Consumers unit types, pros and cons, brief explanation

Next to each picture you will find a brief explanation / walk through on what type of protection they have and under each picture you will find the risks involved with them.
 

• This type of fuseboard is one of the oldest types that exist in Corby and Kettering, called the re-wire able fusebox.
• These only have fuses that are there to protect the cables in your home from being overloaded if you use too many things at once.
• If you have a fault and one of these fuse pop, you would have to take it out and replace the wire inside it.
• Usually made of plastic or wood

  Associated risks with these type are: 

• Fuse wire can be replaced with the wrong thickness wire, which can potentially lead to overload and fire. 
• Made of wood and plastic therefore they are not fire rated 
• There is no additional protection provided in these boards by a safety device called an RCD , therefore there is a risk of electric shock ( You can find out more on what an RCD is in one of my other blog)
• No Surge protection provided by an SPD ( Find out more about it in my other blog)
• No ark fault detection device fitted AFDD ( Find out more about it in my other blog)

This is a slightly newer version: 

•  In this board the fuses now has been replaced by circuit breakers, giving the opportunity to be able to easily reset the circuit after a fault has been cleared and you don’t have to put wire in, just simply turn the switch back on. 
•  Made of plastic 

Associated risks with these type are: 

• There is no additional protection provided in these boards by a safety device called an RCD ,therefore there is a risk of electric shock
• No Surge protection provided by an SPD
• No arc fault protection device fitted (AFDD)

Introduction of an RCD:

• In this consumers unit as you can see there is a device called RCD 
• Made of plastic 
• One single RCD providing an additional protection for every circuit against electric shock

Associated risks with these type are:

• We are now much safer with this board then we were before with the previous versions as we now have an RCD in place that is there to protect us from an electric shock.
• The only inconvenience with these type is that an RCD is a sensitive device , it will pick up any fault on the installation therefore if you have a small fault it will trip and it will disconnect the power from the whole house. 
• It is still made of plastic , therefore fire rating is still not achieved.
• No Surge protection provided by an SPD.
• No arc fault protection device fitted (AFDD).

Dual RCD Boards:

• Consumers unit now has been Split to 2 sections, both protected by an RCD.
• Made of metal.

Associated risks with these type are:

• We now have 2 RCD installed, so if we have a problem on a circuit, we only loose power to half of our house.
• Fire rating is now achieved by  consumers unit being made of metal.
• No Surge protection provided by an SPD.
• No arc fault protection device fitted (AFDD).

Introduction of individual RCBO’s 
(An RCD and a Circuit braker combined version)

• Individual RCD on each circuit.
• Made of metal.

Associated risks with these type are:

• We now have an RCD protecting each of our circuit individually , so if we have a problem on one of our circuit, we do not have to worry about loosing power to anywhere else, only to the circuit that we have the fault on.
• Fire rating is now achieved by  consumers unit being made of metal.
• No Surge protection provided by an SPD.
• No arc fault protection device fitted (AFDD).

We now have arrived to our latest edition consumers units, that is now a Minimum Requirement by regulations!

On the pictures above you find the 2 top of the range consumers unit that you can now get for your home. 

Picture on the left hand side , a consumers unit made of metal, each circuit protected by an individual RCBO to protect from electric shock, the orange device is a Surge protection for the entire installation. 

Picture on the right hand side has all features of the left hand side board plus  each circuit is protected by an AFDD’s (Arc Fault Detection Device) , however they are only requirements in places such as Care homes, Houses with Multiple Occupation ect, not in our everyday domestic properties. 

If you concerned about the safety of your electrical installation, please contact your local electrician in Corby , they would be more then happy to come around and get it checked for you!