The first task on
our heating list
is to provide power for the boiler. Since this requires having our
trusty electrician onsite, it makes sense to have him do the initial
work to rewire the flat at the same time. This will require us to
relocate and replace our old breaker box (also known as a distribution
panel or a circuit breaker panel) with a new one - not only to meet the
current building regulations, but because the old one is super sketchy!
The breaker box is where the power comes into the flat and is then
distributed to all the various areas - that's why it's a big job to
replace and relocate it - there's a ton of cables going to and from it.
 |
| The existing breaker box (in the orange bag) with the jumble of wires going to/from it |
The day started by meeting up with our electrician
and going shopping. We ended up spending half the day getting all the
electrical materials in Park Royal - an industrial area in northwest
London with many supply houses. We went from shop to shop ordering the
various components and comparing prices because we could not believe how
expensive the cabling was - particularly the very heavy lines that were
needed to carry power to the breaker box.
Eventually
we made it back to flat - while I was rushing to frame the wall where
the new breaker box will go, the electricians were removing the
sub-floors, disconnecting the old power lines (after shutting off the
power!), and running new the cables.
 |
| Disconnecting the old breaker box |
 |
| The new heavy duty cables to relocate the breaker box - so much color! |
 |
| Removing all the old cables & connecting the new ones |
 |
| The new breaker box installed in the wall framing |
 |
| Almost done rewiring the main lines |
 |
| The old breaker box |
The actual work at the flat went very
quickly - we probably spent more time picking up the materials than
rewiring the flat. In the end, the final result was a subtle red line
that indicated the boiler had power. I had not realized the old wiring
& breaker box was in such a poor state, but I now appreciate how
much safer the flat has become - the new wiring and breaker box now
meet the current building regulations which are very, very tough.
Without seeing firsthand the differences between the old and the new,
it would have been hard to truly understand and appreciate.
 |
| The boiler with power (on the left); and the jumble of old wires gone |
