As an established local electrician in Lymington we are trusted by many across the New Forest to look after their electrics. One of the most common jobs our electricians complete is replacing a domestic fuse box.
A fuse box, also known as a consumer unit, should be easy to find. It is the point where the electricity in to your home is controlled and distributed.
Know Your Fuse Box
It’s important that you know where your fusebox is in case you ever need to turn the electricity off in an emergency. It contains three things – the main switch, fuses and/or circuit breakers, and Residual Current Devices.
A) Main Switch – this allows you to turn off the electricity supply to your home. You might have more than one mains switch, for example if your home has electric storage heaters. In this case you may have a separate fusebox.
B) Residual Current Devices (RCD). These are switches that trip a circuit under dangerous conditions, and instantly disconnect the electricity.
C) Circuit Breakers – these are automatic protection devices in the fusebox that switch off a circuit if they detect a fault. They are similar in size to fuses, but give more precise protection. When they ‘trip’, you can simply reset the switch. But make sure you correct the fault first.
Fuses (may be found in place of circuit breakers) – rewirable fuses have a piece of special fuse wire running between two screws. When a fault or overload current flows through the fuse wire, it will become hot and melt. The melted fuse breaks the circuit, disconnecting the faulty circuit and keeping you safe.
If you are concerned that your fusebox may need replacing, always consult a qualified electrician.
Changing Your Fuse Box
Punton Electrics cover all types of electrical problems in Lymington and across the New Forest. From a plug socket not working, to changing consumer units or a full rewire, we provide a professional service you can trust.
Get in touch with the team at Punton Electrics, who will be happy to inspect your fusebox and electrics to make sure there are no electrical problems.
