Fuse Board or consumer unit?

Yeovil Electrics are experienced electricians providing services in Crewkerne and Yeovil. Check out the guide we’ve put together on everything you need to know about fuse boards and consumer units.

What does a fuse board do?

The main role of a fuse board is to direct electricity from the mains around your home. This way electricity can reach all circuits so you can power appliances like the microwave and hairdryer.  Old style fuse boards keep properties safe by using fuses which melted when excess current passed through. This would prevent damage and electric shocks. Once a fuse has blown, it would have to be replaced manually which is a dangerous task and time consuming.

What is a consumer unit?

Modern consumer units are essentially fuse boards with the benefits of additional safety features. They do the same basic job as their predecessor. Consumer units still distribute electricity throughout your property in Crewkerne but include features such as miniature circuit breakers, RCDs and SPDs. Circuit breakers replace old style fuses. They work quickly to cut off electricity if an overload is detected. They are easy to reset as they just need a simple reset or flick of a switch.

What's the difference between a fuse board and consumer unit?

With the ever increasing number of electrical appliances in most homes, a consumer unit will be more suited to managing the increased demand. You could be increasing the risk of an electrical fire if you continue overloading an old fuse board.

From our credentials, you can see that as NAPIT approved electricians, all electrical work is in line with the 18th edition of BS7671. The standards to confirm compliance with safety standards. In our experience, older fuse boards are likely to fail meeting Wiring Regulations. We do recommend a consumer unit upgrade to reduce the risk of hazards such as fires and electric shocks.

Is a fuse board or consumer unit the safest?

Consumer units achieve greater levels of safety through Mini Circuit Breakers (MCBs), Residual Current Device (RCDs) and Surge Protection Devices (SPDs). Each device stops the flow of electricity in the event of a power surge or overload. Protecting individuals, other circuits and electrical appliances at your home.

Which do I have? A fuse board or consumer unit?

You’ll be surprised at how often we get asked these questions, even though old style fuse boards haven't been used in 40 years. There are still a proportion of properties which use the older style fuse board but most are now being upgraded to consumer units. We’ve worked with many property owners in Crewkerne to carry out an EICR or Electrical Installation Condition Reports. Often the outcome of the inspection has often flagged up the dangers of an older style fuse board, leading to customers upgrading to a consumer unit.

Our recommendation is to upgrade to a consumer unit for a safer and reliable option.

Yeovil Electrics.

Yeovil Electrics are proud to showcase the Which? Trusted Trader badge we’ve earnt. The team goes through quite a strict vetting process to make sure our qualifications demonstrate competence and compliance. You can also have confidence in the customer reviews written by genuine clients who have worked with us.

Still have some questions about a fuse board or consumer unit? Yeovil Electrics are always happy to discuss so give us a call if you’re based in Crewkerne.