The BG Fortress Consumer Unit range has been fully updated to reflect the requirements of BS7671 18th edition amendment 2. BG has also listened to electricians' feedback and made several improvements to speed up installation and offer increased flexibility.
With everything from new AFDD options to a new rigid frame, the 2022 edition is well worth a closer look.
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🕐 TIME STAMPS 🕕
00:00 The new 2022 BG Fortress Consumer Unit
00:35 Magnetic lid holder as standard
01:01 New lid design for increased rigidity
02:01 New IP2XC blank strip
02:50 Ultrasonic welded consumer unit wiring
03:30 Backed off captive screws
03:50 Circuit protection options
04:10 New AFDDs for 18th Edition requirements
04:40 Type A RCDs
05:10 Surge protection devices
05:50 New cable entry knockout locations
07:20 The Gary hole
08:00 Clip in blank modules
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📹 Presented by
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Richard Gaunt
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#efixx #electricians bs7671 18th edition amendment 2
I've always found the most outstanding feature of BG boards was being able to stand on them so I could fit a Hager one 🤣 only kidding, suppose I'll get the chance to try them out soon enough 🙂
😂😂😂😂😂
Best comment.
Some good new features there. Would be nice to have a clamp for the tails above the main switch even if they are going through a gland which secure them. Another nice touch would be the SPD in a differnt colour plastic as the homeowner may need to look at it one day.
I like these improvements! I’ve fitted many BG boards and I find them quite nice to install 👏 I suppose square knockouts would be nice sometimes but if I need a square entry I usually make it myself. I would like to see more manufacturers print on the front of each terminal what torque setting they specify for the device rather than having to dig through the paperwork each time.
They are rubbish. No one worth their salt fits them.
BG Making improvements after listening to Electricians comments. There aren't many manufacturers so quick to act. Nice one BG. 😁
No one worth their salt fits a BG boards.
Why don’t they just make the front panel to fit the breakers without that silly little blank ! Can see that getting lost the first time the lid comes off 🤷🏼♂️
Because they are a shit company!
Were currently fitting BG boards and accessories on the project I'm working on at the minute, i really like the boards plenty of room inside, you are right about that bottom 32mm knockout, nice to see the upgrade and the magnetic cover holder is brilliant.. Only complaint i have is on the BG Nexus metal switches the earth terminal isn't drilled right through, which gives about 6mm depth to connect , not ideal ... but hers a product you want to get BG to send ... ive fitted a few and clients love them BG 822BELL double gang socket with built in door bell .. good video lads
Just had a look at that integrated door bell it looks great!! I fit BG accessories as standard best quality at a sensible price. I don't fit their boards much I tend to use the fusebox range. I prefer RCBO's to split load boards.
I installed a BG board about 18 months ago. I’m still trying to get the cover on.
Some nice improvements but I don’t see what was wrong with the earlier version , Fantastic video Gaz as always 👍👍👍❤️
That's a counter intuitive comment if ever I saw one.
I always use a fully loaded RCBO consumer unit. Unless it's just a garage board. These new features look very handy. I would prefer that they had a combination of square and circle cut outs as i prefer the tails through a stuffing gland and the circuit cables through square blind grommets like on a FuseBox or Curve
Good tidy well thought out board. 👍
Imagine making a slimline blank rather than just making the front panel actually fit properly.
Here in Aus the type AC were changed in regs to type A in 2018, and all RCD for all circuits (no split boards). Would be nice if we had surge protection as standard fitment. I still don't think much of the blanks though even with design change. I reckon they should be full size and clip onto the rail.
Although I haven't fitted a BG consumer unit one comment that I have heard a lot is the fitting of the lid hopefully those indentations stop the distortion. One thing that I do not get is the thin blank, why not make the cut-out smaller.
