When should you upgrade your fuse board?

To the average homeowner, a fuse board is just the box full of switches you have to flip when the lights don’t come on. Normally it just gathers dust and is covered with coats. Why should you spend money on something that’s not seen and, from the homeowners view, not really used all that much? 

Why does your fuse board matter?

Believe it or not, your fuse board, also known as a consumer unit, is operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Its primary function is to house the fuses, or circuit breakers, for your house’s electrical circuits. These are safety devices that protect your electrical installations from various electrical faults that can occur. If these breakers are not up to standard, then there is no guarantee that they will cut off the power in the event of an overloaded circuit.

What are RCDs?

Your fuse board should also contain safety devices called Residual Current Devices (RCDs). They are an additional level of protection within the fuse board that cuts the electrical supply if there is an emergency fault. They protect you from electrocution and fire if you have an earth fault.

Circuit breakers tend to trip if there is an overload in the circuit or if the Live and Neutral wires touch, whereas RCDs stop electricity if there is a sudden fault.  For example, if you accidentally cut through your lawnmower cable or hammer a nail through a cable, the RCD would kick in and ensure that the wire wasn’t live, limiting the chance of you getting an electrical shock.

If your fuse board isn’t working properly, in a worst-case scenario, you could end up with an electrical fire, an injury or a death. It is essential that you replace any fuse boards that aren’t safe or up to standard.  

How to know when your fuse board is too old.

It should have switches.

First of all, take a good look at your fuse board. Modern fuse boards should have switches. If it doesn’t, then this would indicate that your fuse board will be out of date and will need updating as soon as possible.

There should be no visible damage.

Poorly maintained or installed fuse boards are a hazard and can cause fires. If you can see any damage at all, please call an electrician to check it’s safe.

If your fuse board does have switches then there are other indications that suggest an upgrade is required.  

Tripped switches should be a rarity.

If your circuit trips frequently, you probably have a problem. Tripped fuses should be a rarity, not a frequent occurrence.

Tripped switches should happen occasionally.

If you’re finding that your system isn’t tripping when you expect, you should get an electrician to check that all the fuses are working properly. 

You have a burning smell.

If you can detect a burning smell, please call an electrician immediately. A burning smell can indicate that the plastic coating on one of the wires inside your board is melting due to an issue. This needs to be looked at straight away.

The RCDs aren’t up to standard.

If you don’t have any RCD’s it is important that you get one installed as this is a standard safety device that should be fitted in every home.

If you are in doubt about the safety of your fuse board consult your local electrician to investigate; you never know, it could save your life.

If you are interested in finding out more about fuse board maintenance, please contact us for more information.