Converting a Contactum three phase distribution board to a single phase consumer unit. 

Very interesting and something as a consumer I'm surprised hasn't happened more. Love the short and sweet format, max information delivery without losing attention..

I know they do this before in commercial installations. Been in many 3 phase boards where there has only been 1 phase and majority of circuits are live. It was only a matter of time before they did it for domestic premises. Love the fact there is a sticker for the torque settings. Although the domestic scene is going to need these larger units soon with all the stickers you need to place on them! 🤣

Really good idea and having room to split out individual circuits is very sensible

Really a great alternative to double stack units, much better I think.

I've done this a few times, Contactum TPN boards are very good value. There are a few easy pitfalls to be aware of, only use 10Ka RCBOs as the fly lead's are too short on the 6Ka to reach around the larger DB. Make sure to purchase the TPN blanks as they have a little gromet to hold them in place on the bus bar. Lastly the conversion system is OK but not great, I prefer to use a service connection block to bridge the 3 phase bus as a 25mm2 conductor seems to easily slip out when using the linking kit. Otherwise a great way to have a large number of separate RCBO circuit's. Good video 👍

Really helpful. Thanks

Such a much better idea,than a double stacker, seen it done with other three phase boards converted to single phase,,but I'm surprised it isn't more popular option.

Defo the way forward from the double stack. 👍👌 great video.

That sticker is brilliant, hopefully not long till others follow suit.

Leamington Spa? David Savery will be installing these then! lol

Your working with your Heart,You an left hander 😊

Another good video. Cheers Gaz

Thanks for the great video.

Very similar in physical size to an average, home distribution panel in a US house. Like the idea of DIN rail mounting. Surprised that the main breaker also switches the neutral.

Well it's about time! Torque setting labels already in a consumer unit / distribution board. I don't think I am the only person who gets fed up looking on manufacturers websites for the torque settings. It only takes one to lead the way... I wonder though if those who are yet to do it will use permanent labels or markings. Also would be great for the torque settings to be marked on the circuit breakers - Then you could populate a CU/DB with different branded breakers to the brand of the CU if able to.

4:11 I suppose you could print out your own label with the torque settings on?

Great Video Gaz. Thanks

I'll have you know, I'm literally about to have one of these fitted in my 3 bed semi in Royal Leamington Spa!!

So for new build with 2 x 3 phase 22kw car chargers and rest of house is single phase, can it be done with out the expensive rcbo and just cheaper MCBs

Did a commercial job like this once. All came populated from manufacturer with the link in. Except the comms room was tpn supply and when the spark (not me) energized it, he proved the pfc at the isolator by a large auditable and visual indication of that copper link going KABLEWEEE.

A really good idea

Could this be used on a new build where the DOB are supplying in 3 phase and I only need a single phase

Ahhh love that sticker cos we know as soon as we walk away those instructions will be filed in the shiny chrome bin in the office 👍 no whia speedy 2 Gaz 🤗

How much they charging for a bit of plastic, copper and vinyl then? Gonna have to get out the label printer and make some torque stickers!

I’ve been installing three-phase board as a single phase converted board for the past 10 years in most four bed plus house sizes specially in London extremely easy to do. Only downside is the cost of the RCBO

I am in the middle of installing this same board for an initial 3 phase system, but the customer doesn't need 3 phases for what they require it for (long story). Anyway, I have the same isolator and conversion kit, but it doesn't seem to fit. Before I take it back, do you have any other advice? The instructions and diagram that came with it are really poor, but it seems simple enough in the video to install. Love the you tube videos BTW!

This is a good idea for properties which have a lot of circuits. I live in a property with two consumer units and 38 circuits. It’s quite a large place, there is a lot of circuits because of keeping things easy in case of a fault in the future as there it’s a large place.

Would do this on my future home with solar, batteries, and maybe a pool - can dream. Should lock your white balance BTW.

Does it matter which of the 3 phases you connect in when you terminate it?

I’m sounding like a newb but can you fit contactors on the rail and gain access to both sides to wire them up? You mentioned electrician heating and I had to use 2 boards due to contactors and the spacing they require for the heat dissipation. Cheers

Great idea, would prefer to install this than a stacker board, just i wonder how much the cost difference is? Also a great idea from contactum about the torque settings,

Must admit, i prefer the wylex NHSPAK conversion kit, comes with a single phase main switch so it looks like it was made for purpose rather than being converted .. ocd in me strikes again.. however, the torque setting sticker is a fantastic addition... well done lads

Gaz, is it ok to use twin and earth for these type of boards? Or is it best to stick to singles?

Gaz going to fit one in a few weeks 🖒

What about the requirement for surge protection.

Can those rcbos be mounted on a din rail?

where would you install the spd?

Why are torque settings not etched into the plastic above or below the relevant terminal? Can still have a sticker but this way if a breaker, main switch etc is moved out into something else the torque setting is then transferred with it

I hope Contactum manage to bring out mini RCBOs soon, ideally without needing the functional earth connection, as that's my only gripe about their boards at the moment...

just think in n.america this is a normal size panel for us lot of room lot of spaces for glands tht you UK sparks seem to hate lol. all of our cables coming into panelboard need to be glanded and secured with in like 8 inches of it too. things i love about your wiring -Armored underground cabling ,switches on outlets, your connecting blocks over our twist caps and the newest one your use of din-rail connectors for panelboard j-box extensions.

Another good video gaz .. is there any regulations about the right way to supply rooms in building by multiple line source becuse we here in my country each room had 3 way circuit , first for air conditioning that work on the national electricity and second for socket outlet that works on all electricity sources , third one the light that work on solar energy by convert 24 volt DC battery in inverter to 240 volt and goes to light circuit .. this system make our houses using multiple sources becuse national electricity have issues and not supply for 24 hours in a single day .. 😆

Are you seeing these poping up in new builds. Interesting if 3 phase supplies are getting into residential homes. Do you see 3 phases in flats or generally commercial?

