When did you last check the condition of the fuseboard in your Bristol home? Would you know if your fusenboard needs an upgrade? Keep reading to find out more about the tell tale signs that your fuseboard is in need of an upgrade.
Indicators that you may need a fuseboard upgrade
Age of current fuseboard
If your board has not been changed in twenty years then it is likely not compliant with current standards and may not provide you with basic protection. Technology and safety associated with consumer units has also moved on massively in the last thirty years from both the perspective of shock and fire protection and also the ease of use for the homeowner. Did you know that when the older rewireable type fuseboards were being installed, in the event of a fault it was perfectly acceptable for it to take up to 5 seconds for the fuse to blow on certain circuits? With the modern circuit breakers and earth leakage circuit breakers, that is now down to a maximum of 0.4 seconds. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not thrilled at the thought of being electrocuted for 0.4 of a second, never mind the full 5 seconds!
Have you seen one of these? It’s called a Residual Current Device or RCD for short. It used to be recommended that if you used an item of plug-in equipment outside such as a lawn mower or vacuum cleaner then you should plug in the appliance through one of these for added protection. Did you know that all modern consumer units should have these built in and the latest consumer units have them to protect all circuits, not just the sockets?
Fuseboard Material
If your fuseboard is constructed of wood or plastic, then it may not meet fire regulations. Believe it or not, some of the earlier rewireable consumer units are actually constructed from wood and many are still in use today. Could you think of a less suitable material for construction of an item that could be subject to heat or sparks? The wooden backed consumer unit (as shown below) was manufactured by Wylex, and is usually fitted with a brown Bakelite type cover and rewireable fuses.
Exposed Components
Are the working parts, fuses, or circuit breakers enclosed or are parts of the board exposed? This picture below shows a modern fire-rated consumer unit. The idea behind the metal lid and enclosure is that in the event of the contents of the consumer overheating and/or breaking up, all the hot parts will be contained inside the enclosure rather than falling onto potentially flammable items.
Fuseboard Location
Is the location of your fuseboard easily accessible by children? Would it impede your escape in the event of a fire? Have a look at the location of your consumer unit. In the event of a fire would it block your means of escape? Many consumer units are located either in an under-stairs cupboard or by the front door and many of these cupboards are also used to store potentially flammable objects. It’s not unusual to find electric cupboards stuffed with clothing, old tins of paint, or oil - all of which pose a real risk in the event of a fire at your fuseboard.
Is there anything else that I should consider?
How about ease of use? Do you have a rewireable fuseboard like the one pictured below? This is typical of the fuseboard you might find in a property that was rewired or built up to the mid 1980’s. Now imagine you had just come home, switched your lights on only to find nothing was working. Would you know what to look for or would you know which fuse to check?
Simply by looking at the consumer unit you can’t tell. If you do find that it’s a fuse that has blown, would you have the correct fused wire to hand and would you actually be able to replace it (it’s incredibly fiddly believe me!). You’d be surprised to know how many call-outs we receive simply to replace fusewire.
Now compare that with the picture of the modern fire–rated consumer unit in the section above with its circuit breakers and RCD trip switches. Instantly you can see which circuit has tripped and as simply as operating a switch the circuit breaker is back on.
In the event of an issue with your electric, the difference between the old and new really is like night and day. A potentially expensive call-out saved and a safe home as well!
Go and check your fuseboard!
If you are unsure or unhappy about it then contact us here at Allied Electrical Services in Bristol and book your free inspection.
