Hi all,

I have an old DB that used to have old breakers in it. 

When my solar system was installed the installing electrician removed most of the old breakers and replaced them. I'm sure it is safe and so on, but it looks butt ugly.

I can't find a replacement cover.

I also don't want to fit a new, smaller DB and end up with some left over space in the wall which would have to be filled and then require the whole kitchen to be retiled.

But those old DBs must have been made to standard sizes, right? They didn't make one that size just for the house that I now own.

So are there new DBs made to fill the same size aperture? Or even half that aperture so that I could put two of them in there?

My electrician is also nervous about the brand of breaker used here, though the installer has a certificate saying they comply with IEC60947-2 as required by SANS.

I see Hager gives some dimensions, perhaps compare with your current cavity to get an idea. 

The sizes on DIN and SAMIT breakers are different which is why you have gaps and they don't seem to fit like they should. The ones you are using have a universal rail fitting to fit either type, but they are a DIN  rail size switch sot hey fit DIN rail boards better . I prefer to use the Schneider switches .

There doesn't really seem to be much in the line of standard DB sizes, especially when looking at older DBs.  I eventually got frustrated with my old DB and replaced it with a Hager board from Livecopper.  The electrician asked me roughly R1800 to install the new DB.  He enlarged the hole in the wall, did the plastering and rewiring, but I supplied all components.  His work wasn't the best ever (I ended up shaking plaster out of the circuit breakers), but I felt that it was pretty cheap.

1 hour ago, Bobster said:

So are there new DBs made to fill the same size aperture? Or even half that aperture so that I could put two of them in there?

(As An Option) These works well, most electrical wholesalers sells them, The loose part on the right is to cover the openings below your breakers. 

1 hour ago, Bobster said:

So are there new DBs made to fill the same size aperture?

Some PF members had the same issue. Old boards, new breakers needing more space and all that.

An idea is to get a nice new surface mount DB and install it over the existing hole.

5 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said:

An idea is to get a nice new surface mount DB and install it over the existing hole.

This worked brilliantly for me... extra space and old breakers on top level...  I would do it like this again given budget constraints.

14 minutes ago, Mark said:

This worked brilliantly for me...

THAT'S IT ... just could not recall who did it last. 🙂 

If ever I have to redo my board ... touch metal ... I would do it exactly the same ... and I have the OLD breakers to boot.

2 hours ago, Bobster said:

nervous about the brand of breaker used here

Chint is cheap, I'm not sure if it's horribly cheap, but the numbers are: Electrical life of 4000 events, Mechanical life of 20000.

Compare to Hager and ABB at 10000 electrical and 20000 mechanical.

I don't know if 4000 is particularly low. It could trip once a day and still last a decade. Anyone?

9 minutes ago, plonkster said:

I don't know if 4000 is particularly low

I'd not be worried.

My original board

 

All stripped. New board going in

 

Getting there

 

Basics all done, took me 4 hours

Wot no separate holes for the neutrals.. looks neat ,like the idea of hinges.

Board  is split into 2, top row is non essential  loads, middle row is essential loads, each has their own earth leakage, board is ready for connecting inverter

I love the proper thick earth wire you got in there. Nicely done... I suppose you couldn't fold the hinge the other way and hide it on the backside? 😛

Question though. What are these?

Edited September 13, 20196 yr by plonkster

44 minutes ago, plonkster said:

Question though. What are these?

Well spotted.. I did not see that and I normally dont miss details in pictures.  Those seems to be joints made with Connector blocks and taped up after. 

@Shockin, for your own peace of mind, rather redo those, crimp it with a proper ferule and tape it up. I have seen those "catch fire" before, and the amps ratings are not that great. Seems like you have used the 10-15 amp blocks. (Just a guess)  

39 minutes ago, Jaco de Jongh said:

Those seems to be joints made with Connector blocks and taped up after.

Or heat-shrinked maybe. Which is okay (but I don't like the chocolate blocks aka terminal blocks). Right-sized Ferule. a good crimper,  plus heat-shrink is the way to do it.

Edited September 13, 20196 yr by plonkster

Used 25 amp blocks, bright spark who wired the house never left enough slack in the cables. I can either run new cables or replace the blocks with ferrules. Looking at making a flat wooden frame for the db to mount on, then i can hide the hinges on the side. Planning on using the lower rail for the hager sf263 change over switch and red and green indicator lamps.

Thanks for all the advice, guys.  I think the surface mount board is something for me to look at.

 

Me again.... @Shockin what did you use on the other side from the hinges to keep the board from swinging about? Or did you just use stiff hinges?

12 hours ago, Bobster said:

to keep the board from swinging about?

He used screws 🙂