Fuse Box Upgrades

A fuse box and a consumer unit serve the same purpose – distributing electricity to your property’s circuits and providing overcurrent protection. The difference is age and technology. Older fuse boxes use rewirable fuses or cartridge fuses, while modern consumer units use MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breakers) and RCDs (Residual Current Devices) for far greater safety. When people talk about a “fuse box upgrade,” they typically mean replacing the old box with a modern consumer unit.

Your fuse box likely needs upgrading if it contains rewirable fuses (with visible fuse wire), if it has no RCD protection, if the casing is made of plastic or Bakelite rather than metal, if your circuits frequently trip or fuses blow, or if your property has been extended and the existing board is running out of capacity. An EICR can confirm whether your fuse box meets current standards.

An RCD (Residual Current Device) constantly monitors the flow of electricity through a circuit. If it detects a difference between the live and neutral conductors – which indicates current is leaking to earth, possibly through a person – it cuts the supply in under 40 milliseconds. This speed is fast enough to prevent a fatal electric shock, making RCDs the single most important electrical safety device in your home.

Yes, your electricity will need to be switched off for the duration of the installation – typically 4 to 6 hours. We recommend planning accordingly: charge devices beforehand, and avoid scheduling the work on days when you need constant power. We’ll always let you know the expected duration before we start.

It’s not a legal requirement, but it’s strongly advisable. Buyers and their surveyors increasingly expect properties to have a modern consumer unit with RCD protection. An outdated fuse box can raise concerns during the conveyancing process and may lead to price renegotiations or delays. A fuse box upgrade is a relatively inexpensive improvement that can smooth the sale.