Why is my consumer unit getting hot even though nothing is drawing much power – Advice from Electriman, North London Electricians

It is understandable to be alarmed if your consumer unit feels warm or hot to the touch, especially when you are not running many appliances. The good news is that the cause is usually identifiable, but the bad news is that it almost always requires a qualified electrician to fix safely. Here is what is likely happening and what you can do right now.

Why heat is generated even at low loads

Electricity produces heat whenever it passes through resistance. In a healthy consumer unit, connections are tight and the resistance across every joint is extremely low, so very little heat is produced. When a terminal becomes loose, corroded, or was never tightened properly in the first place, that joint resists the flow of current and converts electrical energy into heat. This happens regardless of how much load is on the circuit. Even a few amps through a bad connection can raise temperatures to dangerous levels.

What to look for safely

Stand in front of your consumer unit and look carefully without touching anything inside. You are looking for:

Discolouration or scorch marks on the plastic casing around individual breakers or the main switch.

A burning smell, even faint or intermittent.

Any breaker or RCD that feels noticeably hotter than the others when touched on the outside of the case.

Meter tails or the main incoming cable feeling warm where they enter the unit.

If you see any scorch marks or smell burning, treat this as an e

Need a qualified electrician in North London?

Electriman covers Mill Hill, Barnet, Finchley, Edgware, Enfield, Watford and surrounding areas. All work is Part P certified and fully insured.