Nice features but RCBO’s are the way forward. The garage boards are well made wonder if they have changed them as well. My only gripe is why ain’t they making the surge connected to the main switch without an MCB like hager. If the MCB is not on there is no protection
We have had an instance where the surge arrester has blown and it has taken the client weeks to notice leaving the installation open to another possible surge. How often do they look/test RCD 's anyway let alone a surge device. We are now fitting wylex surge arresters as they have auxillary contacts allowing us to use a sounder/alarm unit to notify them the surge has blown. This facility should be standard on all arresters dont you think?
I have so many questions (because I'm not an electrician): Do they make consumer units that use Torx screws rather than Pozi? Do they sell consumer units with security screws for use in rental properties? Is there a move to screwless Wago style consumer units?
You spoke about neatly dressing the cables ,pity the manufacturer didn't do the same ,looks a tough D B though.
What will the new screwfix special bg fuseboard look like in 2 years time I wonder
Little tip for BG: Even if these are only targeted at the UK market, some of us (And our customers) still insist on buying and fitting only CE-conformant equipment... 🔌🇪🇺👍
I fit bg quite often (strictly rcbo setups though) I have to say I prefer the hager prefitted spd as its directly off the main switch with not need for its own mcb. Out of curiosity what's the need for the little slither blank, is it to allow a bit of play in cases the breakers aren't neatly installed? I also find that the din rail could benefit from a center support as i sometimes find the the 'sag' from say a 10 way install causes it to be a bit fiddly getting the front panel on
Good point
Personally I'd avoid SPDs that require their own MCB. The regs limit the cable to the SPD to 50CM [25CM either way] for a reason - a 1.2/50us surge sees your 10mm² cable an inductor and every CM between the SPD and the main breaker means more of the surge gets to the final circuits. In an ideal world SPDs would be connected using Y type cables [similar to what we use in split RCD boards] so that all current between the final outgoing circuits and the main breaker has to run through the SPDs terminal.
Always like the BG boards. Hard to beat on a price to quality ratio. The improvements are welcome and useful and it’s refreshing to see a company actually take on board AND initiate customer feedback. I tend to fit full RCBO boards in rewires and refurbs where price allows but in cases where cost is critical I will still fit a dual RCD board and will definitely be giving the new BG range a try. I personally don’t have an issue with dual RCD if the circuit division is appropriate. Never had any issues with the 100s I’ve fitted over the years.
FuseBox all the way.
When are these on sale or are they on sale now?
The Gary hole was the winner for me.... 👍
I would like to see them offer a RCBO populated board with SPD built in! to compete with Fusebox
Really Impressed with how thorough and methodical your reviews are. Also good to see the manufacturer taking onboard the feedback and coming back with solid improvements.
Looks good, BUT... How do you incorporate RCBO's or AFDD's into that unit? The main bussbar ends with the SPD and the other bussbars are fed from RCD's. You wouldn't usually feed 30ma RCBO's from a 30maRCD, would you?
That's a budget split load board which is not designed for RCBO's I have converted one before to take RCBO's by removing the RCD's and fitting a longer busbar but you have to link both neutral bars together as it will have extra ways in the board but I had to use wire numbers on the neutrals as the numbering on the neutral bars become out of sync
I would like to see 50mm square holes and smaller ones to take mini trunking in these boards
I stopped fitted BG as the RCDs use to fail a lot, have they improved them?
I can't speak from first-hand experience, but the distinct lack of CE marks on everything except the surge arrestor doesn't exactly fill me with confidence...
Still not addressed the lid problem, if it’s fit at low level as in most houses then the older generation cannot see the MCBs to reset them as the lid doesn’t lift up high enough, you have to get down on your knees to see under the lid. ☹️
Simply fixed by Never fitting a BG board. Fit FuzeBox.
