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Damâit James, you beat me to it.
As of 2019 & 18th edition regs, you must have an RCD isolator switch.
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Hi all,
We are currently involved in moving into a new build. It would seem an ideal time to pursue having a spur installed. I have forwarded all information to the site electrician and he has come back with "with the following- do you need an entire additional consumer unit? "
Can you advise, if talking to an idiotâŚme not him in an idiots guide so that I end up with the right set up and do I need an entire additional consumer unit?
I suspect he will make this hard work for me!!!
Yes, your radial/s (itâs not a spur) will work best if you have a dedicated separate CU for them.
Thatâs in Jamesâ diagram above.
Iâve heard that Hagar make good CUs. Others have recommended the Memara 2000 AD, but Memara may have been bought by another firm.
Thank you Jim,
I have forwarded this onto himâŚfingers crossed!!
People have suggested to me that it might be best to use an electrician whoâs done one of these before, if possible.
And normal advice suggests getting 2 or 3 quotes anyway - unless you have a special relationship with a particular sparks.
The electricians who have been mentioned to me are (only useful if youâre based up North):
Aldo Macari in Morecambe.
Mike Birtill in Leeds.
Paul Thomas Hood in Preston.
I have not worked with any of these electricians, so cannot vouch for them myself.
(I hope this doesnât breach any Forum rules.)
If you live elsewhere you could ask your local dealer for a recommendation.
I asked my sparks about CUs today. He said, Hager are not as good as they used to be and Memera are to be avoided now. He uses Eaton ⌠but Eaton has taken over Memara ⌠so who is to believed?
I got quotes from Buzz (Malvern or Evesham?) - they ran up my Ethernet and internal speaker cables for my âqutes.
SP Electrician from Stroud are doing the radial / earth cabling
Well, you have to believe your electrician (if heâs already started the work!).
All I know about these brands of CU is recommendations from a few others who have installed them or had them installed.
Heâs nearly finished âŚ
Time for a rebuild shortly âŚ
I would certainly use a separate consumer unit, the little ones normally sold as âgarageâ units are ideal.
Hi allâŚme againâŚafter some help!!
I have spoken to the electrician and they havenât come across this before and mentioned that another Consumer unit wonât make a huge difference and if you just put in a spur so its own separate circuit, this shouldnât create any interference. There is also limited space for an additional consumer unit as these are quite big.
Itâs defiantly possible however, they have advised just a spur would be required for this sort of set up.
If you would like another consumer unit .
To fit a 32 AMP supply would be ÂŁX
Any advice as always greatly appreciated. As i have no idea what all this means!!!
Hi Dusty, my dedicated supply is as follows, based on advice from Steve Hopkins for my system, in the UK.
Small separate consumer unit connected directly to the meter by splitting the tails, not run off the main CU.
Earth cable connected back to the main earth near your meter, again, not via the main CU.
If possible use an MCB rather than an RCD. Local regs may prohibit this, especially after the recent 18th Edition of the regs. If switching on your power amp or PSUs tends to trip the breaker, a Type C rather than the commonly used Type B will prevent it. Mine is 32 Amp.
10 square mm T&E cable run to an unswitched socket. If you use a power strip, you can just use a single unswitched socket. Otherwise you can use a double. MK is a decent brand.
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Dusty - as Chris mentioned earlier, the electrician could use the small âgarageâ type which will have enough space for two MCBs. I just have a single radial (hence the single 32A MCB). For the sake of a bit of extra expense, i would go for the separate CU.
Thank you guys.
I will respond to the electrician and see what happens.
I will report back with findingsâŚphew what a journey. Donât know what I would do without you all!!