Consumer Units & Accessories

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Consumer Units & Accessories from Wylex, Hager and MK

Our new consumer unit section features consumer units, RCBOs, RCDs, MCBs and accessories from the UK's three leading manufacturers.

The vast majority of circuit protection devices found here are standard stock items and available for next day delivery.

Please check out our 'fully loaded 17th Edition Consumer Units' which come pre fitted with Main Switch, 2 x RCDs and MCBs, such as the 10 Way Wylex NHI00571 - £65.00 ex vat or the 12 Way Hager VC766H1 - £69.50 ex vat.

This month's new and updated electrical products

Budget Consumer Units & Accessories

A great value range of consumer units, MCBs & RCBOs from CED.

Crabtree Consumer Units & Accessories

Consumer Units, RCBOs and MCBs from Crabtree.

Hager Consumer Units & Accessories

Hager's new 17th Edition 12 way fixed 6 / 6 Board, RCDs & MCBs - £69.50!

MK Consumer Units & Accessories

The MK Sentry circuit protection range includes 17th Edition, split loads, RCBOs, RCDs and MCBs.

Wylex Consumer Units & Accessories

Wylex fuseboards, RCDs, MCBs, RCBOs and Switchfuses

What is a Consumer Unit?

A consumer unit is the electrical device used to distribute power throughout a domestic dwelling. Acting as a safety device, protecting against injury through electrical shock, a consumer unit houses protection devices which also protect household appliances from overload.

A consumer unit's first function is the organisation of electrical 'circuits', such that the different ways in which we use electricity throughout the home may be safely and more easily managed. A typical domestic installation, for example will have the following circuits: Ring main for power sockets and items like washing machines and TVs, Lighting, smoke alarms, cooker, shower etc.

Drawing different amperages these circuits are recognisable in the consumer unit as 'Mini Circuit Breakers'. An MCB protects its circuit against overload. When for example a bulb blows on the lighting circuit the MCB cuts the power to the that circuit, thus protecting the other lights. No other circuits on the consumer unit have been affected.

Under the latest 17th Edition Regulations, a consumer unit must also protect every circuit from earth leakage. This potentially fatal fault occurs when the electricity coming back in to the consumer unit does not equal the electricity leaving the consumer unit. To prevent the lost electricity causing injury special earth leakage devices cut electricity to the problem circuit.

There are two types of earth leakage device: Residual Current Device (RCD) and Residual Current Breaker with Overload (RCBO). RCDs are used to protect multiple circuits. For example an RCD may protect the ring main and downstairs, upstairs and outdoor lighting circuits. In this instance when there is a fault on the outdoor lighting circuit power to all circuits will be cut by the

Whilst common practices and standards obviously exist every installation is different. Consumer unit come in a variety of types and sizes with a range of differing features and functionality.

Types of consumer unit

Split Load Consumer Units - Typically, a consumer unit with Main Switch and either 1 or 2 RCDs.
Dual RCD Consumer Units - A consumer unit with 2 x RCDs which may be different or the same amperages.
17th Edition Consumer Units - Typically, a consumer unit with 2 RCDs and Main Switch.
Insulated Consumer Units - Consumer units with plastic enclosures, usually in domestic environments.
Metal Consumer Units - Consumer units with metal enclosures, used in garages for example.
Main Switch Consumer Units - Consumer units with 100A Main Switch only.
High Integrity Consumer Units - Special consumer units which feature 3 bus bars and allows for independent earth leakage protection.

'17th Edition Consumer Units' - The Most Misunderstood Term in UK Electrics

The term '17th Edition Consumer Unit' is now one of the most commonly used and misunderstood in the UK Electrical vernacular. Through lack of industry conformity the term has come to mean a consumer unit supplied with two RCDs. BUT: This does not necessarily mean the consumer unit abides by 17th Edition Regulations and certainly does not mean that other consumer units are not 17th Edition compliant.

Let us first remind ourselves of what the 17^th Edition Regulations actually mean in terms of circuit protcetion: The 17th Edition regulations state, quite simply that all circuits must be protected against earth leakage, which means in layman’s terms that individuals are protected against electric shock.

This may be done by using an RCD (Residual Current Device), which protects a bank of circuits against earth leakage simultaneuosly or an RCBO (Residual Current Breaker with Overload protection), which protects an individual circuit.

Every installation is different depending upon a number of variables including the number of circuits, the types of device being protected on each circuit, the loads on individual circuits and of course the customer’s budget. For this reason all consumer units are configurable upon installation and may therefore protect against earth leakage using a combination of RCDs, RCBOs or both.

In general each of the four generic designs of UK consumer unit; Main Switch, Split Load, High Integrity and Dual RCD all meet the requirements of the 17th Edition. However, depending on the installation variables it becomes apparent that some designs offer greater compliance than others by enabling better ‘Division of Installation or separation of circuits, which prevents ‘nuisance tripping’.

