LIVE ELECTRICAL METAL CONSUMER UNIT

Metal Consumer Units from Live Electrical Distribution Ltd

Compliant Enclosures for Domestic and Light Commercial Installations

Live Electrical Distribution UK Ltd’s metal consumer units are now available at G2 in 4 to 24 ways. They arrive complete with accessories and are available in multiple configurations.

This article covers the product range, the regulatory background, and how these units pair with the Live Electrical LFE10G for a complete fire protection specification.

WHY METAL CONSUMER UNITS ARE REQUIRED ON DOMESTIC INSTALLATIONS

The 18th Edition of BS 7671 requires domestic consumer units to be constructed from non-combustible material. The requirement came from a real pattern: electrical fires linked to plastic enclosures that ignited or deformed under fault conditions, turning a contained overheating event into something significantly worse.

Metal enclosures don’t prevent a fault, but they do contain it. Loose terminations, ageing breakers running hot, and overloaded circuits all generate heat. A metal enclosure handles that heat without contributing to the problem. An older plastic unit can’t make the same claim.

For any domestic installation today, a metal consumer unit is not an optional upgrade. It is the compliant baseline.

WHAT THE LIVE ELECTRICAL RANGE COVERS

The Live Electrical metal consumer units are available in 4 to 24 ways, covering standard domestic and light commercial installations. Each unit ships with a full accessory set included: free tail gland, busbar, DIN rail, grommet, strip busbar caps, lid installation clip, and metal blank.

Knockouts are 25mm and 32mm on the top and bottom, 32mm on the sides. The units are designed to house modern protection devices, such as RCBOs, SPDs, and the rest, and are available to order in the following configurations:

• Main switch
• Surge
• Split load
• Populated units

Pricing is competitive. Contact the G2 team for a quotation.

SPECIFYING FOR MODERN PROTECTION DEVICES

Metal consumer units are not only about fire containment. They provide a more stable platform for the protection devices that modern installations require. RCBOs offer individual circuit protection for both overloads and residual current faults. Surge Protective Devices protect against voltage spikes that damage equipment and, under the 18th Edition, are increasingly a specified requirement.

A metal enclosure handles the thermal demands of a fully loaded board more reliably than a plastic alternative, relevant on any high-demand residential property or commercial installation where multiple circuits run at load simultaneously.

PAIRING WITH THE LFE10G FOR A COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

For installations where the customer wants active fire protection inside the enclosure, the Live Electrical LFE10G Heat Aerosol Fire Extinguishing Device mounts directly onto the DIN rail inside the consumer unit. It activates automatically at 170°C with no control panel connection required, and suppresses the fire at source before it can spread.

The metal enclosure contains the fault. The LFE10G suppresses it. Both products are from Live Electrical Distribution UK Ltd, both are available at G2, and together they represent a specification that goes beyond the regulatory minimum.

Both the metal consumer units and the LFE10G are available at G2. Talk to the team on 01543 273840, or visit the branch in Cannock for a quotation.

G2 Electrical Wholesale is here to help you find the right product for your budget.

SUPPORT LOCAL. BUY LOCAL. TRUST LOCAL. Call 01543 273840.