Is this electric box too old?

[Iwishilivedinfairyland]

Just wondering if there's anyone here who knows anything about electrics and can tell me if this electric/fuse box is too old and how urgently it needs replacing? Or is it ok for now?

Thanks if anyone can help!

Does it open up?
What sort of fuses?
My mums electricity box still has fuse wire!

Yes, they’re called consumer units now and don’t have wires. There’s a mains trip switch and individual switches inside so that you can isolate parts of the system. I’m not an electrician, but I know that much.

That is a very old fusebox with rewireable fuses. It should be replaced with one with trip switches, RCDs and MCBs.

Looks like the one I had in my old house; it was the original from the 50’s. Old fuse wire type.

Yes, it’s recommended to replace the old ones. I did the one in my old house. Then moved couple years ago to a 70s build, that still had its original one, and I got that changed too. Cost a few hundred to do.

That looks like the one in my house that was replaced when my PC kept tripping the lights in the living room, landing and 2 bedrooms plus the oven, kettle and outside shed about 15 years ago. The electrician sorted out our interesting wiring configuration while he was at it.
Yes, it needs updating.

I have no idea! Can I open it without being electrocuted? I'll have a look in the morning, see if I can open it and take a picture of the inside if so.

Thanks everyone! Can I get it replaced without having to replace the wiring all over the house too?

Yes. They’ll check the wiring and make sure it’s safe. Both times I had one replaced the wiring was fine and nothing needed doing except replacing the box.

That is very old. Ours has a contact number for Midlands Electricity Board on which ceased trading in 1990 and our board is considered old. They just can't cope with the electrical demands of house now. We can't run the washing machine and tumble dryer at the same time as it trips it. Better than the fuses overheating but still very annoying!

We had one like that. We had ours replaced 3 years ago when we had solar panels and an electric charger installed. The electrician checked out electrics which were all ok and just replaced the consumer unit. It was very quick and easy. No mess. It cost about £500.

Yes I think so it is super old! Will likely need replacing if you want to do work on the property and bring it up to standards.

When we were doing our house purchase we used some tools online like rated people and also Brickwise to help us understand if the property was likely to need work, and we got costings from these tools, was v v helpful for us and actually made us put a lower offer in (which got accepted) as we knew what work was needed

Our property was actually very similar type fuse box and we were doing work so did a replacement, depends on rest of wires etc as to how much more electrical work you need too.

In case it

Looking at that if you have any doubts about the electrics you are best off getting a full electrical inspection to check everything is in good shape. Make sure you get them to quote for any work at the same time.

Whether they will just replace the box, this depends on the state of the rest of the electrics and the electrician.

I know that the wires are pretty old too, but I can't face having a full rewire. I thought it might be easier if I just got the box changed.

Thanks everyone, much appreciated!

red and black wiring dates from the mid - late 1960s
a main fusebox mounted on a wooden backboard is of similar vintage
re-wireable fuses are not (yet) outlawed but that entire set up would obviously not meet current regulations and would certainly impede selling the house when you come to that

red and black wiring dates from the mid - late 1960s
a main fusebox mounted on a wooden backboard is of similar vintage and most certainly is not to modern spec (or convenience !)

re-wireable fuses are not (yet) outlawed but that entire set up would obviously not meet current regulations and would certainly impede selling the house when you come to that

That said, whether it needs replacing right now is a moot point. It is not illegal to carry on with what you have but any new work in the house would trigger a need to replace it.

Honest opinion: with a box that old the wiring is almost certainly of same vintage and therefore unlikely to be rubber sheath (the grey wires are PVC sheath) but nonetheless there is little point replacing the fusebox without also having the entire house rewired as both box and wire are at end of their lives and of increasing fire risk,

Only an electrician can tell if the wiring needs replacing. No one can tell from a photo.

Loads of misinformation on this thread. That's a 70s wylex rewireable fuse board and it meets the standard required as long as it's undamaged and good condition and the correct ratings are observed.
A modern consumer unit would also have RCD protection so things would be safer.
The wiring looks like the same PVC+ copper used until the present day.
Chances are there's been plenty of DIY bodges done in the last 50 years, so you would need an eicr from a qualified electrician to inspect and test what's going on.
I think in reality the most likely recommendation is a new unit and probably some non invasive work to fix up dodgy alterations, plus potentially work on the lighting circuits (borrowed neutral is a common one, and no earth is relatively common as lighting can be safe without an earth if done correctly. Although not to current standards.
If there are enough spare ways in the consumer unit to the left, you might be able to get the circuits transferred over and then the Henley blocks removed.

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread, just op posts.

We had to have our whole house rewired and the fuse box changed, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. The man just had to lift the carpets in the rooms, but after he put them back it was fine.

I think it's very likely that you need your house rewired but I'm not sure if that is a legal requirement. If you want any electrical work done, you would definitely need to have the fuse box replaced.

It's not actually that hard to have the box replaced. It takes about a half day, and costs a couple of thousand pounds I think.

My mum had a similar box changed in her 30s semi when she had a new kitchen fitted to bring it up to standard. It was nowhere near a couple of thousand, I think it was around £500, took the electrician half a day. Her house hadn’t been re wired since the late 70s early 80s and was absolutely fine.

Only a qualified electrician can answer your questions, get someone round.