Fuse box or consumer unit?

But what is the difference between a fuse box or consumer unit? They are essentially the same thing. A fuse box is just the older version of a consumer unit and the very oldest style will be at least 40 years old. 

Thousands of homes across Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, will still have the old fuse boxes that they had installed decades ago, before safety requirements changed. Whilst it may look from the outside to be working fine, older fuse boxes do not have the safety features that are required to handle modern day electrical needs. To keep your home electrically safe an older fuse box should be upgraded to a modern consumer unit. 

Warning signs that your old fuse box may be no longer safe

Your fuse box will give you some warnings that it is beginning to struggle and that a new consumer unit is needed at your Hull home . these include:

• Frequent power trips or blown fuses
• Brown discolouration or burn marks that signal overheating
• Burning Smell
• Lights Flickering or dimming when turning on appliances
• Damaged or worn wiring

Why having an older fuse box is a safety risk

When older fuse boxes were designed, they were tailored to the electrical needs of an average household during the mid to late 20th century - meaning they aren’t designed to cope with the average usage of a modern day household.  This can mean as a result that the fuseboard at your Hull home becomes overwhelmed, increasing the risk of serious hazards- such as fire, electric shock, and over heating.

What are the benefits of upgrading to a modern consumer unit?

Upgrading your old fuse box to a modern consumer unit will bring a host of benefits.

• Greatly improves the safety of you and your family in your home
• Easier to identify circuits
• The process to reset the unit is much simpler than an older fuse board
• Meets current electrical safety standards
• Can manage modern day electrical loads within Hull homes
• More energy Efficient
• RCBO (Residual Current Breaker with Overcurrent) protection
• Built in Surge Protection Devices
• Reduces the risk of electrical fire

Upgrading your consumer unit is an important step towards a more energy efficient and safe home.

What are the main safety features of a modern consumer unit?

Modern consumer units have protective devices installed to lower the risk of such things happening, this is incredibly important as a high number of electrical fires actually start at the fuseboard.

The main safety features are:

Main switch – this is the main control used for all electrical that enters the consumer unit, the main switch means you can safely isolate the electrics during electrical emergencies or any kind of maintenance works you might be having done

Residual current devices (RCD) – RCD’s are a great safety feature that will essentially switch off the electricity should it detect a fault. This is a really important feature as it helps prevent earth faults and electric shocks 

Circuit breakers – a circuit breaker means that should there be a power overload or a short-circuit issue, the circuit breaker will quickly turn off the current and minimise possible damaged wiring or damage to appliances

Surge protective devices (SPD) –  In the event of a high-voltage power surge (for example, lightening), SPD’s are in place to protect the circuits and equipment

Local Fuseboard Upgrades in Hull

With years of experience working in homes across Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, here at Electrician Beverley we are a local, well respected team - ready to help you today!

If you’d like to speak with a local, trusted and experienced electrician about upgrading to a consumer unit - get in touch or give us a call.