This morning we replaced two old Wylex rewirable consumer units with one modern board containing RCD and surge protection. The customer asked us to make the upgrade and to add some extra sockets to the house, but should you do the same?
Modern safety standards
Today, all new consumer units should contain at least one Residual Current Device (RCD). These devices minimise the current that would flow in the even of an electric shock to 30mA (3% of 1Amp) and automatically disconnect your electricity supply. This means that if you were to touch a live conductive part, the shock you would receive would be significantly less (and far more survivable) than without an RCD.
Surge protection?
Most new consumer units come with Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) as standard. An SPD is designed to absorb any surge in current that caused by a fault from your electricity supply or a lightning strike. A surge can destroy anything that is connected to the mains such as lights, televisions, computers and other valuable equipment. They only cost slightly more to fit but will keep all your appliances safe, making them well worth the small investment.
If you have an old consumer unit, we can upgrade it for you to give you peace of mind. Contact us today more information.
Replacing a couple of 50 year old boards with a modern surge-protected unit.