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Poole Fuse Board, Fuse Box and Consumer Unit ReplacementsIt's an integral part of your property's electrical system: and if outdated, it could put your family in danger
You can have an experienced electrician on your doorstep, ready to undertake any type of fuse box installation or replacement, in no time at all.
We have NAPIT approved Electrical Installers who will provide: · Fire-rated consumer units according to the 18th edition IET Wiring regulations; BS7671- 2018 · NICEIC Electrical Installation Certificate · Notification Regarding Part P of IET wiring regulations to building control body 
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Mostly, fuse boards of the 1980s are wooden constructions and do not give protection against fire and electric shocks. The security and safety expectations have grown a lot since then. New consumer units are highly capable of fault detection in fuse boards as they contain Residual Current Devices (RCD) protection and Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs).
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What is RCD and MCB?
MCBs enhance protection against overload and RCDs enhance protection against electric faults. These security devices can easily detect faults and electric shocks, in a matter of milliseconds, with your electrical appliances and wirings.
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Old style fuse boxes
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Old style fuse boxes are made of coloured knobs commonly known as “fuses”.
A fuse is made up of a wire, which melts down in the event of a short circuit, overload, or any other electrical failure, hazard or fault. It performs the “tripping” function of an electrical circuit by switching its main power off.
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Are old wire fuse boxes illegal or dangerous?
It’s no piece of cake to identify the location of an electrical fault using a fuse box. Especially, melted fuses need replacement, along with the identification of faulty circuits. If faulty circuits are not accurately identified by registered electricians, the replaced fuse will also melt down. It will then cost you to call for an electrician each time the fault re-occurs.
Old-fashioned fuse boxes are enclosed in wooden boxes, which is a combustible material and now considered as illegal after 2018 amendments in IET wiring regulations. According to 18th regulations, all fuse boards and consumer units now must be made from a non-combustible material in accordance with the UK’s IET standard: BS7671.
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Fuse box vs. Electrical Panel (Consumer Unit)
Old fuse boxes were made to handle high electric loads; however, likelihood of fire hazards is also high in that case. What does a fuse do? It takes a little long melting time to trip down a faulty circuit. However, RCDs and MCBs (mainly called a “breaker”) can perform “tripping” instantly with only milliseconds of delay. Each circuit of your property will be attached to a specific breaker (which we recommend to colorize and label individually, in case of need for multi-fault electrical troubleshooting), and resetting a specific circuit’s breaker will reset the faulty circuit.
Should you replace/upgrade the old-style fuse box with the Consumer Unit?
The one main thing to consider here is that even though your old fashioned consumer unit or re-wirable fuse box is in proper working condition, safety standards may suffer according to new wiring regulations. It is the responsibility of every landlord to ensure each electrical installation and appliance can work safely throughout their occupants’ tenancy. For landlords' certificates, see here. The 18th edition of IET wiring regulations have set current standards. To determine whether we need to replace your fuse box or install fire-rated consumer units or not, we need to answer the following questions:
o Does your fuse box have a wooden enclosure or back?
o Does your fuse box contain cast iron switches or fuses of the 1960s?
o Does it contain any RCD switch?
o Has your house been rewired since 1990?
o Are there any specific smell or buzzing sounds coming from the fuse board?
If you have any doubts about any of the above queries, it may be the right time to call Poole Electricians for expert advice about whether to replace or install consumer units at your property.
o Does your fuse box have a wooden enclosure or back?
o Does your fuse box contain cast iron switches or fuses of the 1960s?
o Does it contain any RCD switch?
o Has your house been rewired since 1990?
o Are there any specific smell or buzzing sounds coming from the fuse board?
If you have any doubts about any of the above queries, it may be the right time to call Poole Electricians for expert advice about whether to replace or install consumer units at your property.
Which type of consumer unit should you choose for your house?
Choosing a right pack of consumer units might feel tricky or difficult but it's important for your safety. It’s more of an inside story than outside. Putting it another way, only approved parts from reputable manufacturers can prevent you from unsafe installations. Our registered electrical staff are fully qualified to provide you with the safest and highest quality installations.
There are four main types of consumer units on-demand;
1. Main Switch
2. Dual RCD
3. High Integrity
4. RCD Incomer
1. Main Switch
2. Dual RCD
3. High Integrity
4. RCD Incomer
How much does it cost to replace a fuse box, or install a new consumer unit or electrical panel?
The cost for installation of consumer units and replacement of fuse boxes depends highly on the type of consumer unit one needs, the total circuits, and how old your present fuse box is. It is best to consult our qualified staff of Poole Electricians to get a free quote according to your requirements.