To clarify the situation the UK consumer unit manufacturer Wylex has introduced a ‘5 star’ system, akin to that used by hotels, to grade 17^th Edition compliance. Ironically, the very consumer unit which has over the last two years been marketed as a ‘17^th Edition Consumer Unit’, is the one which scores lowest with only 2 stars.

The Dual RCD consumer unit was originally considered the best way to [ cheaply ] satisfy the 17^th Edition Regulations, which is why they became known as ‘17^th Edition Consumer Units’. But this configuration does not allow for any separation of circuits and therefore crucially, does not allow for a separate smoke alarm circuit and makes no provision for nuisance tripping.

Under the Wylex system the only type of consumer unit which scores five stars is the older type Main Switch consumer unit as it allows for full loading of RCBOs therefore providing complete independent circuit protection against earth leakage. High Integrity and Split Load consumer units both score 4 stars as they allow for a certain amount but not complete, circuit division.

In summary, a consumer unit cannot inherently be ‘17^th Edition’ and this has become a misleading if not dangerous misnomer. Only when it is installed and loaded according to the 17th Edition Regulations and having taken into account the specific installation variables can a consumer unit be considered ‘17^th Edition’.

Consumer Unit Wiring

The first edition of the IEE wiring regulations was published as a simple four page document in 1882 by the Society of Telegraph Engineers and Electricians, which later became the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE). Consumer unit wiring must adhere to the strict guidelines set out in these regulations. Introduced on July 1st 2008, the 17th Edition of the Wiring Regulations (BS7671 - 2008) have now superced the 16th edition. From July 1st 2008, all consumer unit wiring work in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland must protect against earth leakage. Consumer Unit Wiring has thus changed significantly, as all circuits must now be protected by either an RCD or RCBO. Consumer unit wiring undertaken before July 1st 2008 is exempt.

Hager Consumer Units

Hager is a name synonomous with quality and innovation. With a product portfolio unrivalled in both size and fucntionality, Hager has been one of Europe's leading circuit protection brands for the last 50 years. Hager consumer units boast a range of features, such as extra cable preparation room, integral spirit level and reseallable top lids which make Hager consumer units the choice of the installer.

Wylex Consumer Units

Wylex was founded in 1897. The Wylex consumer unit was the first one to be introduced to the electrical industry. This original preceded the ‘Standard Range Wylex Consumer Unit’, which is still very popular today. Through continuous technological innovation, Wylex consumer units are the market leader in the circuit protection sector. They work very hard to meet the practical requirements of both the contractor and homeowner. We are now stocking the 17th edtion Wylex Consumer Units, including the new High Integrity fuseboards with dual RCD. For more information on Wylex Consumer Units please visit the Wylex Consumer Units.

MK Consumer Units & Accessories

MK Sentry consumer units and accessories have been the choic of both homeowner and electrician for years.
MK Consumer Units - Get the MK Consumer Unit with regulation main switch and installed RCD's.
Insulated MK Consumer Units - Get plastic MK Consumer Unit for indoor domestic applications.
Metal MK Consumer Units - Flush and surface fitting standard & split load MK consumer units.
Please visit the MK Consumer Unit page for more details

Consumer Unit Protection Devices and Accessories - A Glossary

Main Switch

This is the ‘Double Module’ device which sits on the far right hand side of a consumer. It usually has a big red bar switch and acts to isolate the entire board. This means that by manual operation it can cut power to every circuit in the installation. Main Switches are almost always rated at 100 amp, allowing it to isolate an installation which pulls no more than 100 amps in total across all circuits.

MCB

Mini Circuit Breaker. An MCB protects its circuit against overload. When for example a bulb blows on a lighting circuit the MCB cuts the power to the that circuit, thus protecting the other lights. No other circuits on the consumer unit have been affected. An MCB does not protect people against electric shock.

RCD

Residual Current Devices protect multiple circuits against earth leakage. This is a vital function of a consumer unit as it is earth leakage which causes electrical shock. RCDs measure the amount of electricity flowing into the consumer unit against the amount flowing out. When it detects an inbalance between the two it cuts the electricity supply to the bank of circuits it’s protecting.

It should be noted that this means that a fault on one circuit will result in a cutting of the power to any other circuit protected by that RCD. For example an RCD may protect the ring main and indoor and outdoor lighting circuits. In this instance a fault on the outdoor lighting circuit will knock out the indoor lighting and all power sockets.

It is for this reason that the 17^th Edition Regulations demand ‘Division of Circuits’ to avoid ‘Nuisance Tripping’

RCBO

Residual Current Breaker with Overload (RCBO). This clever device combines the functionality of an MCB and RCD and therefore allows for independent protection on individual circuits against both overload and earth leakage.

Din Rail

The mounting rail upon which are fitted the Main Switch, RCDs, MCBs and RCBOs.

Busbar

The device which connects electrically the Main Switch, RCDs, MCBs and RCBOs.

Neutral Bar

The terminal bar which accepts all the neutral wires from the RCBOs and MCBs.

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