Does my fuse box or consumer unit need replacing?

Does my fuse box or consumer unit need replacing? - UK house wiring

День тому

Do you need to change the consumer unit in your home? The type of fuse box or consumer unit in your home gives indicates the electrical protection provided.
In this video, we help you to understand your consumer unit or fuse box and help you decide if a replacement is needed.
==== Video Chapters =============
00:00 What does a fuse box, fuse board or consumer unit do?
01:30 Electrical safety - protection against electric shocks and over current
02:30 Traditional fuse boxes
03:50 Minature circuit breakers - MCB
04:30 Residual current device - RCD
05:40 Combinded RCD + MCB = RCBO's
06:30 Metal consumer units and surge protection devices - SPD
07:10 Arc fault detection devices - AFDD
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❌ This content on this channel is for electrical professionals.❌ ==================================
📹 Presented by
Joe Robinson - Technical Editor eFIXX
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КОМЕНТАРІ: 71

@yrification 3 роки тому

Love these videos guys. I’m going to use these for customers, so they can become a bit more informed. I like to run through things but at the same time another spark may not. I don’t want customers to thinks I’m ripping them off, when I’m trying to explain why they should go for rcbo’s and SPD protection.

@efixx 3 роки тому

That's exactly what they're for matey hope they help! 😊

@avfczoff Рік тому

Exactly my thoughts 👍🏻

@brianwood5220 3 роки тому

Great explanation Joe. I'm sure it will make a lot of people think seriously, about the protection their electrical system has and really needs. #StaySafe.

@Dog-whisperer7494 3 роки тому

Brilliant , very interesting And very well explained. Another great video from Joe and the eFix team . Thank you Joe

@drosser8461 2 роки тому

Great informative video - ideal for people like me who are not up to speed with current regs.

@efixx 2 роки тому

Galf it helped! Thanks for commenting. 😊

@jasoncartwright586 2 роки тому

Really useful information presented effectively. Great Job.

@seanthespark 3 роки тому

Fantastic explanation Joe, another great video

@johnburns4017 3 роки тому

Nice vid. RCD, RCBO, SPD (spike protection) and AFDD (arc protection). People would like to know which is _mandatory_ and which _optional._ And which is now optional but looks like being mandatory in the near future.

@johnoreilly7052 3 роки тому

Hi Joe thanks for sharing your video with me and I would like to see more of your videos please

@avfczoff Рік тому

Excellent presentation 👍🏻

@acespark1 3 роки тому

Sage advice as usual

@twiggyclarklondon 2 роки тому

Great video. My flats were built in 1990 .. so bad they installed the old fashioned fuse box ! 1960 era fuse box like the first one in this video. My smart bulb in my lounge has blown and all my lights have gone off. So I need 5 amp wire .. good my local B & Q sell wire still. ( 2021) £1.85 a card of 3 diff amps. So tomorrow I will change the wire. Handy you tube video makes it look easy for me ( single woman) 😂… I can’t afford to get a modern consumer unit at the moment. 😪

@efixx 2 роки тому

Wow - must be one of the last properties to have rewireable fused fitting. We would suggest an upgrade at some point to add RCD protection to reduce the potential for electric ⚡️ shock.

@twiggyclarklondon 2 роки тому

@@efixx when I pulled the 5amp fuse out the fuse box, it was not wire, it was cartridge fuse. Still old fashioned i know 🤭🥴

@eddprice4571 3 роки тому

Brilliant video Joe 👍. Question I remember reading somewhere that the afdds have a maximum amount of times they can be tripped then they will need to be replaced ?

@mofathi6421 Рік тому

Great video, super helpful.

@andysims4906 3 роки тому

Great talk thank you. Several years ago we we’re told fuse boxes with wood were combustible and should be replaced with plastic type. Role on several years and it turns out the plastic are 50 times more combustible. There might not be any truth in this but several years ago I was talking to a guy from SEB back in those days fitting a new meter. He said in his own house he would never install mcbs. He said he has seen mcbs fail and cause fires. Fuses don’t fail was his words. That’s not my opinion just his. I always think was he right or wrong .i have only ever seen them go off and not reset ,even that’s rare

@buddhikajayasooriya7606 2 роки тому

Hi efixx Thanks for the clear explanation.. Can you install a 100A consumer unit on a incoming supply is rated only 40A?

