Our New Range of Mains Consumer Units

20 April 2023

In this article we are going to be taking a look at our new range of mains consumer units and the spare MCBs and RCD that we have for these.

A basic circuit protection setup consists of an enclosure housing one or more Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB) and a Residual Current Device (RCD). This enclosure, together with the MCBs and RCD is called a consumer unit and is an essential piece of electrical distribution and safety equipment that's required when fitting a 240V AC system to a caravan, campervan, motorhome or boat.

Here's a brief explanation of the terminology:

Enclosure - This is a housing containing electrical devices or equipment such as MCBs, RCD etc.
MCB - This is a device designed to protect an electric circuit from an over-current condition, which is a fault caused either by overload or short circuit. In the event of such a fault, the MCB will trip and disconnect the electrical supply to the connected circuit. These are typically single pole (breaks the live or 'phase' side only) or double pole (breaks both the live and neutral sides simultaneously).
RCD - This is a device designed to quickly break electrical circuits in the event of a fault and prevents humans from any serious harm as a result of an electrical shock. In the event of an electrical imbalance, the RCD trips out and disconnects the electrical supply to the MCBs.

Standard AC Mains Consumer Unit with 1 x Double Pole MCB + RCD

Our first new consumer unit contains a double-pole, 10A MCB and a fast-acting 25A, 30mA RCD with a 'test' function. It also features a reverse polarity indicator warning light that illuminates red if the live and neutral at the site supply are reversed. This situation can occasionally be encountered when touring on the continent and can damage equipment that is polarity-sensitive, so it's a useful feature to have if you're planning on taking your vehicle into mainland Europe. Having single pole MCBs can also be a safety issue when the live and neutral at the site supply are reversed, so double pole MCBs are now the norm in vehicle installations.

It comes pre-wired with installation instructions and the clear cover unclips from the enclosure to allow access to the screws. 'Break-out' tabs are located at the top and bottom of the unit to allow cable entry.

This unit with one MCB would typically be used where you want to run a mains-powered battery charger or have 3-pin domestic sockets installed.

Deluxe AC Mains Consumer Unit With 2 x Double Pole MCBs + RCD

Our second new consumer unit contains two double-pole MCBs (6A & 10A) and a fast-acting 25A, 30mA RCD with a 'test' function. This unit again features a reverse polarity indicator warning light that illuminates red if the live and neutral at the site supply are reversed.

These also come pre-wired with installation instructions and the clear cover unclips from the enclosure to allow access to the screws. 'Slide-out' tabs are located at the top and bottom of the unit to allow cable entry.

This unit with two MCBs would typically be used where you want to run a mains-powered battery charger or have 3-pin domestic sockets installed, plus you have a mains-powered heater, water heater, air conditioner or similar fitted.

Spare MCBs & RCD

Along with the two new consumer units in our range, we are also stocking spare 6A, 10A and 16A double pole MCBs, plus a 25A RCD. Although these are direct replacements for the MCBs and RCD that already come in our units, they will also be suitable for use with a wide range of other consumer units on the market.

Finally, as with anything related to mains electrical work, if you are unsure about any aspect of your installation then we strongly recommend that you consult a qualified electrician to keep you safe and ensure you are meeting all the latest legal requirements.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article and we hope that it helps you decide which consumer unit is going to be suitable for your application. If you have any questions regarding this article or any of our other products, please contact us at sales@12voltplanet.co.uk and we will be happy to help.