Consumer unit changes
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What is a consumer unit?
A consumer unit, is designed to safely distribute electricity throughout your property via multiple circuits, each tailored to meet the specific demands of different areas or appliances. Its primary function is to protect your home by ensuring that the electrical load on each circuit is properly managed, reducing the risk of overloads and electrical fires.
In addition to managing power distribution, a consumer unit plays a crucial role in protecting people and animals from electric shocks by automatically shutting off electricity in the event of a fault. Ensuring your consumer unit meets current safety standards is essential for the protection of your property and its occupants.
If you're unsure whether your current unit is suitable or up to code, we can provide expert advice and offer upgrades to modern, more reliable models that ensure the highest levels of safety.
A consumer unit, is designed to safely distribute electricity throughout your property via multiple circuits, each tailored to meet the specific demands of different areas or appliances. Its primary function is to protect your home by ensuring that the electrical load on each circuit is properly managed, reducing the risk of overloads and electrical fires.
In addition to managing power distribution, a consumer unit plays a crucial role in protecting people and animals from electric shocks by automatically shutting off electricity in the event of a fault. Ensuring your consumer unit meets current safety standards is essential for the protection of your property and its occupants.
If you're unsure whether your current unit is suitable or up to code, we can provide expert advice and offer upgrades to modern, more reliable models that ensure the highest levels of safety.
A consumer unit, is designed to safely distribute electricity throughout your property via multiple circuits, each tailored to meet the specific demands of different areas or appliances. Its primary function is to protect your home by ensuring that the electrical load on each circuit is properly managed, reducing the risk of overloads and electrical fires.
In addition to managing power distribution, a consumer unit plays a crucial role in protecting people and animals from electric shocks by automatically shutting off electricity in the event of a fault. Ensuring your consumer unit meets current safety standards is essential for the protection of your property and its occupants.
If you're unsure whether your current unit is suitable or up to code, we can provide expert advice and offer upgrades to modern, more reliable models that ensure the highest levels of safety.
Do I need an upgrade?
If a property is functioning fine as it is and there is no planned future work, then a consumer unit does not need to be changed. That being said, we strongly recommend all customers upgrade their consumer units from old rewireable fuses or consumer units with plastic enclosures to the latest regulations and standards.
This may appear conflicting as the latest regulations have no mandatory requirements to update your original consumer unit, however, from a team of Electrical experts, we strongly recommend you do so. This is purely from a safety-driven perspective. If you want the safest protection for your property, family, friends, tenants and any pets or livestock, then without a doubt modern consumer units and technology give you that.
If the original electrical installation shows signs of problems or there are new electrical circuits being installed, then you would need to bring the consumer unit up to the latest regulations and standards.
If a property is functioning fine as it is and there is no planned future work, then a consumer unit does not need to be changed. That being said, we strongly recommend all customers upgrade their consumer units from old rewireable fuses or consumer units with plastic enclosures to the latest regulations and standards.
This may appear conflicting as the latest regulations have no mandatory requirements to update your original consumer unit, however, from a team of Electrical experts, we strongly recommend you do so. This is purely from a safety-driven perspective. If you want the safest protection for your property, family, friends, tenants and any pets or livestock, then without a doubt modern consumer units and technology give you that.
If the original electrical installation shows signs of problems or there are new electrical circuits being installed, then you would need to bring the consumer unit up to the latest regulations and standards.
If a property is functioning fine as it is and there is no planned future work, then a consumer unit does not need to be changed. That being said, we strongly recommend all customers upgrade their consumer units from old rewireable fuses or consumer units with plastic enclosures to the latest regulations and standards.
This may appear conflicting as the latest regulations have no mandatory requirements to update your original consumer unit, however, from a team of Electrical experts, we strongly recommend you do so. This is purely from a safety-driven perspective. If you want the safest protection for your property, family, friends, tenants and any pets or livestock, then without a doubt modern consumer units and technology give you that.
If the original electrical installation shows signs of problems or there are new electrical circuits being installed, then you would need to bring the consumer unit up to the latest regulations and standards.
Types of consumer units
Rewireable fusebox
This consumer unit type is made up of fuse carriers that have a length of fuse wire within. This fuse wire connects the incoming supply to each circuit in the property. Each circuit will be protected by a fuse correct to what it is supplying. For example, 5A lights, 15A boiler, 30A socket ring etc. The problem with rewireable fuses is that it is possible for mistakes to be made that can be seriously dangerous. For example, if you put the wrong fuse in (30A fuse wire in a 5A fuse) and there is over current, then the cabling for the circuit designed to be protected by a 5A fuse will begin to melt and can cause a fire.
What is a fuse?
A fuse is a safety device in an electric circuit that prevents power overload. It contains a piece of wire which melts when there is a fault, so that the flow of electricity stops.
