Consumer Unit Changes in Burgess Hill & Mid Sussex

Looking to upgrade your home’s electrical safety and efficiency? At MLP Electrics, we specialise in consumer unit changes designed to protect your household from electrical faults, surges, and other risks while improving energy management. Our consumer units come equipped with advanced features like RCBOs (Residual Current Circuit Breakers with Overcurrent Protection) and SPD (Surge Protective Devices), providing your home with top-notch protection.   

Why Upgrade to an RCBO-Based Consumer Unit with Surge Protection? 

• Enhanced Individual Circuit Protection: RCBOs combine the functions of both an RCD (protection against earth faults and electric shocks) and an MCB (protection against overloads and short circuits) into a single device. This allows each circuit to be individually protected, meaning if a fault occurs, only the affected circuit will trip, minimising disruption. 
• Reduced Disruption: Unlike traditional systems where an RCD might shut down multiple circuits, an RCBO system isolates only the faulty circuit, ensuring you don’t lose power to other areas of your home. This makes everyday life more convenient and avoids widespread outages. 
• Increased Safety: RCBOs provide dual protection (overcurrent and earth faults) on a per-circuit basis, reducing the risks of electrical fires and shocks. Adding a Surge Protective Device (SPD) further shields your home from damaging power surges, which can occur due to lightning strikes or power grid fluctuations. 
• Space and Energy Efficiency: RCBOs are space-saving, combining the protection of an MCB and an RCD into one, leaving more room in your consumer unit. Their efficient power management can also help lower energy consumption over time. 
• Better Fault Diagnosis: With individual RCBOs, it’s much easier to identify and fix electrical faults. Only the affected circuit trips, making fault-finding quicker and reducing repair time. 
• Future-Proofing: Whether you’re adding new appliances, circuits, or just ensuring compliance with modern safety standards, upgrading your consumer unit with RCBOs and SPD ensures your home is prepared for future electrical needs. 

Pre-Installation Testing

At MLP Electrics, safety and precision are our top priorities. Before we proceed with replacing your consumer unit, we conduct a thorough pre-installation test to ensure that the existing wiring and circuits are in good condition. This helps us identify any potential issues that need to be addressed before installing the new consumer unit.   

• Visual Inspection: We start by visually inspecting the condition of your wiring and existing electrical installation. This allows us to spot any signs of wear, damage, or non-compliance with current regulations. 
• Circuit Testing: Using specialised equipment, we test the circuits to check for issues such as:
  • Continuity: Ensuring there are no breaks in the wiring that could cause faults.
  • Insulation Resistance: Verifying that the insulation around your wiring is intact and not deteriorating, which could pose a safety risk.
  • Polarity: Making sure all circuits are correctly wired with the correct live, neutral, and earth connections. 
• Earth Testing: A key safety check is to ensure your electrical installation is properly earthed. This is crucial for preventing electric shocks and ensuring the overall safety of the system.
• Addressing Issues: If our pre-installation tests reveal any faults or areas of concern, we will   inform you of the findings and explain any corrective actions that need to be taken, ensuring your home is safe before the new consumer unit is installed. 

Once all tests are passed, we proceed with the installation of the new consumer unit with full confidence that the system is in optimal condition.    

By conducting these tests in advance, we guarantee that your new consumer unit will operate safely and efficiently. This proactive approach not only enhances the reliability of your electrical system but also ensures complete peace of mind for you and your household.  

A consumer unit upgrade is often recommended after an EICR inspection, and is usually carried out as part of a full or partial rewire where the existing board is outdated.

Ready to upgrade? Contact MLP Electrics today for a safe and professional consumer unit change!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a consumer unit upgrade take?

A straightforward consumer unit upgrade typically takes a full day, including testing before and after installation. Larger properties or upgrades that uncover additional issues may take a little longer.

Will I be left without power during the work?

Yes, briefly – the power needs to be off while we disconnect the old board and install the new one, usually for a few hours. We’ll let you know what to expect and can plan around your household’s needs where possible.

Is a consumer unit upgrade notifiable to Building Control?

Yes, but as NICEIC-registered electricians we can self-certify the work under the Competent Person Scheme, which means we handle the Building Regulations notification for you – there’s no need to involve Building Control separately.

Do I need a new consumer unit for things like an EV charger?

Not always, but older consumer units without spare capacity, RCBOs, or surge protection often need upgrading to safely support an EV charger. We’ll check your existing board as part of any EV charger installation quote.

What’s the difference between an RCD and an RCBO?

An RCD protects a group of circuits from electric shock by cutting the power if it detects a fault, but a fault on one circuit trips the whole group. An RCBO combines RCD and circuit breaker protection for a single circuit, so only the faulty circuit trips, leaving the rest of the property unaffected.