Maybe worth s question when pricing up. Are you going to buy an electric car in the next day 7-10 years? Are you thinking of extending? Then this bored would be a good fit. Also they can later have three phase installed if they want a better ev charger

I once did a house that had a 3 phase incoming supply with 3 electric meters were I fitted 3 consumer units , The house had 8 bedroom , it then a had a workshop attached to the house were the guy run his business from and his wife run her business from a set of offices from . Each business had to be billed separately from each offer and the house had to have it's own electric bill

why would you not want to use all three phases? in Norway its common practice to use all three phases plus N on a TN distribution. that way we get away with much smaller main fuse. is it because you only have access to a single phase from the distributor? also this does not have much to do with this, but we use fuses where the N goes through the fuse along with the 1Phase, therefor them being bigger. taking up two slots instead of one. I wonder why that is. I know they do it like here in the video, in America also.

Good idea but I think it is a copy of what the Americans call a beaker panel, can’t see much use for it in the Uk unless you are working on a ten bedroom mansion . I like the idea of it though. Another great video from Gary and the eFix team thank you 👍

With more room inside the board for almost the same footprint it's a no brainer

What the difference between putting the circuit breaker on l1 l2 or l3

I'm sure I've seen a very well stacked up Proteus board, if I remember it was YXL??? Type boards stacked 6 high, was almost fully loaded with not just RCBO but with RCD, MCB, digital and analogue timers, contactors, door bell etc, was very impressive but sadly wasn't allowed to take photos, the worse thing about it when the covers was off it was like a bird's nest inside, no pride in the work, took the sparky all day to make it look nice while doing the EICR, but when we return to the site I'll see if photos can be taken

I can see newer domestic supplies being 3/2P + N with the rise of EV charging, It's already common in Europe to have a 40A 3P + N supply

that panel is the same size as mine here in the US! except I have a 200Amp Main!

Here in India, most homes are supplied with a 3 phase supply, so this is pretty much the standard, except there’s no busbar linking all the lines together.

What size is your single phase fuse?

I did one of these once in a 16 room HMO. Used an 8-way wylex board Ideal for the job and load. The only difference was I ended up using a 3-phase supply as a single 80/100A just wasnt enough. Otherwise exactly the same using all RCBOs. I guess thats the only disadvantage. Your stuck with RCBOs for most circuits. Shame about the cost - About £800 all in including the unit.

Pls consider a possible overload of the N cable as the current of all 3 phases will be added up!!!

OK ... Let's count up ... 3 x 32A final rings (up, down, kitchen) 1x 40 A shed/garage feed, 1 x 45 A cooker feed, 3 x 6A lighting circuits, 1x16A fridge/freezer dedicated RCBO radial, 2 x RCD Breakers (63A & 80A), 1 x surge protector, 1 x AFD, 1 x 2-pole incoming isolator that lot requires a total of 19 positions. A normal 14 way CU has 16 (2 for the isolator) ... That is for our MEDIUM sized 3 bed!! WHAT were you saying about NOT going to need more in Milton Keynes? Oh! Yes, a double stacked CU! Hmmm. Now THAT means 4 ways gone out of each level for separate AFD & anti surge plus 2 more for an RCD (63A & 80A) that leaves 6 ways ... WOW! ALL that extra money and all I get is ONE extra way per level! Someone needs to do some SERIOUS thinking about layout in these things! The three phase to single phase conversion is nice BUT it would be FAR better if there were 3 din rails horizontally 2 levels of 12 ways plus the included 2 pole 100A isolator at the bottom, plus 1 rail at the top incorporating a full isolator for everything, a SINGLE AFD and a SINGLE surge protector for the whole system leaving 8 ways for additions to the din rail like wifi or Ethernet energy monitor, doorbell transformer, home automation controller etc. The bottom rails also having plenty of spare rail space for whatever. If customers are going to need more ways in the future it will be for more circuits not necessarily more power. With the move to LED lighting 6A circuits barely consume 2A - mine doesn't use more than 1.5A if I turn on EVERY light on the downstairs circuit. The standard 14 way CU (a falsely advertised piece of kit if ever there was once since it ONLY provides 10 ways!!) Is TOTALLY inadequate these days for the 18th edition and the proposed other changes (it's been inadequate since the 16th edition). It's about time a BETTER, more spacious CU was available as a standard single phase box without having to spend extra to "downgrade" a three phase box! 🤔😲😱😥😥

Never been a fan of the double decker consumer units. See so many poor designs leading to nuisance rcd tripping. Will enquire about this product on my next large domestic job.

I don't get why you wouldn't just leave it as three phase if it was feeding say something like a mansion. Whats the advantage of making it single phase?

Gary. You promoting torque setting drivers on every video you say that 100 times Just joking but. Still not getting used as much according to assessors

It might be sencible to people to have 3 phase they might have more than one charger or showers How much more expensive will 3 phase be to have in the property

Surely you’d just buy a large single phase board in most circumstances or a dual

Torque, torque, talk

So you have just ignored cascading? Your incoming supply is say 100A and your triple pole isolator is 125A. So draw 40A through each pole and the incoming fuse/breaker will trip and not your isolator! Don't like this idea at all. What is with the UK? Why on earth would you use single phase anyway? Just get three phase. Much better for capacity and for voltage balance. Plus if one phase goes down (been there many times), you still have some power.

Shame the rcbos still have the functional earth on them.