ᐅ Replace or modernize the electrical distribution panel?

Hello,

We are currently renovating a house built in 1981.

Basically, we want to keep the existing electrical system as it is. There are enough outlets, each room is separately protected, sometimes with 2-3 circuit breakers per room. The refrigerator and dishwasher have separate circuits, etc.

The question is what to do with the meter box. Can it be salvaged, or does it need to be completely replaced?

There is no RCD (residual current device), and some of the breakers are the old rotary type. On the right side of the meter, a cover is missing, exposing all the contacts.

Of course, a professional company will be consulted, but I always find it helpful to hear the opinion of people whose job it is to work with this kind of equipment.

Hanniball2k schrieb:

RCD is missing

That surprises me – although it wasn’t mandatory yet in 1981, any later modifications should have included it. Are you sure none of the unlabeled switches is an RCD? I can’t tell from the picture – but the utility technician would have definitely raised an alarm when installing the current meter.

Hanniball2k schrieb:

partly these rotary fuses

I was also puzzled about that four years ago – my electrician installed exactly those new when fitting our solar system. We didn’t have them before, so they must be fairly recent.

Hanniball2k schrieb:

to the right of the meter you can see that one cover is missing and all contacts are visible.

So what? Looking isn’t really an issue. To me, that’s purely a cosmetic problem.

I wouldn’t do anything about it – except clarify the situation with the RCD.

Get a professional and ignore the nonsense Jesse posted here.
None of the “Hoschis” there are RCDs, you can tell at a glance. A three-phase RCD is 3-4 modules wide.
Fuses are still common; certain characteristics and especially protections for DC can only be implemented with miniature circuit breakers in a more complex (or more expensive) way.

Missing covers are not a minor issue, but absolutely unacceptable and above all life-threatening.
Consumer units in houses are accessible to electrical non-experts and therefore must be fully touch-safe. Something like this would be a complete no-go even in electrical control rooms, where only certified electricians have access, and would be reason enough for the responsible electrical company to refuse final approval entirely.

Whether the system should have already been brought up to current standards during the expansion for photovoltaics... I think yes...
In any case, I would install RCDs now. They have become standard in every electrical installation for good reason...

Thanks for your opinions. I will make some calls in the next few days.

I’m also wondering how the new meter was installed with the open space.

What exactly do you mean by photovoltaic? There is nothing on the roof; it is probably planned for a few years down the line, as the house was just purchased.

Fi became mandatory for extensions in 1984.
At the latest, when installing photovoltaic systems, charging stations (wallboxes), or heat pumps, action must be taken here.
The meter panel must be renewed or newly installed in another location, while the old one can continue to be used as a fuse distribution.

Thanks for your feedback. Here is an update:

I requested quotes from two companies; so far I have received one offer. Obviously, the entire distribution board needs to be replaced, as the old one does not provide enough space for installations.

Roughly:

• Meter cabinet with installation fields for 2 meters
• Main fuse/main switch
• Surge protection, etc.
• 3 residual current devices (RCDs)
• 24 circuit breakers (CBs)
• 3-pole CB for the stove
• 2 RCD/CB combinations (for the outdoor system, so the indoor supply is not interrupted)
• Installation, etc., for €4,000

I actually expected it to be more expensive