Moffam Electricals

Are you concerned that the fuse box in your home is out of date and doesn’t adhere to electrical standards? Is it time to swap it out for an updated consumer unit? 
You may choose the best option for your household by reading on to learn all the answers to these questions, including what goes into the replacement procedure..

What is the difference between a fuse box and an electrical consumer unit?

fuse box replacementA consumer unit and a fuse box both have the same function. They employ many circuits to distribute electricity throughout your home, and once one of the circuits experiences a power overload (often referred to as “tripping”), they immediately off the power.

When a consumer device “trips,” the circuit breaker connected to the overloaded circuit will shut off the electricity. It will automatically switch to the off position, making the malfunctioning circuit obvious. The circuit breaker can be turned back on to bring the electricity back on once the circuit has been repaired.

Circuit breakers are substituted by fuses in a fuse box. If there is an electrical overload, each fuse contains a wire that will melt, tripping the circuit and switching the power.

WHY DO I NEED A NEW FUSEBOX/CONSUMER UNIT?

The number of electrically powered items we use on a daily basis has steadily expanded since the turn of the century, when we first began using electricity in our homes. Sadly, this rise in demand necessitates an upgrade to the electrical infrastructure, and household systems are all too frequently not properly designed, built, or maintained. Your fusebox or consumer unit is the most crucial piece of electrical equipment in your house; it is in charge of ensuring your safety and, in the worst case scenario, may even be able to save your life.

Regardless of age, fuseboxes or consumer units are typically divided into two categories: those with fuse carriers and those without. They are produced by a variety of manufacturers and are made of a variety of materials.

The majority of folks are shocked to learn that while these rewirable fuses do safeguard the circuit, they DO NOT PROTECT AGAINST ELECTRIC SHOCKWICK. They are made of plastic, which with time, heat, and the potential for installing the incorrect fuse wire can all damage. Ceramic or Bakelite fuse carriers are seen in older styles of fuseboxes. Over 60 years ago, when there were far fewer appliances and diverse types of illumination than there are today, these fuseboxes first appeared in houses. Most of these fuseboxes also feature a wooden frame or rear box, which heightens the already dangerous fire threat. To schedule an inspection if you have this sort of fusebox installed, call Moffam Electricals right away.

Although this kind of device could appear to be a more contemporary alternative to rewirable fuses, it has really been available for more than 30 years. Over time, they can malfunction, overheat, or otherwise behave improperly. Another possibility is that these outdated breakers have been overwhelmed as additional circuits have been added over time. For your complete piece of mind, testing is offered to verify the integrity of your installed breakers.

3 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A NEW FUSE BOX AND CONSUMER UNIT REPLACEMENT IN NAIROBI KENYA
signs that you would benefit from upgrading to a new, properly protected consumer unit,

1. You have a wooden-backed, ancient fusebox.

2. You have installed outdated rewirable fuses.

3. You have an assortment of older circuit breakers and rewirable fuses.

4. There is no protection for residual current devices (RCDs) in your system. The only way to prevent a lethal electric shock is to do this.

5. You have renovation projects in the works, such installing an electric shower, solar panels, an addition, or an attic conversion.

6. You intend to extend a current circuit.

7. You intend to expand the installation by adding a new circuit.

8. Your current consumer unit or fusebox is overloaded. This poses a fire risk and, should the worst occur, could necessitate a costly emergency job.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

MCB and a fuse box are two distinct objects.

A fuse box is a box that houses the main switch, MCBs, RCDs, and RCBOs.

On the other hand, an MCB may be restarted if it trips and is a miniature circuit breaker, fuse, or automatically operating switch. It guards against the harm that overloads and short circuits can do to electrical circuits.

A residual current device (RCD) contains a button for manual checks of the device’s proper operation and is typically twice as big as an MCB. Its major purpose is to protect against continued electric shock damage by instantly cutting off the power supply in the event of direct contact with live wires.

RCBO is a  current circuit breaker and what could be seem from its name is it combines both MCB and RCD in one device carrying both of their functions.

Gas pipes and gas meters in domestic homes must be set apart from electricity meters, switchboards, electric cables, sockets, telephone cables, consumer units, and any other conductors by a minimum of 150 mm, per regulation. Additionally, for home pipes up to 35mm or 50mm for pipework exceeding 32mm, there should be a spacing between a supply or distribution cable of at least 25mm.

The only person who should replace a fuse box is one who is knowledgeable and skilled in doing so. Although it could appear to be a simple undertaking, every DIYer should constantly keep in mind that electricity kills. Even if you believe you are knowledgeable enough, one error could be your last. Therefore, it is wise to always leave it to a professional.

In addition to a lack of expertise, another factor is a lack of appropriate instruments and testing apparatus. You won’t be able to verify whether the installation was successful and everything functions as it should, even if you are able to install a consumer unit. You could assume everything is fine if the lights are on and the outlets are functional, but this isn’t always the case. Since not all circuits or the entire system may be earthed. Cable installation errors and other problems could result in fires or even fatalities over time.

Another potential issue is troubleshooting. If you made a mistake during installation, the circuits or the new consumer unit power might not function. Once that happens, you can be left in the dark until an electrician can fix it, which could take some time and additional money for an emergency call out service.

If we match a fuse with a circuit breaker.
Circuit breakers are more expensive than fuses, so that would be one drawback.
Additionally, there is always a danger that it will malfunction as it is an automatic gadget that can be used repeatedly. Therefore, it might trip when it shouldn’t or, in the worst case, it might not trip at all.

From this current perspective, the fuse is safer than a circuit breaker because it can’t actually fail and can only operate once before needing to be replaced.

Rather than using a circuit breaker, a consumer unit must be used to replace the fuse box. A circuit breaker is actually a fuse; the difference is that a fuse must be changed when it trips, whereas a circuit breaker can be restarted. The outdated fuse boxes must be replaced with modern consumer units, which resemble fuse boxes in appearance and functionality but feature extra safety features including RCDs and RCBOs.

RCDs, or residual current devices, are packaged and automatically turn off the power supply if someone touches live wires. This contributes to avoiding electric shock-related death.

RCD and MCB functionalities are combined in RCBOs, which can be purchased individually. Providing combined protection for each circuit independently while saving some space in the consumer unit.

There is no one spot where a Consumer unit must be placed, although this location must adhere to certain standards.

First and foremost, it should be simple to get to, have enough room, and be reachable without a ladder. It must be put in a location that is simple for you to access or for an electrician who will eventually need to replace it and conduct inspections.

It depends on each unique circumstance as well as the fuse box’s size. The replacement of the fuse box typically takes 2 to 5 hours. A little fuse box with 6 circuits will require considerably less time and work than a large fuse box with more than 16 circuits, so it truly depends on how many circuits need to be connected.

The length of the work may also be influenced by variables such how well the cables were organized in the old fuse box, whether there were any errors, and whether the cable connections were made in the proper order.

No, old fuse boxes are not illegal and can still be used if they are in good working order. However, they are dangerous and must be changed if they are in poor condition.

First and foremost, outdated fuse boxes are dangerous because they lack residual current devices (RCDs), which cut off power automatically if someone touches live wires. It can save lives and defend against damage brought on by electric shock.

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