Does this look like a fuse box? Does it look it needs replacing?

Owain_Moneysaver

DandelionPatrol wrote: »

AIUI now, BS3036 are not rated for the fault level possible on some domestic installations, so they should only be used after consideration of fault level.

That also applies to the plug-in replacement MCBs, which have a lower breaking capacity than standard MCBs.

There is no point in spending any money on updating that old consumer unit. If the wiring is in good condition then the installation is not dangerous, although not meeting modern expectations.

It is due for replacement, but there's no point in panicking.

jonesjw

I'm not sure how old the house is, but say if the house was built in the 1970s the wiring is probably just as safe as it was then and remains perfectly legal. However, you are missing the RCD protection.

I guess you will find the house has insufficient sockets for modern needs. So eventually you might want to add some sockets and circuits, so that could be a good time to replace the consumer unit.
A new one costs about £50 at Screwfix, however the law requires that it is fitted by a qualified electrician.

I wouldn't rush into anything.

[Deleted User]

Practically the same fuse box as mine with 4 wireable fuses under the cover although my box is entirely plastic and not metal. Mine has probably been there since the 60s or so but I know for a fact that the whole house was rewired in the early 80s. I also have another box with just a single fuse in which powers the hob/oven.

Dan-1987

We had very similar in ours,it had already been tested prior to us purchasing-it was classed as ok/pass but did fall short of modern standards and quite a bit of it was previous owners diy,we bit the bullet and had it fully rewired (we were fully reworking the house anyway so was completely bare)cost us 1800 all in by a local reputable company with full Certs etc so I'd think at that price it'll be worth it for the extra selling point alone,not suggesting you should consider a full rewire just off the back of a slightly aged system but maybe use it as a point for some more negotiation if possible? And maybe be open to the suggestion of doing the whole lot if it turns out you need to update a few things-especially before you move in its so much easier,if you put it off and move in it'll probably never get done

audigex

If you can re-wire the house, I would do.

Why? Because doing it now before/as you move in means you can forget about it for years, you can split the house into multiple circuits (so if the microwave blows the kitchen fuse, the lights don't go off and your sensitive personal electronics are unaffected).

You can also take the opportunity to add extra sockets, which shouldn't be too expensive if your sparky is already there and replacing the rest - don't under-estimate the quality-of-life improvement that comes from sticking a bunch of extra sockets in every room, I moved from a recently re-wired house with a socket in every corner, to a flat with one per room, and it drove me absolutely insane having to run extension cords everywhere or arrange furniture to where the sockets were, not where I wanted it....

It will also interfere less with things like WiFi if you use newer, better insulated wiring. And remember that we all use a lot more devices than we did when these houses were wired: it's nice to have the extra headroom.

That said, if you don't want to spend the money then replacing the fusebox with a modern consumer unit really shouldn't be too expensive. £300-400, maybe £500 in London.