Silver Buss Bars for C.U.
Good Afternoon Everyone,
I’m returning here to inform those interested in Dedicated Mains supply for Hi-Fi of a new development which I abandoned in 2003 because of ridiculous costs. This information is FREE, like all the other information.
In 2003 I researched the possibility of acquiring pure Silver Buss Bars for the Live and Neutral in the Memera Consumer Units. Manufactures quoted me prohibitive costs of £400 to £600 for a single 8-way Live Buss Bar and required a production run of 1000 units minimum.
What’s changed? An enthusiast near Tentenden, Kent, contacted me 2024 about Dedicated Mains and after appreciating the benefits of doing some Mains upgrades including the double copper Live Buss Bars, inquired if I’d ever thought about silver? I told him my story of 2003. He was keen to do his own research and made several inquiries with laser cutting and hot forged casting options. But was still given quotes of around £600 for 8-way silver buss bar at 2mm thickness.
In 2008 I had purchased a scroll saw; searching online I can now purchase 2mm thick flat pure silver plate and can make myself these Live buss bars for around £80 and using 1.5mm pure silver wire in a bundle of 4, insulated inside blue heat-shrink sleeving, for the Neutral connection at about £20. Now this made it a realistic opportunity to explore the 2003 shelved idea. Betts Metal Store, Birmingham was my silver supplier.
Yes, it worked, adding the Silver Buss bar behind the existing copper Buss Bar made noticeable improvement, also the chap near Tentenden, plus his two daughters, confirmed noticeable benefits.
What next, explore and fit 2nd 8-way pure silver Live and Neutral Buss Bar, discarding the copper completely; not as enlightening as the first, but still slightly better. VFM was the combination of copper plus 2mm silver buss bars. Some Consumer Units have thinner Live pins, you’ll have to file away the surplus silver to fit.
If you purchase 2mm x 36mm x YOUR REQUIRED LENGTH. Then cutting through the middle you get two Buss Bars, one will have the extra tooth – share costs with a friend
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For those enthusiasts on a single 6mm or 10mm single radial (spur) or standard domestic 32A ring main, there is also something for you for about £25. Use the 1.5mm pure silver wire at £25 per metre, plus some Red/Brown and Blue heat-shrink sleeving for Live & Neutral insulation.
Run a loop connection from the bottom of the Main 100A On/Off (RCD) switch along the Live buss bar to where the 32A breaker supplying the HI-Fi resides, connect to the bottom of this breaker, NB unscrew the clamp fully and install the silver wires BEHIND the existing copper Buss Bar. Next, from the bottom of the Main On/Off switch Neutral connection, run a length of silver wires to the Neutral Bar where this same 32A breaker has its Neutral wires terminated. Usually a bundle of 3 silver wires can be fitted in these terminating holes. NB. The further away along the Live buss bar your Hi-Fi 32A breaker resides then the greater the improvement. NB. PLEASE Do remember to turn off and Isolate Mains supplies when working with electricity.
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