1) What can cause a Burnt Consumer Unit?
A burnt consumer unit is an all too often occurrence in many homes throughout the UK. Typical problems that can cause a burnt consumer unit are loose connections. When connections become loose they create a problem for electrical current.
Electricity needs a nice, low resistance path to flow through and this means that connections need to be nice and tight, making good contact between joints and different parts. When connections become loose the contact becomes worse and this means that electrical current struggles to pass across joints and connections. The electrical current really wants to pass though! So heat builds up. When heat builds up it causes an even bigger resistance to electrical current flow and eventually the situation becomes a vicious cycle of ever increasing heat, resistance and poor contact.
This, of course, leads to burning wherever the connections are loose. In general, the higher powered electrical circuits such as electrical cookers, electrical plug sockets and electric showers are the electrical circuits that are most affected by this.
Back to top2) Can a Burnt Consumer unit be repaired?
In some cases, repairs are possible to the consumer unit, more often the repairs are possible when it is the trip switches that are affected rather than other connections within the consumer unit. If a switch has burnt out then it may be possible to replace this. There are times when your electrician will say the damage is too extensive and not be able to repair the situation but each case is different.
For example, if a trip switch has burnt out, we will need to consider the other damage to the surrounding switches as these may well need to be replaced once they have been exposed to the high temperatures of the first switch burning out. The copper connecting bar (busbar) that feeds power to all switches will need to be examined for damage as once this is damaged or has started to become oxidized, it will also need to be replaced otherwise the risk of a repeat situation is high!
When the terminal bars inside a consumer unit become damaged then thewhole unit will likely need to be replaced. This is certainly the case with plastic consumer units as melting occurs to the retaining clips that hold these bars in place and often any attempted repair ends in disaster.
If there is damage to the Main Switch in your consumer unit it may be necessary to replace the power cables coming into the unit as these can also be affected by the heat damage. When copper overheats it begins to oxidize and this affects its ability to pass electrical current safely.
Back to top3) Are older consumer units at risk?
Yes. Older consumer units are particularly at risk. As electrical components age wear and tear can affect internal connections and mechanisms putting them at risk of overheating and burning. Also, very few homeowners actually have their electrics checked every ten years as recommended meaning that electrical problems can go unnoticed for many years and can develop into worse situations.
A lot of our fuse boxes and consumer units in our homes are now due for a change. Most modern consumer units will last 20-30 years with proper inspection and maintenance from an electrician but a lot of our UK homes have consumer units or fuse boxes that have been in service far longer than that. If you have not had your home electrical system checked in the last ten years then it is definitely time to get it sorted out. Check here for more information.https://www.electricalfaultsfixed.co.uk/electrical-safety-checks-eicr
Back to top4) How can damage to consumer units be avoided?
Consumer unit problems can be avoided by having a regular (every ten years) inspection carried out. It may be necessary to have a check done more regularly if your electrical system is much older than this as the risk of failure and electrical faults increases with the age of the electrical system. Your electrician should check all the consumer unit connections when they carry out and electrical safety check. Checking these connections are correctly tightened to the manufacturers specifications can help avoid problems with switches and joints burning out.
Back to top5) What do consumer unit repairs cost?
Typical consumer unit repairs can cost anywhere from £150 to £300 depending on what work needs to be carried out to repair the problems. Costs likely to rise above these figures means a new consumer unit would be financially more sensible. The age of the unit should also be considered. Consumer unit manufacturers can go out of business or change the deisgn of their equipment frequently meaning that new parts can be impossible to obtain and only secondhand parts may be available.
A repair with secondhand parts can be risky and certainly would not come with a warranty for those parts so this should be considered carefully when attempting consumer unit repairs. If you have a “BURNT CONSUMER UNIT” then any repairs should take into account the likely heat and smoke damage that other components may also have suffered.
Back to top6) How much is a new consumer unit?
The cost for new consumer units can be found on our costs page in the link below. Bear in mind that an electrical inspection should precede a consumer unit change to ensure that the new consumer unit will be suitable for your electrical installation. It is not always possible to install brand new technology into older electrical installations as pre-existing wiring damage or electrical issues may not be detected by the older consumer unit.
It is no good installing a brand new unit that will not even turn on because of electrical installation defects! https://www.electricalfaultsfixed.co.uk/node/274
6.1) Question?
📧 Contact us
Back to top