This consumer unit type is made up of fuse carriers that have a length of fuse wire within. This fuse wire connects the incoming supply to each circuit in the property. Each circuit will be protected by a fuse correct to what it is supplying. For example, 5A lights, 15A boiler, 30A socket ring etc. The problem with rewireable fuses is that it is possible for mistakes to be made that can be seriously dangerous. For example, if you put the wrong fuse in (30A fuse wire in a 5A fuse) and there is over current, then the cabling for the circuit designed to be protected by a 5A fuse will begin to melt and can cause a fire.
What is a fuse?
A fuse is a safety device in an electric circuit that prevents power overload. It contains a piece of wire which melts when there is a fault, so that the flow of electricity stops.
This consumer unit type is made up of fuse carriers that have a length of fuse wire within. This fuse wire connects the incoming supply to each circuit in the property. Each circuit will be protected by a fuse correct to what it is supplying. For example, 5A lights, 15A boiler, 30A socket ring etc. The problem with rewireable fuses is that it is possible for mistakes to be made that can be seriously dangerous. For example, if you put the wrong fuse in (30A fuse wire in a 5A fuse) and there is over current, then the cabling for the circuit designed to be protected by a 5A fuse will begin to melt and can cause a fire.
What is a fuse?
A fuse is a safety device in an electric circuit that prevents power overload. It contains a piece of wire which melts when there is a fault, so that the flow of electricity stops.
RCD split load consumer unit
Split load consumer units have 2 RCD’s & MCBs for each circuit within. The circuits are evenly split with half protected by one RCD and the other half protected by the other RCD.
What is an MCB?
This is a miniature circuit breaker. An MCB is used as an electrical switch for each circuit within a property. The purpose is to protect a circuit from the dangers of overcurrent and short-circuiting. Like a fuse, it protects the cabling within the property from melting but can be turned back on without the need for replacements.
What is an RCD?
An RCD is used to protect life and pre-empt faults before they become a danger by constantly monitoring and checking for imbalances between the Live and Neutral conductors.
It is designed to cut the power off to circuits it is supplying under fault conditions, with the ultimate purpose to protect the property, people and livestock. In the case livestock/ someone is electrocuted, the RCD will operate fast enough to protect life.
Unlike a fuse, an RCD is not used for overcurrent protection – a fuse and MCB is used for this.A common call we get from customers is nuisance tripping, where a customer reports their circuits are turning off for no apparent reason.
A problem/fault may not be visible but the RCD is acting to protect before the fault becomes dangerous. Our job is to carry out fault finding and find a solution. This may be an inconvenience but the RCD has ultimately done its’ job in maintaining your safety.
Split load consumer units have 2 RCD’s & MCBs for each circuit within. The circuits are evenly split with half protected by one RCD and the other half protected by the other RCD.
What is an MCB?
This is a miniature circuit breaker. An MCB is used as an electrical switch for each circuit within a property. The purpose is to protect a circuit from the dangers of overcurrent and short-circuiting. Like a fuse, it protects the cabling within the property from melting but can be turned back on without the need for replacements.
What is an RCD?
An RCD is used to protect life and pre-empt faults before they become a danger by constantly monitoring and checking for imbalances between the Live and Neutral conductors.
It is designed to cut the power off to circuits it is supplying under fault conditions, with the ultimate purpose to protect the property, people and livestock. In the case livestock/ someone is electrocuted, the RCD will operate fast enough to protect life.
Unlike a fuse, an RCD is not used for overcurrent protection – a fuse and MCB is used for this.A common call we get from customers is nuisance tripping, where a customer reports their circuits are turning off for no apparent reason.
A problem/fault may not be visible but the RCD is acting to protect before the fault becomes dangerous. Our job is to carry out fault finding and find a solution. This may be an inconvenience but the RCD has ultimately done its’ job in maintaining your safety.
Split load consumer units have 2 RCD’s & MCBs for each circuit within. The circuits are evenly split with half protected by one RCD and the other half protected by the other RCD.
What is an MCB?
This is a miniature circuit breaker. An MCB is used as an electrical switch for each circuit within a property. The purpose is to protect a circuit from the dangers of overcurrent and short-circuiting. Like a fuse, it protects the cabling within the property from melting but can be turned back on without the need for replacements.
What is an RCD?
An RCD is used to protect life and pre-empt faults before they become a danger by constantly monitoring and checking for imbalances between the Live and Neutral conductors.
It is designed to cut the power off to circuits it is supplying under fault conditions, with the ultimate purpose to protect the property, people and livestock. In the case livestock/ someone is electrocuted, the RCD will operate fast enough to protect life.
Unlike a fuse, an RCD is not used for overcurrent protection – a fuse and MCB is used for this.A common call we get from customers is nuisance tripping, where a customer reports their circuits are turning off for no apparent reason.
A problem/fault may not be visible but the RCD is acting to protect before the fault becomes dangerous. Our job is to carry out fault finding and find a solution. This may be an inconvenience but the RCD has ultimately done its’ job in maintaining your safety.
RCBO consumer unit
An RCBO is the same as an RCD but with one major difference. Where an RCD protects a number of circuits, an RCBO protects one circuit.
