Industry professionals have until January 2016 to ensure they are complying with the new Consumer Unit regulations (421.1.201) included in Amendment 3 to the wiring regulations. Fortunately, with the introduction of its Design range of consumer units, Hager UK is making this straightforward – and now feedback from a sample of working electricians who have tried out the Design 30 in the field, confirms that.
The recently launched Design range comprises a selection of metal units that provide the high levels of safety and protection Amendment 3 demands. It offers three options, Design 10, Design 30 and Design 50, which provide flexibility and a solution for every application.
Designed for installers, reviewed by installers
In order to ensure that the Design range is as effective in the field as in the development process, Hager ran a social media competition on its Twitter channel to give UK electricians a chance to install and provide their honest feedback on the new boards. Hager asked each installer to respond to a series of questions about their experience using the board, and encouraged additional comments for potential improvements.
With a significant number of respondents – 82% – saying that the new Hager unit is simple and straightforward to install, and a full 100% said that they were pleased with the final installation of the Design 30. One electrician, George Rodgers from Magnus Electrical Services was so impressed, he installed the board in his own home and explained: “This distribution board is great. It looks solid and the cover for the MCB’s has also improved the look. I personally prefer using it, as it’s very installer-friendly. I also know that it looks the part because I installed it in my own property.”
Surprisingly, more than a third of the respondents proactively commented on the installation time taking no longer than the plastic model – a result that Hager is particularly pleased with given the general industry concern that Amendment 3 would increase installation time. Hager incorporated a number of features in order to minimise installation time, such as the design of square knockouts and a ‘locate and hold’ cover.
Respondents also praised the solid build of the unit, the inclusion of the tail clamp and cable protector plate, and the volume of space at the top of the board. Several stated that they would be using Hager units in preference to others, including some electricians who had favoured other brands until they tried the Design 30.
Amongst the reviewers was Kris Shortland from Cubeko Electrical Installations, co-founder of the company’s #HagerGang on Twitter. When asked whether he was pleased with the final installation, he replied: “Installation time was the same as any other board and there are no sharp edges. I’m very pleased with the design of the unit, the tail clamps and the lid.”
In particular, many respondents praised the optional knockouts, and the unit’s spacious design, which provides ample room and makes cabling “incredibly easy”, including where RCBOs are required. The aesthetics of the Design 30 also went down well with the installers, with 73 per cent praising the good looks of the board without having been directly asked about them. Comments included, “The board looked great, well built and well packaged. Paintwork was finished well and the colour is good”; “Nice, neat, compact unit” and “Very impressive robust board, perfectly finished with pleasing aesthetics and touch”.
Steve York, market manager at Hager UK, commented on the feedback: “We’re really pleased to get the seal of approval from electricians who have installed the boards. Many months of development have gone into creating a product that not only complies with the regulation but puts the installer first – it appears that we have achieved that goal.”
With the arrival of Amendment 3, the UK’s electrical installers will be required to source and fit compliant units. However, finding units that were compliant, user-friendly, versatile and aesthetically pleasing seemed set to be a challenge – until now. Hager’s Design range makes it easy for electricians to meet all of their customers’ requirements, in full compliance with Amendment 3, without compromising installation or ease-of-use.
