Will my house cope? EV charger & heat pump power check

How to read your main fuse, safely

The main fuse is the single biggest clue to what your supply can take. You can usually find its rating without touching anything.

Cut-out and main fuse. Owned by the network operator and sealed. The rating may be marked on it. Look, don’t touch.
Meter. Looked after by your energy supplier. Don’t touch.
Meter tails and consumer unit. Yours, and where we work.

Find the cut-out. It is the sealed box where the supply cable comes into your home, usually next to the meter in a cupboard, a meter box outside or under the stairs.
Look for a number. The rating may be marked on the cut-out, such as 60A, 80A or 100A. Older metal cut-outs can show lower numbers such as 30A or 45A. A torch and a photo on your phone are all you need.
If there is no number, that is fine. When the rating is not known, installers assume 60A (or lower for very old cut-outs) until it is confirmed, and the checker does the same.
Send us the photo. A picture of the cut-out, meter and fuse board, with every cover closed, tells us a lot before the survey.

Never open, remove or touch the cut-out or the meter. They belong to the network operator and your energy supplier, are sealed, and stay live even with your main switch off. Seen scorch marks, damage or exposed parts? Keep away and call 105, free and 24/7, to reach your network operator.

What happens next, and who does it

Across Somerset and Bath the local network operator is National Grid Electricity Distribution, which runs the network for the Midlands, the South West and South Wales. Not sure? The free postcode finder at powercut105.com tells you, including areas run by an independent network operator.

Main fuse upgrades

These are done by the network operator, not by an electrician. National Grid Electricity Distribution says older properties may have 30 or 60 amp fuses and takes applications to upgrade them to 80 amps. The meter tails from the meter to your board may need upgrading first, which we check at the survey.

Looped supplies

In some streets one supply cable is looped from one home to the next, sometimes along several houses. If yours is looped, the network operator assesses it before extra load goes on, and that can mean a new separate supply for your home.

Registering the new load

EV chargers and heat pumps have to be registered with the network operator. Your installer applies on your behalf through ENA Connect Direct, and where an application is needed the network operator confirms whether the equipment can connect within 10 working days.

Will my house cope? Common questions

Will my house cope with an EV charger and a heat pump?

It depends on your main fuse rating, the big loads you already have and your fuse board. Together they are a lot of extra load, so a 60A main fuse, or one you cannot read, can mean the network operator needs to assess the supply. Use the checker for an indication; we confirm everything at a survey.

How do I find out my main fuse rating?

Look at the sealed cut-out where the supply cable comes in, usually beside the meter. The rating may be marked on it, for example 60A, 80A or 100A. Look only: never open, remove or touch the cut-out or the meter. If you cannot see a number, that is fine, we check it at the survey.

What if my main fuse needs upgrading?

Main fuse upgrades are carried out by the network operator, not by us. National Grid Electricity Distribution, the network operator for Somerset and Bath, takes applications to upgrade older 30 or 60 amp fuses to 80 amps. The meter tails may need upgrading first, which we check at the survey.

What is a looped supply?

In some streets one supply cable is looped from one home to the next, sometimes along several houses. If your supply is looped, the network operator assesses it before extra load like an EV charger or heat pump goes on, and that can mean a new separate supply for your home.

Does the network operator need to know about my EV charger or heat pump?

Yes. EV chargers and heat pumps have to be registered with the network operator. Your installer applies on your behalf through ENA Connect Direct, and where an application is needed the network operator confirms whether the equipment can connect within 10 working days.

Do you install heat pumps?

We do the electrics only: the supply checks, the fuse board and a dedicated circuit for the heat pump. The heat pump itself is fitted by your heat pump installer.

Which EV charger do you fit?

We fit Hypervolt home chargers, each on its own dedicated circuit with a Type A RCBO. Where a new board is needed we fit a FuseBox metal consumer unit with a main switch and a Type A RCBO for every circuit.

Is the result a guarantee?

No. It is an indication from your answers, not a design. We confirm the main fuse, maximum demand, earthing, the board and the cable route at a survey before anything is quoted.