@wisteela Рік тому

Very informative.

@SurreyAlan 3 роки тому

Replacing the fuse wire in the old style fuse boxes with a paper clip used to stop them blowing and I bet there's still more old style ones then new.

@efixx 3 роки тому

Amazing some of the pictures you see before upgrades.

@kiers1970 3 роки тому

In a very famous qcs house last year. I! Switched on his downlights in his top floor former servants quarter's 10 mins later lights stopped working.. Further investigation noted. Downlights installed years ago 12 v halogen twin cpc cable resting on lamp. Lamp gets hot. Final circuit protected by 5a rewire able 3036. Burnt out complete insulation on 4m 1.00.mm twin. Whilst I was there! 20 a type b none rcd protected sub main to 3036 cu only operated then. 2 million sheets house.

@andytap560 3 роки тому

Ive always understood it that if the install is original and it was done within the regs of the date fitted you dont have to change to an 18th edition CU. Ill advise a new CU to the customer for there own safety and if im working for a kitchen/bathroom fitter i tell them they have to have RCD protection. I dont know why so many people fail eicrs for an old install.

@efixx 3 роки тому

That’s right - our view is what would you fit to your own home ? - would you be happy with sockets without RCD protection ?

@northwiebesick7136 2 роки тому

In the US, we have similar setups for fuse boxes or breaker panels, but the breakers themselves look slightly different than what is shown here, at least for the residential market, and as such, are relatively, if I had to guess based on the breakers in the video, smaller in size, but with same capabilities... One thing that I will note for AFD breakers in the US, is that they are supposedly known to reset themselves if used in circuits with high end electronics such as computers, flat panel/screen TV's, or microwaves... Whether that's actually true, or whether it was at one point, but isn't anymore, or even never was true, I don't know, and perhaps it was only 1 or 2 prominent installers that found that to be an issue, while others have not, but it is definitely something to think about, and research... Wish we had an equivalent channel for US wiring and standards... *Edit* I see that a lot of people call the electrical repair technicians "sparky"s across the pond, at least in videos and comments on UKposts, but here they're just generally known as electricians, in the US, or at least that's generally what I hear them referred to as... (For good ones, at least. The bad ones get called by many 4 letter nicknames, none of them pleasant, and for good reason) Also, I'm not an electrician, I just like watching building and remodeling shows

@bernardcharlesworth9860 Рік тому

We are seeing more fires since the widespread use of MCB the industry reaction is to increase electricians minimum qualifications.I think this will not have much affect on safety until we address the real problem

@user..Aa..Bb.. 2 роки тому

Great vid. My fuse box is old old. How much would a replacement be to get it into this era.

@efixx 2 роки тому

Depends upon how many circuits you have and the condition of the existing wiring. On average we’d suggest a budget of £800-1000 for a quality job. Hope this helps

@user..Aa..Bb.. 2 роки тому

@@efixx it's old fuse box with not many circuits and wiring may be old. So u think I should put away about a 1000 for this. Appreciate u

@ianbakke 2 роки тому

It’s interesting to see that the UK banned plastic consumer units. I’m from Sweden, and here there is no indication from the Swedish Electrical Safety Board, or any changes being made to the Swedish Electrical Standard in the near future on requiring metal housing.

@jonathanbuzzard1376 6 місяців тому

My understanding is not that they banned plastic consumer units but they mandated standards for consumer units that are easiest/cheapest met with a metal consumer unit.

@TheCopyright45 3 роки тому

A question for you professionals out there. I have been renting out a property for many years. I have always had annual gas and electrical safety checks done yearly. The property was fully rewired around 30 years ago and has the traditional fuse box type consumer unit. Very simple set up - 2 x 32A & 2 x 5A (upstairs/downstairs). In 2016 the sparky gave me a 5 year NICEIC certificate and said annual checks were not required. Now in 2021 a different sparky has given me a 12 month certificate only and said everything has passed but cos it is a fuse box type installation it MUST be tested annually. Have the rules changed since 2016?

@kevinjewitt6347 3 роки тому

No, they haven’t. The problem is, it is the inspector that decides the interval between inspections. I’d advise taking great care in deciding who you get to carry out the test and inspection. I’d advise consumers to get someone who is an electrician first and a businessman second to carry these out, and also has a testing & inspecting qualification, which is separate to an electrical installation qualification. The businessman first and electrician second type are the ones that have the more affluent lifestyle, in my experience. The capitalist system has taken over all aspects of society, so the main priority is to get consumers to fall for the brain washing and use their earnings to buy things they don’t really need, but think they want.