The “Gary Hole” 😳👀😳 Now that is a legacy to behold 😂👍🏼
😁
As long as you don’t replace the a with a lo
honestly don't see the point in split load boards any more - its time we moved on from them. I just had to rip out the guts from a 6 month old Proteus special because the split load board that was fitted didn't have any provision for any non-RCD circuits. Had I got the initial job and fitted an RCBO board it wouldn't have been an issue to add the extra MCB. Now I have a frankenstein board with 5 circuits but no additional neutral bar provision without either some home made links or some special order kit to make it work (not to mention the din rail has been 'economised' making it difficult to blank off unused ways where the RCD's were)
I stopped using bg boards years ago, as whenever other electrician came after me, most of the times client was told "sh..ty" board I have installed, it's just another headache client may bring you. Nowadays using hager or contactum.. Shame..
Right, so now, having watched this video, and as someone who often uses BG boards, I want someone to explain to me why other electricians sneer at BG and claim that "proper electricians" don't use them. Often the other KZhead electricians. I don't understand why I'm a lesser electrician because I use BG.
Use whatever fits your need/budget. Often because diy shops such as screwfix sell alot of bg stuff they get a name for a DIY job. I've worked in just as poorly installed wylex or hager boards🤷 send a message by doing a decent job in what ever equipment you choose.
There's nothing wrong with BG these days. They used to make awful equipment very cheaply sourced. Ignore people. Get on with your job 😁👍
Because the brand junkies go for the higher priced CUs so they can charge the client more, they rip people off there not interested in doing a good job they just want to make as much money as possible. I know I will get a load of crap for this that’s because the truth hurt’s doesn’t it . Sorry just my own personal opinion, but who am I to argue i’am just a humble spark who’s opinion means nothing.
I gave up with them in the end as I was fed up with wrestling to get the lids to fit on any wall that wasn’t 100% flat. I kind of gathered that I wasn’t the only one.
Whenever we have a failed RCD it always Hager.
BG board changes are non notifiable work right
Board change is notifiable work. Even if you dont want to let anyone know youve fitted a crap BG board.
:(. I've been out of the game for 2yr .. I'm sure need to do 18th to bring bit up to speed. Is there any good books on the updates and the circuit breaks
Do people actually still fit dual rcd boards anymore? 🤷♂️
I was surprised at this too. They do sell populated RCBO boards. And they aren't that much more.
I haven’t fitted a twin load in 8 years, RCBO’s should’ve been the standard (amd2) but I guess in AFDD’s will be standard under the 19th edition cheerching!💷💷😊😉
I no longer offer dual RCD boards. I think all RCBO is the best overall solution for a main house board. I stopped fitting BG a few years back because of some quality issues with previous metal models. When I present quotes for all RCBO Wylex or FuseBox board the customer will say ... but they only cost £65 down at Screwfix! Wait til they start seeing AFDD quotes!
@@dominicdodd9759 why wait until they see AFDD quotes. Page 49 of the new onsite guide states it "shall be" for high risk residential buildings and care homes etc. Then says for all other premises "it's recommended" and only on final socket outlet circuits up to 32a. So if the customer doesn't want to pay £1500 for a consumer unit they won't. I haven't seen any manufacturer offering 40A plus on AFDD mcb or AFDD rcbo. So you're bigger circuits like electric showers will still sit there arcing away and burn the house down. And there the circuits which will have the biggest arc?
@@j.f5212 Crabtree and Wylex both do 40A AFDDs with RCBO.
I only don’t like that instead of resetting the mould they decided just to ship bit of plastic another think you have to think of, no other manufacturer consumer units needs this. I used lot of Bg consumer units, they are quite rigid and afford loads of space for your cables but bit of plastic to ensure IP rating is bad.
The link to the range seems to be missing or have I got 💩 in my eyes?
if they could only make a board with no knock outs,. I've got a drill and some hole saws
Still only one screw for meter lead connection and no indication that their Chinese RCDs reliability has been improved.
They only have UKCA marks on them. Make of that what you will... 🔌🇪🇺🚫🤔
Only fit r.c.b.o s if customer doesn’t agree I give them the number of a rival contractor
All manufacturers need to get rid of all those stupid neutral leads !! Create a simple plug in module with 4 spades that will slot into a base consumer unit where the terminations are made. Making terminations in the protective device is just shit, there is a better way. Manufacturers just need to make them !! And messy boards and/or RCBO's with those annoying flying neutral leads is just utter crap. This would also mean all modules can be double pole if needed, and easily interchange whether MCB, RCBO or whatever. And no need to disturb terminations for most subsequent work. Manufacturers contact me for a consultation lol...but they CAN do better !
