New Fuse Boards

New fuse boards fitted from £350

Fuse board, also known as a consumer unit or fuse box, is there as a safety measure in all buildings. Whether the property is domestic or commercial the fuse boards primary purpose is to “trip” when more power flows down a cable, that the cable can handle. By tripping in this manner it protects the cable from over heating and melting, which may leads to a fire or shock risk.

Many outdated fuseboards use a “rewireable fuse” to protect the wiring within a building. Tests have shown that over time this rewireable fuse oxidises and becomes stronger. These tests also show that the fuse can become stronger than the cable it is supposed to protect, which effectively removes the “overcurrent protection” which was originally being achieved by the same product.

Modern miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) are electronic devises commonly known as “trip switches” which offer a more reliable and quicker reaction time when compared to the various predecessors.

In 2008 a new regulation came it to effect which meant that almost all circuits (except a few special cases) require addition protection by use of a residual current device (RCD). Unlike an MCB which is designed to protect the cable, an RCD is designed to protect you and your pets. By constantly monitoring the flow of electricity down a protected circuit the RCD will “trip” in a fraction of a second if it detects that power has past on to an unintended path, such as the metal housing of an appliance, or a person. In contrast, if you were to get an electrical shock from a circuit protected only by an MCB, or worse; a rewireable fuse, then the power would not disconnect until the electrical shock is substantial enough that it could melt the cable you are touching, ouch!

It is important to get a qualified electrician to install your new fuse board too ensure it is connected property and working as it should. All fuse board (consumer unit) installations come with a free of charge “Installation Certificate” which will be required if you come to sell your home.