Consumer Unit / Fuse Board Upgrade

The fuse board, or now commonly known as the "Consumer Unit" is the main electrical hub of your home or business. Electric circuits are distributed from here to various parts of the installation, such as lighting and socket outlets.  The circuits are usually protected by fuses, and residual current (RCD) devices, and like everything, need to be maintained to ensure safe and effective operation.

Updating the consumer unit will usually take place after a number of tests have been carried out. These tests are performed to verify the condition of the installation, the wiring, and the earthing arrangements within the property. A replacement consumer unit will mean a temporary loss of power to the property while the new unit is installed. This will be followed by testing of the circuits within the property to ensure that the installation is safe for continued service. The vast majority of consumer unit upgrades can be completed within a day.

There are many benefits to upgrading the consumer unit. Depending on the age and type of consumer unit you have, the benefits are vast.

In 2016 the electrical wiring regulations changed, which meant that new boards were required to be made from non-combustible materials.(Metallic)

 This change was brought about to reduce the risk of fires spreading throughout homes and buildings.

Further changes in 2020 came into effect which effectively incorporated Surge Protection (SPD) devices to be installed on new consumer units. More information on SPD's can be found here.

Consumer units to the current 18th Edition, also incorporate RCD's (Residual Current Devices)

These are life saving devices designed to prevent fatal electric shocks, and in some variants, the start of fires.

If you are a Landlord, then there are certain regulations in place which stipulate the requirements for tenanted properties in the private rental sector.  More information for Landlords can be found here.

To summarise, the benefits to upgrading your consumer unit are vast. You may not necessarily require an upgrade, this can really only be ascertained by requesting an Electrician to inspect your existing installation.