Consumer Unit & Fuse Board Upgrades

Why Upgrade Your Consumer Unit?

Your consumer unit, often still referred to as a fuse board or fuse box, is the heart of your home's electrical system. Every circuit in your property runs through it, and it is responsible for protecting you, your family and your home from electrical faults that could cause electric shock or fire. If your consumer unit is outdated, it may not provide the level of protection that modern safety standards require, leaving you exposed to risks that are entirely preventable.

A consumer unit upgrade is one of the most important safety improvements you can make to your home. It is also frequently required before installing an EV charger, solar panel system or battery storage unit, because these additions place new demands on your electrical system that an older board simply cannot accommodate safely. ALPS Electrical carries out consumer unit upgrades across Teesside and the North East, providing modern RCBO-protected boards that bring your home up to the latest edition of BS 7671.

Old Fuse Boards vs Modern Consumer Units

If your home still has a fuse board with rewirable fuses or an older consumer unit with MCBs (miniature circuit breakers) and a single RCD, it is worth understanding what you are missing in terms of protection.

Rewirable fuse boards, common in properties built before the 1980s, use fuse wire that melts to break the circuit when overloaded. The problem is that these fuses are slow to operate, can be fitted with the wrong rating of fuse wire, and provide no protection against earth faults. They cannot detect the small leakage currents that occur when you touch a live conductor or when a faulty appliance develops an earth fault. In practical terms, this means that if you touch a live wire in a property with a rewirable fuse board, the fuse will not save you.

Older consumer units with a split-load arrangement (typically two RCDs protecting groups of circuits) are better, but still have a significant limitation. When one circuit develops a fault, the RCD trips and cuts power to every circuit on that side of the board. This means a tripping cooker could take out your lighting, your fridge freezer and your central heating at the same time. It is inconvenient, and in certain situations, it can be dangerous.

A modern consumer unit fitted with individual RCBOs on every circuit eliminates both of these problems. Each circuit has its own combined overcurrent and earth fault protection, so a fault on one circuit only affects that circuit. Everything else in the house continues to operate normally. This is a meaningful improvement in both safety and convenience.

What Is RCBO Protection?

An RCBO (Residual Current Breaker with Overcurrent protection) combines the function of an MCB and an RCD in a single device. It protects against three types of fault: overcurrent (too much current flowing through the circuit), short circuit (a direct connection between live and neutral), and earth fault (current leaking to earth through a person, a faulty appliance or damaged wiring).

The earth fault protection element is what saves lives. An RCBO detects leakage currents as small as 30 milliamps and disconnects the circuit in less than 40 milliseconds. This is fast enough to prevent a fatal electric shock in most circumstances. Having an RCBO on every circuit means that every part of your electrical installation benefits from this level of protection, and a fault on one circuit does not affect any other.

The 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018, Amendment 2:2022) effectively requires RCD protection on all circuits in domestic properties. While there are specific technical exemptions, the practical outcome is that any new consumer unit installed in a home should have RCBO protection on every circuit. This is the standard we work to on every installation.

When Is a Consumer Unit Upgrade Needed?

There are several common situations where a consumer unit upgrade is either necessary or strongly recommended.

If you are having an EV charger installed, the additional circuit required for the charger often necessitates a consumer unit upgrade. EV chargers draw a significant load, typically 7.2kW on a 32-amp circuit, and your existing board may not have the capacity, the spare ways or the required level of protection to accommodate this safely. Many of our EV charger installations include a consumer unit upgrade as part of the project.

If you are having solar panels or battery storage installed, similar considerations apply. A solar PV system requires its own dedicated circuit with appropriate protection, and battery storage systems may require additional circuits for the inverter and battery. Upgrading the consumer unit at the same time as your renewable energy installation ensures everything is properly protected and compliant from the outset.

If your EICR has identified C1 or C2 defects relating to your consumer unit, an upgrade is likely the most effective way to resolve the issues. Common EICR findings that point to a needed upgrade include lack of RCD protection, a non-fire-rated enclosure (plastic consumer units are no longer permitted under current regulations), inadequate earthing arrangements, or a board that has been modified or extended beyond its safe capacity.

If you are experiencing frequent tripping, especially where multiple circuits go off at the same time, a split-load board with grouped RCDs is the usual culprit. Upgrading to individual RCBOs resolves the nuisance tripping and makes fault diagnosis far simpler.

If you are planning a kitchen or bathroom renovation, an extension, or any significant electrical alteration, it often makes sense to upgrade the consumer unit at the same time. The marginal cost of doing it alongside other work is lower than doing it as a standalone project, and it future-proofs your installation.

What Does a Consumer Unit Upgrade Involve?

A consumer unit upgrade typically takes a full day to complete. The power to your home will need to be turned off for a significant portion of the work, usually four to six hours, although we restore power to essential circuits as quickly as possible.

The process involves removing the old consumer unit and installing a new metal-clad unit in its place. Every circuit is reconnected to its own RCBO, and the electrician will test each circuit to confirm it is safe and functioning correctly. We also check and upgrade the main earthing and bonding if necessary, as these are critical safety components that must meet current standards.

On completion, you receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) which confirms that the work complies with BS 7671 and Part P of the Building Regulations. This certificate is an important document that you should keep safely, as it provides evidence that the work was carried out by a qualified, registered electrician and that it meets the required safety standards. You may need it when selling your property or for insurance purposes.

Consumer Unit Upgrade Cost Guide

The cost of a consumer unit upgrade depends on the number of circuits in your property, the condition of the existing installation, and whether any additional work is required such as earthing and bonding upgrades.

For a typical three-bedroom house with 8 to 12 circuits, a consumer unit upgrade with full RCBO protection usually costs between 450 and 800 pounds. This includes the new consumer unit, all RCBOs, labour, testing and certification. Properties with more circuits, multiple consumer units or significant remedial work will be at the higher end of this range or above.

If the upgrade is being carried out alongside other work such as an EV charger installation or solar panel system, the combined cost is typically lower than having each element done separately, as there are efficiencies in doing the work at the same time.

We provide fixed-price quotations after surveying your property, so you know the exact cost before any work begins. There are no hidden charges, and the price we quote is the price you pay.

Preparing Your Home for the Future

The way we use electricity at home is changing rapidly. Electric vehicles, heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage and smart home systems all place increasing demands on domestic electrical installations. A modern consumer unit with adequate capacity and proper protection is the foundation that everything else builds on.

When we upgrade a consumer unit, we always consider your future plans. If you are thinking about getting an EV in the next couple of years, we will include a spare way and appropriate capacity for the charger circuit. If solar panels are on the horizon, we will plan for that too. This forward-thinking approach saves you money in the long run by avoiding the need for further modifications later.

ALPS Electrical is NAPIT registered, meaning all our work is self-certified under the Competent Person Scheme and complies with Part P Building Regulations. We cover the whole of Teesside, the North East and North Yorkshire. Call us on 01642 790 489 or use the contact form to arrange a free survey and quotation for your consumer unit upgrade.