Can you change the side of an isolator on a Consumer Unit?
Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 2.42 PM
Hi, I just bought a house with a consumer unit which works fine but the isolator switch has been moved to the opposite side. It would have originally been on the right and has been moved to the left. It's clearly labeled with stickers etc but there's a molded on/off symbol on the right.
Would this cause a problem during a condition report?
Would it fail a condition report because of this?
Would I need someone to replace the whole thing because of this?
The meter tails are short so even if an electrician moved the isolator back to the right, they would have to replace the tails but in order to do this they would need to contact the electric company as the tails are coming out of a pre-payment meter.
Any help is appreciated!
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
It is possible to move the position of the main switch in the majority of cases as the main switch is twin pole and reversible (as in for poles). Most electricians do not like to do this as they prefer to leave the configuration as set by the manufacturer but in a lot of cases the configuration is adjustable. All switches and circuits should be clearly marked as you state which does possibly indicate the job has been carried out by someone competent. If done in the not too distant past this job would have been notifiable and should be registered with your local council. You should also have been passed the certificates including compliance certificate when you purchased the property.
If you do not have the correct documentation for the works then try to confirm registration for compliance. If you cannot do this, I would recommend inspection by a registered electrician.
Hi It's not possible to swap the position of main switch of main RCD from one end of a dis board to the opposite end without it being connected incorrectly with regards to the polarity. For example if the main switch was on the left of the dis board the Neutral would be on left & Live on right in order to pick up the busbar which is the copper bar that the breakers connect too. If the main switch was on the right then the Neutral would be on the right & Live on the left in order to pick up the busbar.
So something clearly isn't right & it needs addressing by a professional.
