Nairobi Fuse Box Replacement/Consumer Unit Replacement.
Modern consumer units consist of a main switch, residual current devices (so-called RCDs) and circuit breakers. These consumers control the power around your home. RCD switches continuously monitor the current flow in your home, and if the current flows through an unexpected path (such as through you!), the current will be switched off in an instant, greatly reducing the risk of injury.
These modern units will greatly reduce the risk of electric shock or electrical fire in your home and should be considered essential if you still have an old fuse box.
The new consumer unit is also noticeably more comfortable. With an old fuse box, if a circuit trip occurs, you have to go inside and replace the fuse (which is getting harder and harder to get)! With modern equipment, you can be up and running in no time.
There are many risks associated with old fuse boxes. Since they don’t have the same capabilities as modern devices, if you get electrocuted, the power may not turn off, potentially resulting in death.
Regulations have also been introduced to improve the safety of consumer units in terms of fire safety. Aging consumer units in homes are less likely to be inspected regularly.
Due to changing usage patterns and the fact that we tend to hide these devices in boxes or under stairs, that means they can be overloaded. This, combined with the lack of ventilation, can create a fire hazard, so it is recommended that all consumer units be enclosed in non-combustible materials.
Make sure you and your family have peace of mind – get a fuse box replacement quote today.
Where to install a consumer unit
There is no specific location where the consumer unit should be placed, but the location should meet some requirements.
First, it should be easily accessible, it should have enough space, and it should be reachable without a ladder. It must be within easy reach of yourself or an electrician who needs to replace it and inspect it over time.
Can I replace my fuse box myself?
Only experts with specialized knowledge should and should replace the fuse box. It may seem like an easy task, but every DIY enthusiast should always remember that electricity can kill. You may think you know enough, but one mistake can be your last. That’s why it’s always a good idea to leave it to the professionals.
Apart from lack of knowledge, another reason is the lack of suitable tools and testing equipment. Even if you can install the consumer unit, you can’t verify that the installation was successful and that everything worked. When the light is on and the sockets or switches are working, you might think everything is fine, but that might not be the case. Because some circuits or the entire system may not be grounded. Cables can be installed incorrectly and other failures can occur, and over time can lead to fire or even death.
Troubleshooting is another possible issue. If you make a mistake during installation, power may not be restored or the circuit may not work for new users. You may then be in the dark until an electrician comes to fix the problem, which may take some time and an additional cost for emergency call services.
Can a consumer unit be boxed in?
A bathroom is not an ideal place to install a consumer unit. However, as long as the consumer unit is in a box or in a special cabinet that protects it from moisture, this shouldn’t be a problem.
But it’s important to note that even if the consumer is placed in a box or closet, it should be in zone 3 of the bathroom.
Zone 0 – the area within the bathtub or shower
Zone 1 – 2.25 m from the floor above the bathtub and in the shower
Zone 2 – The zone extends 60 cm outside the pool perimeter and has a height of 2.25 m.
Zone 3 – Anywhere outside of Zone 0, 1 or 2.
Can you wire a new electrical consumer unit to the old wiring?
Yes, it is possible to install a new consumer unit on an old line, but sometimes this is not possible and there is only one way to find out.
How long does replacing a fuse box take?
To determine whether a new consumer unit can be installed on an old line, an electrical inspection should be performed. It checks the condition of the cable and whether it is safe or needs to be rewired first.
It depends on the individual situation and the size of the fuse box itself. It takes an average of 1 to 3 hours to replace the fuse box. It really depends on the number of circuits that need to be connected, as a small 6 circuit fuse box will take less time and effort than a large 16+ circuit fuse box.
Factors such as cable routing in an old fuse box, possible defects, or incorrect cable connections can also affect the duration of the job.
Should I replace my fuse box with a circuit breaker?
The fuse box must be replaced with a consumer unit, not a circuit breaker. It’s easy to get confused, but a circuit breaker is actually a fuse, except that the circuit breaker can be restarted and doesn’t need to be replaced in the event of a trip. The old fuse box needs to be replaced with a modern consumer unit that looks and functions roughly the same as the fuse box but with some extra protection like RCD and RCBO.
Supplied in a package, the RCD is a residual current device that automatically shuts off power if someone touches a live wire. This will help prevent electric shock.
RCBO can be purchased separately and combines the functions of RCD and MCB in one device. Save space in consumer units and provide combined protection for each circuit individually.
Can a home inspector open an electrical panel?
Yes, they can and should open a group to do their work.
Control panels and consumer units are part of a home electrical system, they simply split the mains power supply into separate circuits.
Consumer unit home inspections are the standard for all recognized home inspections. To complete the inspection, the electrical panels should also be checked, as although the electricity in the house is working, there may still be some dangerous faults.
Can you replace a fuse with a lower amp?
Yes, lower amperage fuses can replace higher fuses.
While not dangerous, there may be some inconvenience as the load current will usually be higher than the fuse’s rating and the fuse may keep blowing.
So it is advisable to replace the fuse with one of the same current, but again, it might work just fine, just depending on how much work it should be able to handle.
What is the difference between a circuit breaker and a fuse box?
Fuse box and MCB are two different things
The fuse box is actually a box that holds the main circuit breaker, MCB, RCD and RCBO.
A Mcb, on the other hand, is a miniature circuit breaker, or just a fuse or automatically operated switch that restarts if tripped. It protects the circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit.
An RCD is a residual current circuit breaker that is usually twice the size of an MCB and has a button next to the switch to manually check that the device is working properly. Its main function is to automatically cut off the power supply when it is in direct contact with the live wire to prevent damage caused by long-term electric shock.
The RCBO is a residual current circuit breaker, as evident from its name, which combines an MCB and an RCD in one device with two functions.
What are the disadvantages of circuit breakers?
If we compare circuit breakers to fuses.
Its downside is the price, as circuit breakers cost far more than fuses.
Also, since this is an automatic that can be used multiple times, there is always a chance that it will break. This means that it can fire when it shouldn’t, or in the worst case, not fire when it should.
If we look at it from this point of view, a fuse is safer than a circuit breaker because it doesn’t actually fail and only works once after it needs to be replaced.
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