Boards

Consumer units boards is a system which allows all electrical components to connect to the main electricity supply. The consumer unit boards divides the electrical power feed into secondary circuits. The main purpose of consumer unit boards is to provide electricity safely and provide comprehensive circuit protection solutions.

Consumer unit boards have a long life expectancy. However, electrical faults can occur therefore, it is important to get regular checks every five to ten years to ensure your consumer unit board is up to date and safe. This ensures safe electrical practices

Consumer unit boards can become damaged overtime with wear and tear therefore, need replaced there are issues to prevent damage to the property and accidents. Consumer unit boards can also be outdated by new regulations therefore must be replaced to meet the regulations.

No. Replacing or installing a consumer unit must be done by a qualified, registered electrician. They will isolate the supply, test the existing circuits, fit the new board and issue an Electrical Installation Certificate in line with BS 7671 and local building regulations. A straightforward domestic consumer unit change usually takes most of a working day.

Yes, you have more than one consumer unit board. Additional consumer unit boards can be installed to an extension of your home or in your garage.

A consumer unit should be fitted somewhere dry and easy to reach for switching and maintenance – commonly a hallway, utility room, under-stairs cupboard or garage. In new homes, accessibility guidance usually places the switches between about 1350mm and 1450mm above floor level. It must not be fitted in a bathroom or other location with a high risk of water, and in domestic premises the enclosure must be non-combustible (metal).

No, installing a consumer unit board in a bathroom is extremely unsafe practice. Consumer unit boards are involving electricity therefore, must be installed in a dry room to prevent damage to the consumer unit boards.

Empty consumer unit boards is fitted using a busbar by electricians. It allows fittings of MCB’s or RCBO’s which can be removed to fit other modular components.

A priority boards are designed to facilitate the use of two electric appliances which are being supplied from a domestic 63A single phase supply. It is used to give priority of shower (A) over shower (B). The board will automatically cut the power on shower (B) to protect the supply fuse.

The non-priority boards are designed to allow no appliance has priority of use. Whatever shower is turned on first will remain on. Any additional showers will not be able to operate until the shower in operation is turned off. The main purpose is to restrict the power to one appliance at a time.

While a distribution board is known to be an enclosure with equipment placed inside of it, a consumer unit is a type of distribution board that is tested and can be used by users who are not professionals. In addition, distribution boards can also be referred to as panelboards, breaker panels, or electrical panels. 

Distribution boards are typically designed to split an incoming mains supply into various smaller circuits – these are usually designed to be one of two types and that is either single-phase or 3-phase distribution boards. Both single-phase and three-phase distribution boards are different methods of connecting the outside mains power into a building. 

When it is a single-phase power distribution board, it is delivered through two wires which are coming into the fuse board. Single-phase power distribution boards make it easier to balance the electrical load coming in across the network when there is a high simultaneous demand from various smaller devices. This is commonly the case in domestic power circuits. 

3-phase distribution boards on the other hand come with either three or four incoming wires and you will always find them in commercial and industrial settings. These distribution boards are associated with large, high-power-eating machinery that is constantly in use. 

Examples include elevators, HVAC systems, factory ovens, etc. 3-phase distribution boards are far more efficient and consistent when it comes to handling higher sustained load demands compared to single-phase distribution boards.

Use an IP65 distribution board where the board will be exposed to dust, moisture or water jets, such as in garages, agricultural buildings, workshops, plant rooms and outdoor locations. The sealed enclosure protects the devices inside. Use matching IP-rated glands for cable entries so the rating is maintained once installed.

Small 2 or 4 way enclosures are used as sub-boards for a single outbuilding, shed, garage, EV charger or shower circuit. They typically hold an isolator and one or two protective devices. They save space and cable compared with running several circuits back to the main board, but must be correctly protected at the origin.

For domestic consumer units in the UK, a non-combustible enclosure, usually metal, is expected under current wiring regulations. Insulated enclosures remain useful for some sub-board, commercial and outdoor applications where those rules do not apply. Check the regulations for the location and the manufacturer's guidance before choosing.