B2B Prices
Dear valued customers, We wanted to inform you about some upcoming changes to our pricing…
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Dear valued customers, We wanted to inform you about some upcoming changes to our pricing…
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PME Fault Detection Consumer Units also known as PEN Loss Consumer Units in stock now.
What is 18th Edition Consumer Unit?
Consumer units must be configured in the correct way, with the correct devices, to meet the requirements of the 18th Edition.
Typically all circuits in domestic installations will be protected by 30mA RCDs. The best way to avoid unwanted tripping is providing 30mA individual RCBOs on each circuit within the installation.
Why Metal Consumer Unit?
Since January 1st 2016 all consumer units (otherwise known as fuseboards) are required to be made of or be enclosed by a non-combustible material, typically a ferrous metal* such as steel
Existing plastic consumer units can be retained for alterations and additions, unless they show signs of thermal damage or the manufacturer’s design has been altered.
This does not mean your existing plastic consumer unit is necessarily unsafe, but it does mean if you are having it replaced, it will need replacing by a non-combustible one.
Why have these changes been made?
This is due to an amendment to the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations (BS7671), the national standard for electrical installation and the safety of electrical wiring in buildings. The changes to the regulations only apply to new consumer unit installations and replacements.
The new regulations have been introduced due to safety concerns raised by the UK Fire Services after an increased number of fires involving consumer units.
What does this mean for you?
The new regulations give you the choice of two options with regards to the installation or replacement of consumer units:
Is it worth to have Surge Protection – SPD ?
SPD’s protect electrical and electronic equipment against transients, originating from lightning, switching of transformers, lighting and motors
These transients can cause premature ageing
of equipment, downtime, or complete destruction of electronic components and materials.
The 18th edition BS 7671 now stipulates: Protection against transient overvoltages shall be provided where the consequences caused by an overvoltage could
For all other cases, a risk assessment according to Regulation 443.5 shall be performed in order to determine if protection against transient overvoltages is required. If the risk assessment is not performed, the electrical installation shall be provided with protection against transient overvoltages.
For a single dwelling unit, it will be a decision for the house owner to make whether they consider the small additional cost of the surge protection device justified to protect their installation and equipment against these damaging overvoltages.
Arc Protection. Are AFDDs mandatory?
No – at least not yet. AFDDs have been around the industry for some time but only rarely used. The 18th Edition has highlighted these devices by recommending their use – but the key word here is ‘recommending’. As such, the Regulations leave the choice to use them down to the designer of the installation. See our selection of AFDD consumer units here.
Whether you you are looking for a consumer unit, consumer unit accessories, meter tails, meter tails glands we are here to help. Do not hesitate to call us and ask to speak with our technical support.
Currently we stock two consumer units brands – Hager and Live Electrical. Both meet British Standards and can be installed in UK.
To access and complete the B2B client application form, please log in to your account at Electrical4less. If you encounter any issues or need assistance, don't hesitate to contact our support team.