What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?
11 Answers
Answered by Elec-craft Electrical Services
15th September 2020
Elec-craft Electrical Services answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit and a fuse board are a convenient way of containing multiple devices used to provide overcurrent and short circuit protection to electrical circuits in a neat and compact arrangement inside a single enclosure. Think of it as the heart of an electrical installation. Electricity is distributed by cables that enter buildings and in order to ensure the electricity is safely serving the building it MUST be contained in appropriate enclosures and insulated cables. The first enclosure is called the cut-out which contains a fuse to protect the cables outside in the ground or overhead. A meter is the next enclosure that enables the buildings use of electricity to be measured and billed. The consumer unit or fuse board comes next to provide a start point for all the circuits. That's the purpose. Several can be used in an installation so that circuits can be further divided or electricity taken to another part of the building.
Answered by Hampton Electrical Systems Ltd
3rd July 2020
Hampton Electrical Systems Ltd answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A modern consumer unit fitted with the correct protective devices provides protection for individual/multiple circuits against faults and overloads. For example if an earth fault is detected the residual current device will trip to cut off the circuit/circuits and prevent any risk of electric shock. If a circuit becomes overloaded the circuit breaker will trip to cut off the circuit and prevent damage. Modern consumer units are modular by design and the 18th Edition of BS7671 requires any new consumer units to be in metal. If you have an existing plastic consumer unit or fuseboard it does not necessarily mean you need to change the unit. If in doubt, always consult a qualified electrician.
Answered by Consider it Done Electrical Services
25th October 2019
Consider it Done Electrical Services answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit, is the modern name of the fuse board as many people would describe it. In the simplest of terms it is a way of affording levels of safety into the electrical circuits within an installation. Using the term installation as it could be in a house, warehouse, factory, shop, outside swimming pool, just about anywhere electricity is needed in fact. Most people are familiar with how appliances have a fuse in the plug which blows if the item is faulty or becomes overloaded. Well a consumer unit takes things to levels above this. Each circuit has its own protection and this can be through one or more devices. The most basic protection on a single circuit would be a circuit breaker, offering over-current protection (like a fuse for overloads of a circuit and such); they also afford thermal protection to some degree. The next item within a consumer unit would be the RCD, this device offers another level of protection and will often be found protecting one or several circuits. An RCD protects by monitoring how much current entering the circuits it protects and how much returns. Should there be an imbalance, where more returns than was originally monitored entering, the RCD will trip, cutting power to the protected circuits. Likewise, if there is less or no current returns through the RCD (such as if a cable is damaged or cut) then it will trip. The circuit breaker and RCD may also be found as a combined unit called an RCBO, but it works in the same way as those I've described but are combined for each circuit. These are the basic items found in a consumer unit all enclosed in a metal casing or enclosure. But, recently added to that you may also find a surge protection device within the consume unit. These items of which there is usually one are designed to protect the whole installation against a surge of power, be it from a natural event such as lightening or from heavy switching currents or maybe even a problem from the supply to the installation. They offer protection to sensitive electrical or electronic equipment connected to the installation. Finally, another new addition to the consumer unit family are AFDD or Arc fault detection devices. Again to describe in there simplest terms, they detect where the is an arc occurring within a single circuit (there would be an AFDD for each circuit requiring protection) . Such a fault , just to give some examples, could be a loose or broken wire or cable or a broken connection within accessories or junction boxes. But AFDD's and Surge protection devices are not quite common place within domestic environments as yet, but you may find them. So, as you can see the consumer units purpose is to bring together various individual protective devices to keep the installation and the people using it safer.
Answered by AAA Electrical
3rd June 2019
AAA Electrical answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit seperates the circuits and makes the installation safer,New consumer units in domestic dwellings now have to be metal clad for extra fire protection (18th edition wiring regulations)Also rcd or rcbo protection is required ensuring any circuit that aquires a fault will trip instantly keeping the consumer safe from electric shock
Answered by GW Electrical & Security
21st May 2019
GW Electrical & Security answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit provides an electrical supply for sockets, lights etc throughout a property. It also provides a safety function through the use of circuit breakers, rcbos and rcds, which provide overload, short circuit and additional protection. It also provides a means, via the main switch, of isolating the electrical supply to all circuits.
Answered by Karl Chamberlain Electrical Services
17th April 2019
Karl Chamberlain Electrical Services answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit provides power to each circuit, dividing up current through each circuit via the miniature circuit breaker rated to suit the cables involved. MCBs are designed to protect cabling and over current which is why you should match size an MCB to the current capacity of the cables connected in that circuit.
Answered by TB electrical
12th April 2019
TB electrical answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit distributes the electricity around an installation allowing each circuit to be rated to the correct amp rating to prevent overload. This provides you fault protection and additional protection in the form of RCDs. It gives you a point of safe isolation for safety when work is being undertake on any circuits, enabling individual circuits to be isolated while the rest is in continued use.
Answered by M.D Electrical Solutions
22nd March 2019
M.D Electrical Solutions answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit distributes the power around your premise and offers over current protection and rcd protection to all individual circuits . You will generally have multiple ircuits arounf your house. This stops overloading and unwanted tripping of circuits. Also the separate circuits allow you to isolate them when working and not having to turn the full fuse board off .
Answered by Electrical Innovations (Derby) Ltd
21st March 2019
Electrical Innovations (Derby) Ltd answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit separates all your electrical items in the house on to separate circuits and provides them and the wiring with protection against faults. They allow safe disconnection of the supply where needed (for maintenance or under fault conditions) and also provide safety for users of the electrical installation.
Answered by M.E.T Electrical Ltd
27th February 2019
M.E.T Electrical Ltd answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
A consumer unit provides the circuits in the house (sockets/lights/cooker etc) with protection against overload. This means that the circuits are protected against an electrical fault, to protect the user from the risk of an electric shock. Current regulations state that all circuits (generally assumed due to the cables being routed less than 50mm deep in a wall) need to be RCD protected. This is a device that provides additional protection above the normal fuses (circuit breakers) and it provides the user with protection against an electric shock that could be fatal.
Answered by East Kent Electrical Ltd
10th February 2019
East Kent Electrical Ltd answered the question "What does a consumer unit / fuse board do?"
The consumer unit/fuse board is the main part of the electrical installation that will provide the building with the protection required for the different services with MCBs/Fuses for main protection RCD protection Surge protection and also be provided protecting all your electronic devices in the home. It is the main part between the national network and your Home or business