We fit a Type 2 Surge Protection Device as standard with every new consumer unit we install — and we can retrofit one to a suitable existing board. An SPD diverts lightning and grid surges safely to earth, protecting EV chargers, heat pumps, smart-home kit, computers and TVs. Compliant with BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (18th Edition Amendment 2).
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BS 7671Surges arrive from lightning activity on the network and from everyday grid and utility switching — and today's homes carry far more sensitive electronics than the wiring was originally built for. A single spike can wipe out thousands of pounds of equipment in an instant. Here is what is at risk, and what a Type 2 SPD does about it.
A wall charger is a permanently connected piece of power electronics with its own control board. A surge on the supply can take it out — an expensive, inconvenient failure that an SPD helps prevent.
Inverter-driven heat pumps run sophisticated electronics around the clock. They are exactly the kind of high-value, always-on load a transient overvoltage can damage.
Hubs, controllers, lighting drivers and sensors are wired throughout the property. A surge can knock out a whole system at once — not just one plug-in gadget.
Workstations, networking gear and large TVs hold data and cost real money to replace. A surge can corrupt or destroy them instantly, with no warning.
Modern kitchens are built on power electronics — induction hobs, ovens and appliances all carry control boards that a voltage spike can fry.
You don't need a direct strike. A nearby lightning event or routine network switching sends a transient down the supply. A Type 2 SPD diverts that spike safely to earth before it reaches your equipment.
Real DS Electrical install — Wells, Somerset. Consumer unit with Type 2 SPD, tested and certified.
Surge protection is quoted to your board, not list-priced — because what's involved depends on whether it goes in with a new consumer unit or is retrofitted to your existing one. Here are the two routes.
A Type 2 SPD sits inside the consumer unit, wired to divert a transient spike to earth the moment it arrives — whether from grid switching or nearby lightning activity. We fit it as standard with every new board, or retrofit it to a suitable existing one across Wells, Bath and Frome.
A single surge can destroy thousands of pounds of EV chargers, heat pumps, smart-home kit, computers and TVs in an instant. A Type 2 SPD diverts that spike to earth before it reaches them — the device costs a fraction of what it protects.
BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (18th Edition Amendment 2) requires surge protection to be assessed, and in most new installations an SPD to be fitted. We assess it and fit a certified Type 2 SPD where required — recorded on your certification.
It comes as standard with every new board we install, and on a suitable existing board it's a straightforward retrofit — no need to replace the whole consumer unit. A quick check of your board confirms which route fits.
Most modern homes benefit from it. A surge can arrive from a lightning strike near the network or from routine grid and utility switching, and today's homes are full of vulnerable electronics — EV chargers, heat pumps, smart-home kit, computers, TVs and induction hobs. A single surge can destroy thousands of pounds of equipment in an instant. A Type 2 SPD in the consumer unit diverts that spike safely to earth. Under BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 the need for surge protection has to be assessed on most new installations.
BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (18th Edition Amendment 2) requires surge protection to be assessed, and in most new installations an SPD is to be fitted. We assess your installation and fit a Type 2 SPD in the consumer unit where it is required, and record it on the certification.
Often, yes. A Type 2 SPD can be retrofitted to a suitable existing board where there is space and the earthing and bonding are sound. We do a quick check of your board first to confirm it is suitable, then quote it to your board. If the board itself is not suitable, the SPD is included as standard when you upgrade the consumer unit.
A Surge Protection Device protects your installation and the equipment connected to it from transient overvoltages — short, high-voltage spikes caused by lightning activity on the network or by grid and utility switching. It diverts the spike safely to earth before it reaches sensitive electronics such as EV chargers, heat pumps, smart-home kit, computers, TVs and induction hobs.
A Type 2 SPD protects against most transient surges — the spikes that come from grid switching and from lightning activity on the network. It is not designed to withstand a direct lightning strike to the property, which is a far larger event. For the everyday surges that actually destroy electronics, a Type 2 SPD is the right, standards-compliant protection.
Yes. We fit a Type 2 SPD as standard with every new consumer unit / fuse board we install — it is built into the board, tested and certified to BS 7671 18th Edition. You do not need to ask for it; it comes as part of the upgrade.
More questions? See our full FAQ →
Local, accredited electricians serving the towns & villages where we live and work. Call us about a Type 2 SPD — with a new board or retrofitted to a suitable existing one.
Further Reading
Planning a new consumer unit? Spec it on a 3D model of your property — the Type 2 SPD comes as standard — and DS Electrical Installations quotes it to your exact specification.
Fitting a new consumer unit? The Type 2 SPD comes as standard. Got an existing board? Send us a photo or call — we’ll do a quick check and tell you whether we can retrofit one.
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