Lewden Consumer Unit Buying Guide

Lewden electrical products are always a big seller for us, but none more so than the excellent Lewden consumer unit range!

Here we take a closer look at the 18th edition consumer unit range on offer from one of our favourite electrical brands.

These days we rarely sell the split load consumer units that were so popular only a few years ago, instead we now find that more than 90% of our electrical consumer unit sales are for a main switch board or an RCBO board as they are sometimes known due to the RCBO devices that are then installed into them.

So as we start our overview of the Lewden consumer unit range, it seems that the best place to start is with the most popular – the Lewden 18th Edition consumer unit range.

We should mention now that consumer units are still often referred to as a boards or fuse boards, although they haven’t actually been mass produced with fuses as domestic circuit protection for many years now and now use MCBs or miniature circuit breakers to give them their full name. So if we say board or 18th Edition fuse board, or even a consumer box you know we are talking about a consumer unit!

Lewden 18th Edition Consumer Unit Range

This is the ideal opportunity for you to explore our new 18th edition compliant metal consumer unit range of products which can be fitted with a wide range of devices including Type 2 and Combined Type 1,2 & 3 Surge Protection devices, RCBOs and RCCBs in Class AC and Class A.

Some of the key features of any Lewden consumer unit are:

· 18th Edition consumer unit compliant to BS7671:2018
· Fully compliant with the new 18th edition wiring regulations.
· One extra modular way to allow for a surge protector.
· Extra height that makes these units ideal for RCBO installation.
· Choice of knockouts for mini trunking & conduit.
· Metal DIN rail assembly.
· Earth & neutral terminals at top.
· Busbar shroud.
· Powder-coated finish to RAL 9003.

Most electricians opt for a main switch consumer like this, then use RCBOs to protect each individual circuit, this is why they are also often called an RCBO consumer unit. They come with a 100A double pole main switch as standard, however we do also supply them with an RCD main switch instead, these are called an RCD consumer unit and we will talk about these later on in the article.

First let’s take a look at the baby of the family – the Lewden 2 way consumer unit known as the QFS-MX04M.

Lewden QFS-MX04M 2 Way Consumer Unit

This is an ideal small consumer unit and these are often used in an outbuilding such as a garage or shed. All Lewden models with “M” at the end of the part number come with a 100A double pole main switch fitted as standard, which takes up 2 of the 4 module spaces indicated by the “04” in the part number making this a 2 way consumer unit. This brings us nicely onto one of the best features of the Lewden 18th edition consumer unit range… They all come with an extra way for a surge protector (SPD) if you want to install one, so you don’t have to lose one of the available ways where you were going to fit an RCBO, to a surge protection device. This is a great feature and so far, we have only ever seen this on a Lewden consumer unit. So if you are looking for a garage consumer unit or a shed consumer unit this could be the one, we also do a version of this with an RCD main switch which we will cover later in this article.

Lewden QFS-MX08M 6 Way Consumer Unit 

As we move into the small to medium range, this could be a good solution if you are looking for an RCBO consumer unit that is slightly bigger, it has all of the features and benefits of its baby brother the QFS-MX04M but this one is a 6 way consumer unit, again with the optional extra way for a surge protection device if required. If you are looking for a 4 way consumer unit, this one is worth considering as it is not much bigger but gives you a couple of spare ways should you need them in future.

Lewden QFS-MX10M 8 Way Consumer Unit 

This is a good medium size RCBO consumer unit, giving you 8 available ways plus an extra one in case you want to add a surge protector and make it a surge protection consumer unit. This is a good option if you are looking for an 8 way consumer unit.

Lewden QFS-MX12M 10 Way Consumer Unit

The QFS-MX12M is next in the middle of the size range, a 10 way consumer that is a pretty good seller for small to medium sized installations. As with all the other sizes in this range, you can add a Lewden surge protection device such as the Lewden SRG1VCU to turn this into an SPD consumer unit.

Lewden QFS-MX16M 14 Way Consumer Unit

Our best selling consumer unit, this Lewden 14 way consumer unit is by far our most popular. If you are carrying out a domestic consumer unit replacement then this one is a great option, especially if you are replacing a 10 way or 12 way consumer unit as it leaves you with some extra ways in case you need some expansion room in future.

Lewden QFS-MX20M 19 Way Consumer Unit

We finish the overview of the Lewden RCBO consumer unit range with the big daddy… the QFS-MX20M! Despite it being a large consumer unit, this is our second biggest seller and gives you a lot of options with a whopping 19 available ways plus an extra one in case you want to fit a surge protector. If you are looking for a 20 way consumer unit or similar, then this could be the ideal choice. Even if you are only looking for a 16 way consumer unit, consider this one as it is always a good idea to have spare ways for future expansion and the cost difference between this and the next size down is minimal.

Lewden Consumer Unit With Surge Protection Device

Lewden do not currently make a main switch consumer unit with surge protector built in, so the best way to deal with this is to buy any of the above Lewden consumer units and buy the SRG1VCU surge protection device seperately. Then all all you have to do is carry out the easy job installing it into the  board and there you go… you have a Lewden SPD consumer unit!

Lewden Garage Consumer Unit

The Lewden QFS-MCGARAGE-MS is ideal for a new installation or if you are replacing an old garage fuse board. Designed specifically for the job, it comes complete with a 100A main switch, a 6A MCB and a 16A MCB. We believe this is the best garage consumer unit on the market today, and if you want one with different MCBs to the factory configuration, just let us know and we will swap them over for you. Sometimes people change one on the MCB’s for a 40A to make an ideal shower consumer unit.

Lewden RCD Consumer Unit

All of the above are available as an RCD consumer unit with an RCD main switch instead of the standard 100A double pole main switch. The part number changes slightly at the end so the “M” for main switch suffix becomes “R” for RCD.

Is Lewden The Best Consumer Unit Range?

It certainly has to be a contender… the Lewden 18th Edition range gives the rare combination of a top quality product at a low price. Feedback from our customers tells us that electricians love fitting Lewden because they can feel confident that they are installing a high standard of equipment whilst still being able to offer their customers a competitive price.

Looking to buy Lewden consumer units?

DTR Electrical Supplies are official Lewden stockists and stock the biggest Lewden consumer unit range in Northampton.

Because we buy these in such large quantities, we are able to offer the best online prices in the UK.

Why is DTR Electrical Supplies the best online electrical wholesaler to buy a Lewden consumer unit from?

Next working day delivery is free if you spend £50 (inc VAT) or more.

If you are in our local delivery area (NN1 – NN12) then free same working day delivery is standard and there is no minimum order.

We have hundreds of very happy customers and a 5 Star Trustpilot rating – customer service is everything to us!

We successfully deliver Lewden electrical products all over the UK using our Fedex next day delivery service, which is fully tracked and keeps you updated all the way – allowing you to buy with confidence.

If you have a requirement for this or any other Lewden electrical product, please feel free to get in touch and we will be happy to help.