This is our preferred choice when it comes to a consumer unit change and is what we install as standard. RCBO’s are also great for fault finding compared to RCD’s, cutting down labour costs for investigation and the time taken for inspection.
An installer can come straight to the consumer unit and know which circuit is problematic.
An RCBO is the same as an RCD but with one major difference. Where an RCD protects a number of circuits, an RCBO protects one circuit.
This is our preferred choice when it comes to a consumer unit change and is what we install as standard. RCBO’s are also great for fault finding compared to RCD’s, cutting down labour costs for investigation and the time taken for inspection.
An installer can come straight to the consumer unit and know which circuit is problematic.
An RCBO is the same as an RCD but with one major difference. Where an RCD protects a number of circuits, an RCBO protects one circuit.
This is our preferred choice when it comes to a consumer unit change and is what we install as standard. RCBO’s are also great for fault finding compared to RCD’s, cutting down labour costs for investigation and the time taken for inspection.
An installer can come straight to the consumer unit and know which circuit is problematic.
RCD VS RCBO
Mrs. Jones goes on holiday and initially, everything is fine at her property, just as she left it. A couple of days into the holiday, a storm hits and the rain gets into an outside socket. The RCD operates correctly, turning off the power. The problem is that the RCD protecting the outside socket is also protecting the kitchen socket ring. This now means the fridge freezer will have no power and begins to defrost. Mrs Jones will come home from holiday to a flooded kitchen floor and gone-off food.
Had Mrs. Jones had an RCBO, she would not have had this issue. When the outside socket tripped, only the outside socket circuit would lose power with an RCBO. This would leave all other circuits with power under normal working conditions.
Mrs. Jones goes on holiday and initially, everything is fine at her property, just as she left it. A couple of days into the holiday, a storm hits and the rain gets into an outside socket. The RCD operates correctly, turning off the power. The problem is that the RCD protecting the outside socket is also protecting the kitchen socket ring. This now means the fridge freezer will have no power and begins to defrost. Mrs Jones will come home from holiday to a flooded kitchen floor and gone-off food.
Had Mrs. Jones had an RCBO, she would not have had this issue. When the outside socket tripped, only the outside socket circuit would lose power with an RCBO. This would leave all other circuits with power under normal working conditions.
Mrs. Jones goes on holiday and initially, everything is fine at her property, just as she left it. A couple of days into the holiday, a storm hits and the rain gets into an outside socket. The RCD operates correctly, turning off the power. The problem is that the RCD protecting the outside socket is also protecting the kitchen socket ring. This now means the fridge freezer will have no power and begins to defrost. Mrs Jones will come home from holiday to a flooded kitchen floor and gone-off food.
Had Mrs. Jones had an RCBO, she would not have had this issue. When the outside socket tripped, only the outside socket circuit would lose power with an RCBO. This would leave all other circuits with power under normal working conditions.
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Nightingale Electrical are here to help with your project
We've helped hundreds of homeowners and businesses with their electrical needs.
NIGHTINGALE ELECTRICAL LTD
Dedicated to delivering outstanding results on every project. We work across South Wales and South-West England regions, but are available to travel UK-wide for the right project.
Registered in England & Wales (13176562)
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
Leave a review
01633 640188
Request a quote
office@nightingaleelectricalltd.com
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
All rights reserved Nightingale Electrical Ltd © 2024
Marketing & site by
solaronsteroids.com
Nightingale Electrical are here to help with your project
We've helped hundreds of homeowners and businesses with their electrical needs.
NIGHTINGALE ELECTRICAL LTD
Dedicated to delivering outstanding results on every project. We work across South Wales and South-West England regions, but are available to travel UK-wide for the right project.
Registered in England & Wales (13176562)
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
Leave a review
01633 640188
Request a quote
office@nightingaleelectricalltd.com
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
All rights reserved Nightingale Electrical Ltd © 2024
Marketing & site by
solaronsteroids.com
Nightingale Electrical are here to help with your project
We've helped hundreds of homeowners and businesses with their electrical needs.
NIGHTINGALE ELECTRICAL LTD
Dedicated to delivering outstanding results on every project. We work across South Wales and South-West England regions, but are available to travel UK-wide for the right project.
Registered in England & Wales (13176562)
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
Leave a review
01633 640188
Request a quote
office@nightingaleelectricalltd.com
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
All rights reserved Nightingale Electrical Ltd © 2024
Marketing & site by
solaronsteroids.com
Nightingale Electrical are here to help with your project
We've helped hundreds of homeowners and businesses with their electrical needs.
NIGHTINGALE ELECTRICAL LTD
Dedicated to delivering outstanding results on every project. We work across South Wales and South-West England regions, but are available to travel UK-wide for the right project.
Registered in England & Wales (13176562)
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
Leave a review
01633 640188
Request a quote
office@nightingaleelectricalltd.com
Singleton Court Business Park, Wonastow Road, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, NP25 5JA
All rights reserved Nightingale Electrical Ltd © 2024
Marketing & site by
solaronsteroids.com