Consumer Unit Upgrades for Solar and EV in Teesside
One of the most common discoveries during a free solar or EV charger survey in Teesside is that the existing consumer unit needs upgrading before the new installation can proceed. A significant proportion of homes in Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool and Redcar still have older consumer units — some from the 1980s or earlier — that don't have the capacity or specification to accommodate new circuits safely. Identifying and addressing this early prevents costly remedial work mid-project. Our consumer unit upgrade service handles the full replacement alongside any solar, battery or EV charger project.
Why Consumer Units Need Replacing
The signs that a consumer unit needs replacing before a solar or EV installation:
- No spare ways: Every circuit slot is used. A solar generation connection and an EV charger circuit each need a free way. If the board is full, a replacement is required.
- Plastic enclosure: All consumer units manufactured since 2016 must use metal (non-combustible) enclosures. Many older plastic-enclosed boards are still in service. Building Regulations require a metal board on any notifiable work — meaning if you are installing solar or an EV charger (both notifiable), the existing plastic board should be replaced.
- Rewireable fuses (not MCBs): Properties with old fuse-wire consumer units rather than modern miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) and RCDs should have these replaced — they provide significantly less protection and are incompatible with modern appliances and renewable technology.
- No RCD protection: Under the current IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018), domestic installations should provide RCD protection for socket outlet circuits, bathroom circuits and cable buried in walls. Older boards without RCDs leave these circuits unprotected.
- Board at 80%+ capacity: Even if spare ways exist, boards running near capacity can exhibit nuisance tripping under combined loads — common when an EV charger on a 32A circuit is added to a board already running close to its 100A supply fuse rating.
What a Modern Consumer Unit Provides
A modern replacement consumer unit from ALPS Electrical is a dual-RCD split-load metal consumer unit with:
- Full RCD protection across all circuits (two RCDs covering half the board each for resilience)
- RCBO options on key circuits for individual fault isolation without tripping half the house
- Metal enclosure meeting the 2016 Building Regulations requirement
- Spare ways for solar, battery and EV charger circuits
- Surge protection device (SPD) fitted as standard on new installations
- Full Electrical Installation Certificate at handover
Combining Consumer Unit Upgrade with Solar or EV
Doing both in the same visit saves money and disruption. The scaffolding, electrical survey and certification work for the consumer unit and solar circuit installation is shared — the combined project costs significantly less than two separate jobs would. Typically, a consumer unit upgrade alongside a solar installation adds £400–£700 to the total project cost versus what the board replacement alone would cost in isolation. For EV charger projects, the combined saving is similar.
Costs for Consumer Unit Replacement in Teesside 2026
- Standard replacement (same size board, no circuit changes): £400–£650
- Upgrade with additional circuits for solar and EV: £550–£800
- Full upgrade with RCBO board and SPD: £700–£1,000
All prices include Part P certification through NAPIT. No building control application required — we self-certify.
Get a Consumer Unit Assessment
Every ALPS Electrical solar and EV charger survey includes a free consumer unit assessment. We identify whether your board needs replacing before any work commences, advise on the most cost-effective approach, and provide a clear, itemised quote covering both the board replacement and the new installation. Contact us for a free survey across Teesside and North Yorkshire.