Do You Need a New Consumer Unit for an EV Charger?

A lot of EV charger enquiries stall at the same question: can my fuse board take it? The answer depends on the board, the supply and how much else runs at the same time. Here is how we decide whether a consumer unit upgrade is needed before a home charger goes in.

Why the consumer unit matters

A home charger usually draws up to 32 amps for hours at a time, which is more than almost anything else in the house. It needs its own circuit and its own protection, so the board has to have a spare way, suitable protective devices and, on most chargers, the right type of RCD protection for the charger's design.

Signs your board will need upgrading

• No spare way and no sensible way to add one.
• An old fuse box with rewirable fuses, or a board with no RCD protection.
• A plastic consumer unit in poor condition, or one that already shows signs of overheating.
• Codes on a recent EICR that point to the board itself.

If none of these apply, many chargers can be added with a separate small enclosure next to the meter instead of a full board change.

Check the supply too

The incoming supply has to cope with the charger plus your normal load. Many London homes are fine, but older flats and houses with electric heating or an electric shower can be tight. Most smart chargers now include load management, which slows charging when the house is busy so the main fuse is never overloaded.

Earthing outdoors

Most homes are on a PME supply. When the car is parked outside, the installer has to manage the risk that comes with that, either with an earth rod or a charger that has built-in protection for open PEN faults. This is checked at the survey.

Doing both jobs together

If the board does need replacing, doing it on the same day as the charger is usually cheaper and means one power cut, one visit and both certificates together. It also tends to clear any outstanding EICR codes, which matters if the property is let.

Get a survey in London

Energy North Ltd, a registered electrical contractor working across North, East and West London since 2017, checks the board, supply and earthing first, then gives a fixed price for EV charger installation with or without a board upgrade. Landlords can add an EICR to the same visit.

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