@TheCopyright45 3 роки тому

@@kevinjewitt6347 Thank you.

@kiers1970 3 роки тому

So. Friend of mine contacted his tech helpline elecsa I think. Advised if 3036 cu fitted and made of wood. C1. And its location. Under the stairs etc C1. I know lads failing eicr before a test carried out on installations with 3936 and telling need 18th Ed cu installed. Yes Hardly upto date.. But. It's a minefield. How about a video with your opinions?

@havoctrousers 3 роки тому

Why would a rewireable fuseboard be an automatic failure and classified as dangerous? Assuming the fuses are sized correctly, they are still providing adequate circuit protection and lack of RCD is still only a C3. The best practice guide 4 issued by electrical safety first even comments that rewireable fuses are not a deviation from BS7671 and not even worth noting on an EICR: www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/media/1626/best-practice-guide-4.pdf

@kiers1970 3 роки тому

@@havoctrousers agreed! When we find em we certainly make the observations and recommendations but certainly not automatically leaving an unsatisfactory comment m

@TheGhost-gx5vd 10 місяців тому

I have tried many times talking to potential customers about the state there fuse box/consumer unit is in well all i can say is that i am retired now don't do it anymore people won't or don't want it they think you're ripping them off

@stevensmith4449 3 роки тому

Tinder box Fire box Shock box Kill box Sparks money box ETC

@seyley2901 2 роки тому

Costs of replacing a plastic Unit with a Metal box ?

@efixx 2 роки тому

Depends upon the size of the installation - but approx £500 - 1000 - your property may also require additional electrical remedial work.

@Dog-whisperer7494 Рік тому

@@efixx and that’s for a Cu that cost £30 from B&Q🤣

@Liberator975 3 роки тому

What if someone has an outdated installation but not funds to pay a spark 1000s for changing it. But said person had the competence and equipment to carry the job out safely. What would be required to bring the installation up to a legal standard?

@efixx 3 роки тому

You have your answer in your question...

@davideyres955 3 роки тому

Re competence, one would have to have knowledge of the current electrical regulations and the requirements under building control regulations (part p at least. The equipment would also include testing equipment. That alone is £££. The more one watches these and other videos the more one understands the gap between a non sparky and a qualified sparky with insurance + experience. That’s not to say you couldn’t do a better job than a bad sparky (you should see some of the shite I’ve seen in my place) and we all know there are cowboys out there, but they are not everywhere. Not to mention liability if something goes wrong. If you are happy you have up to it’s your choice, but be aware if there isn’t the correct certificates and sign off you may be giving your insurance company a get out of jail free card in the event of a fire, selling your house could get complicated and renting out could land you with issues. Just because your installation is outdated it may well have passed the requirements at the time of design and would be legal. Replacing it means it has to pass current regulations. Please don’t think I’m knocking you, I’m not, but there are risks to doing electrical works so do plenty of research and be armed with as much knowledge as you can get.

@kingofthetrowel1725 3 роки тому

Nice one joe 👍 so I am in a situation I have a Schneider (metal) consumer unit split load dual rcd with mcbs, all good but only thing is ,that previous owner did not get was the paperwork for it (not notified etc) Now I’ve seen these brilliant idea rcbos, surge protection devices , would it be wise to call a sparks in and do an upgrade 🤔 I know it would cost, but for piece of mind. Is a full rcbo with surge protect like sparky porn 😂😂

@johnhoward2104 3 роки тому

Perhaps unwise to push the notion that AFDDs are beneficial, given the lack of evidence of their efficacy, both regarding their sensitivity to faults and fire prevention ability. They are perhaps being pushed on us in upcoming regulations due to the lobbying power of those with financial interests in their installation (such as manufacturers and wholesalers). There is however apparently little evidence for their effectiveness (see e.g. communities.theiet.org/discussions/viewtopic/1037/27144 where an electrical engineer says in part: "The science behind these devices is simply not there, and it is easily shown that these devices are being sold to detect a problem which does not exist". Damming words indeed), and DIY testing shows just how useless they can be (see e.g.: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/jIainWx6nJp-zIE.html and ukposts.info/have/v-deo/onijgoN9fImVl40.html). In short, we're being sold a bum steer, probably for nothing more than financial gain.

