Consumer Unit & FuseboardUpgrades in Stevenage

A modern consumer unit houses a main switch, and either RCD-protected circuit groups with MCBs (split-load) or individual RCBOs per circuit, which combine overload and earth fault protection in one device. Metal enclosures are standard now under current regulations, replacing the plastic boxes common in older properties.

We fit boards from manufacturers like Hager, chosen for the installation and the spare capacity it offers: manufacturer warranty periods vary by product, so we'll tell you what applies to the board you're getting.

The supply is isolated, the old board is removed, and the new unit is mounted and wired circuit by circuit. Each circuit gets checked and tidied as it's reconnected; this is often when a loose connection, undersized cable, or incorrectly labelled circuit from years ago gets found and corrected.

Once wired, every circuit is tested individually before the board is left live and unattended.

A split-load board groups circuits under two RCDs, which is cost-effective and compliant but still means a fault on one circuit in a group can trip others sharing that RCD. A full RCBO board gives every circuit its own independent protection, so only the faulty circuit trips: more expensive per way, but no shared nuisance tripping.

Which one suits you depends on the property, the number of circuits, and budget. We'll talk through the options rather than defaulting to one as standard.

Upgrades come up for different reasons: a failed EICR, a house sale, an extension adding circuits, a landlord bringing a rental up to standard, or simply an old board that's visibly worn out. Each situation changes what else needs checking alongside the board itself: rental properties often need the full circuit condition assessed, not just the board.

If something else needs fixing while we're already there, we'll flag it and quote it rather than leave it.

Domestic consumer units are usually single-phase and straightforward to specify once we know the circuit count. Small commercial premises sometimes need three-phase distribution boards instead, which is a step up in complexity and sits closer to our LV panel board work. Either way, the testing and certification standard is the same.