My wholesaler sell the Crabtree Starbreaker range, it already does what your asking for. It’s a brilliant consumer unit, safest and easiest to install out there. Problem is for this generation of KZhead electricians, it’s £50 dearer than theChinese imported Dansen, Lewden, Fusebox, Scolemore, Hamilton ones.
0:42 Britains: Oh look at this lovely new feature! A lid holder! Everyone else in the world: just let the door open sideways
Is there really any point in explaining to you WHY the lids are designed this way as opposed to sideways?
Boards should have a lip that falls to close as a fire prevention measure. Sideways opening doesnt achieve that so is shit. Change any board you have that opens sideways.
@@davidcouzens Both layouts sound better than the Wylex boards my landlord has fitted here: On both of those, the lids fold *down.* ⬇ Predictably, these now hang uselessly limp as the plastic mouldings intended to keep them shut wore out years ago. On the up side; If there's any unnoticed heating going on in either of my CUs (Seems to be a common problem in Wylex boards) at least the covers being open might hopefully help that heat dissipate a little... ⚡🇬🇧🔥🤞
Sound like very old 17th edition or older boards then.@@dieseldragon6756
Just for transparency, is this video sponsored? I know you've said there's no paid product placement in the metadata, but when something sounds so much like an advertorial I think you'd be well-served by explicitly saying "BG haven't sponsored this video".
It says includes paid placement at the start of the video.
@@efixx My mistake - I don't know how I missed this. Thank you for clarifying.
Screw fix bandits everywhere can’t wait to mangle these up
Not gonna lie they don’t look half bad
NICEIC really do have a permission to print money, every few years when you need to get a new certificate there is NO WAY to get a pass since at least 7 things have changed and your electrical installation is no longer "safe"?!
If there’s really is any thing wrong with BG products do think eFixx would promote them? And do a detailed review? I doubt it . eFIXX do a fantastic job helping electrician’s and showing us what’s new in the industry. And why have all the snobby sparks get a problem with screw fix and B&Q ? I don’t need you to tell me what I should be installing or were to buy from , I will install whatever is cheapest but still good quality I don’t believe in spending £ 100 on a CU then charge my costumer £600 , that’s just wrong , Sorry just my own personal opinion. But who am I to argue i’am just a humble spark who’s opinion means nothing.
Instead of that silly blank… why not make the board a millimetre more narrow? Just seems dumb
They make it sound like a feature when it looks like a design fault.
@@mikenewman9372 yeah like they’ve had thousands roll off a machine and now they still have the hole, tbh, I don’t trust BG products so I won’t use them, at least not for a while
It'll still twist more then Chubby Checker and the Fat boys once it's on the wall and the busbar is in.
Fusebox are still the better board
What experience do Fusebox have as a manufacturer of consumer units? It’s a trading house brand name for cheap imported products from China.
@@mikenewman9372 And yet everyone is moving to them because they are great.
@@davidcouzens because they are cheap, that’s the only answer. Ask yourself why no volume installers like councils and housing associations fit them. Because, whenever Fusebox owners decide they’ve made enough money importing them, they’ll be off. Then where will electricians go for replacement Fusebox devices? Your 2 or 3 year old consumer unit is now useless because you can’t fit another brand in them.
Let's not call it the Gary hole. it's only two letters away from something else entirely. 🤣🤣
I didn’t see a paid promotion sticker? This feel like a ad for BG… Where the real review
Paid promotion right at the beginning. Have another look. (I did.)
Won’t be much of a real review when the unique key selling feature is a plastic clip to hold a lid up.
Screwfix special.
Great video ....but what a load of bollox!
Ewww split load 🤮
Hager all day long
BG 🤮