Once the safety side of the board is in place, the next items to be installed are the MCB’s, one for each required circuit. An RCD is a manually operated isolator switch, but it is also an automatic safety device that will trip and cut off as soon as it senses an earth fault, or indeed earth leakage. Many electricians consider this the best circuit protection solution as each circuit is protected from overload and earth leakageindividually, thus preventing nuisance tripping caused by earth leakage on other circuits. Multiple protection devices: Hager consumer units can be equipped with a range of protection devices, such as circuit breakers, residual current devices (RCDs), and surge protection devices, to provide comprehensive protection for the electrical installation and the building occupants.

Any bare earth wires should be sheathed before they are installed using earth sheath, this is a legal requirement! Type 1 surge protection devices (SPDs) are designed to protect against the highest level of surges, typically caused by direct lightning strikes to the building or incoming power lines. They are installed at the main electrical service entrance and are also known as "primary protection devices." These SPDs have a high discharge capacity and can handle surges up to 50 kA or higher. It’s also important to understand that RCD’s have a test button which creates a simulated earth leak with a resistor, and it is usually recommended that they are tested once a month to ensure they are operating correctly. Type of consumer unit: As we discovered in the previous section, there are a wide variety of different types of consumer unit, each priced differentlyOnce the old one is out of the way, the new one is fixed in place. Step 2 – Add Main Double Pole Isolation Switch and RCD If an intumescent strip is used for fire sealing, they must not be used inside of our boards. Taken from instructions. Tests on Hager consumer units have indicated that there is no specific need for external fire rated cable glands or intumescent sealing in addition to the guidance below, with respect to achieving a non-combustible enclosure. However, this does not preclude the designer/installer from using fire rated cable glands or external intumescent sealing should they consider necessary. To conclude, internal intumescent pads shall not be used. Circuit breakers: Each circuit breaker is assigned to a certain area of your home electrics, e.g. the upstairs lighting. When the circuit is overloaded (too many electrical items are connected) or if the current reaches excessive heights, the circuit breaker cuts the power to prevent electrical fires In pretty much every other configuration they are a required feature for each and every individual circuit.

Surge Protection: In certain installations, particularly where there is a risk of lightning strikes or power surges, surge protection devices may be required. Condition of old unit: When replacing a fuse box or consumer unit you may be charged a fee to remove the old unit. This charge may increase if the old unit is in poor conditionChat to an expert at Xpress Electrical Call now 0330 178 8152 Difference between fuse box and consumer unit This layout ensures that all areas are fully protected, including showers and cookers, but if one trips the second circuit should still be operational so you still have lights and power if needed. Once the incoming live is connected using a bus bar for each MCB, the next job is to connect each circuit to it’s relevant MCB. Now that you know exactly what a consumer unit is and what role it plays in terms of the electrics in your home, it’s time to look at it in a little more detail so that you know the role of each component inside.

The major difference between this type of consumer unit and the below type is that this one does not feature an RCD’s so in terms of it’s relevance today, is now considered a little old-hat! This consumer unit, like the RCBO version was mainly born out the nuisance tripping addition to the wiring regulations and in effect combines the best features of each of the other types of configuration. Hager consumer units have a range of features that make them a popular choice for electrical installations. Some of the features of Hager consumer units include: Design 50 focuses on clean aesthetics and a flush fit for seamless integration into any home. Design 50 comes with all the installation features you would expect from us, such as an incoming cable clamp and cable protector plate, as well as a series of colour options, finishes & sizes. There’s a Design 50 for any home environment. Since its introduction, the consumer unit has now become the product of choice for distributing electricity around your home due to it’s simple layout and relatively straight forward setup (if you’re an electrician and know what you’re doing obviously).When purchasing a consumer unit, it will either come with a main switch and RCD and possibly a number of MCB’s or it will come empty. Depending on how it’s being wired up and what your electrician has chosen to use will depend on what you go for. RCBO’s used in a consumer unit in place of RCD’s – Image courtesy of the BS7671 18th Edition Wiring Regulations High Integrity Consumer Unit / Three-way Split Consumer Unit Type 1+2 surge protection devices combine the features of Type 1 and Type 2 SPDs in a single device, providing comprehensive protection against surges caused by lightning strikes and other sources. These devices are designed to be installed at the main electrical service entrance and at critical sub-distribution boards, offering maximum protection for the entire installation.

Every consumer unit functions differently and there are numerous different types to choose from. This includes: Periodic Inspection and Testing: Regular inspection and testing of the consumer unit and associated circuits should be conducted to ensure ongoing safety and compliance. One very interesting point to note is that as of the issuing of the second edition of the BS7671 18th Edition Wiring Regulations, it introduces section 531.3.2 concerning unwanted tripping and how to minimise nuisance tripping in the home. As we are all taught from a very young age, electricity is extremely dangerous and if you don’t know what you’re doing with it, working on or around it should be left to the professionals! This is certainly no different when it comes to consumer units. This type of consumer unit layout has really emerged in recent years in response to the nuisance tripping addition to the wiring regulations. It essentially removes the use of RCD’s to create a split load board with RCBO’s (Residual Current Breaker with Over-Current) now taking their place.Design 10 is our board for all applications. As with all models in the range, there is ample cable space available even when RCBOs are fitted. The top mounted terminal rail makes the wiring of the neutral and earth connections neat and simple. Multiple fixing points, and a full metal DIN rail ensure the devices sit square.