@johnburns4017 3 роки тому

Along with John Ward, Dave Savery also did a few vids on AFDDs, also with some simple experiments. I think BigClive may have as well. The general conclusion from all was that they are a waste of _expensive_ time except for high current drawing appliances. (ukposts.info/have/v-deo/nWB2oHyYgpmQxmw.html)

@Benzknees 3 роки тому

So a proliferation of more & more expensive safety devices to protect you against 1 in a million events, making replacement so expensive that ordinary householders are more & more likely to stick with their old installations.

@efixx 3 роки тому

Should we try to make electrical installations safer? Nearly 20,000 electrical related house fires in the UK every year!

@Benzknees 3 роки тому

@@efixx - 89% of house fires are caused by the appliance, not by the fixed wiring installation.

@dalriada842 2 роки тому

I have to agree. It doesn't improve safety if people can't afford it. I think there are measures that could be taken with new installations that would help to mitigate this in the future. Instead of Consumer Units(CU) having a Line rail and Neutral and Earthing bars inside(though there would still be an Earthing bar for bonding), there would be rails for each conductor type. Ideally such a standard should be compatible with one that could be used with 3-phase systems, with only the required components installed on a 1-phase system. They could then bring back the convenience found in some old fuse boxes. Coloured sockets of specific current ratings would be mounted on these rails, and attached to the internal wiring of the same rating. The RCBO, or other protective device, could then be changed by the consumer at minimal cost simply by plugging it in to act as a bridge between the mains and the internal wiring. Only the appropriate device would fit a specific socket. A surge protector would have its own socket next to the mains switch. As an extra protection, the sockets could be recessed so that latches would hold the device securely on the CU unless released. A bar connected to the main switch could have a cam on it that would prevent devices from being inserted or removed while the CU was live. I think this kind of development will become essential in the future as the protective devices become more complex and prone to failure. The latest ones have microcontrollers inside. There should be a British standard for this so that all manufacturers' offerings are interchangeable.

@Benzknees 2 роки тому

@@dalriada842 - Yes, actually making consumer units for consumers rather than just electricians would be a step forward.

@supersparks9466 2 роки тому

@doublethink and what’s protecting the appliances, also it’s not 1 in a million that’s just a pulled out of thin air statement. Try to talk in facts rather than bs

@kiers1970 3 роки тому

Mains boards.... Grinds my gears sparks calling a consumer unit that... Grr

@kristianhumphreys7984 3 роки тому

Consumer unit? Grinds my gears calling it that! Grr

@raychambers3646 3 роки тому

How about fuzz box?

@kiers1970 3 роки тому

@@raychambers3646 are you gonna use it?

@ColinRichardson 3 роки тому

@@raychambers3646 Isn't that what Doctor Who uses?

@raychambers3646 3 роки тому

@@kiers1970 I did work with someone who referred to it as a fuzz box ,and someone else called it a fewsee box !

@robertburrows6612 3 роки тому

You stated an MCB can't be changed for a wrong MCB by an inexperience person Wrong al! mcbs are the same size and are available to anyone and can easy fitted by anyone so you can swap out a 6amp mcb for a 50 amp mcb, the only tool required is a screwdriver. anyone can walk into a place like screwfix an by an mcb so I suggest you remove this video as it in accurate

@efixx 3 роки тому

In comparison to replacing a fuse wire it's far less likely that someone will replace an MCB. We'll be leaving the video up.

@johnburns4017 3 роки тому

You did not get it did you? Mr average will not poke around with a screwdriver in a CU. He will throw an MCB switch though. In ye oldern dayes, he _may_ change a fuse in a fuse box, but I have seen many replaced fuses in fuse boxes being of the wrong rating, as they put in the only one available to get the power back up - as I see in many 13A plugs. As an aside, you may find that most fuses in 13A plugs are oversized for the application.

@supersparks9466 2 роки тому

@robert burrows agree the same make of mcb can be changed or swapped but unlikely and in any case if an untrained person decides to muck around in their consumer unit then they will have to take any consequences, you can’t legislate for dumb people.

@kenbar4761 11 місяців тому

Why the aggressive tone?