A property in Hayle received a complete electrical upgrade with the installation of a 7.4kW Hypervolt Home 3 Pro charging point and a new fire-rated consumer unit. The work included load monitoring technology to protect the existing electrical system whilst providing reliable charging for an electric vehicle.
The switch to electric vehicles brings new demands on domestic electrical systems, and this property in Hayle needed both modern charging infrastructure and an updated consumer unit to support it safely. The installation combined two significant electrical upgrades that work together to provide reliable, protected charging whilst maintaining the integrity of the home’s electrical supply.
The Hypervolt Home 3 Pro represents a smart approach to home charging. This 7.4kW unit comes with a tethered cable, meaning there’s no need for the homeowner to store a separate charging lead or worry about it being stolen. The five-metre cable provides enough reach whilst the black finish suits the property’s exterior. We mounted the charging point on the stone wall facing the driveway, giving straightforward access for the vehicle whilst keeping the installation neat and unobtrusive.
Getting power to the charging point required some careful routing. The supply cable runs at low level along the fence line before crossing the garden path. Rather than leaving cables exposed, we cut a channel through the concrete and lifted paving slabs where necessary to create a buried route. Once the cable was in place, everything was reinstated so the path looks as it did before. This approach protects the cable from damage and maintains the appearance of the garden whilst meeting the regulations for outdoor electrical work.
The charging point connects back to the property through a dedicated 40A bi-directional circuit breaker in the consumer unit. This type of protection is specifically designed for EV charging applications, handling the sustained load that comes with charging a vehicle battery. The bi-directional element provides additional protection for circuits that can experience current flow in both directions under certain conditions.
However, adding a significant new load like an EV charger to an existing electrical system needs consideration. Electric vehicle charging can draw substantial current over extended periods, potentially placing stress on older consumer units and the supply system. Rather than simply hoping the existing infrastructure could cope, we installed a load monitoring device. This piece of technology continuously watches the electrical demand across the property and adjusts the power available to the charging point accordingly. If the house is already drawing significant current through other appliances, the monitoring system will reduce the charging rate to prevent overload. When demand drops, it allows the charger to draw more power again. This dynamic management means the homeowner can charge their vehicle without worrying about tripping circuits or overloading the system.
The consumer unit replacement was equally important. The existing board had reached the point where it no longer met current standards and lacked the protection features now considered necessary. We fitted a 15-way fire-rated consumer unit equipped entirely with RCBOs rather than traditional breakers. Each RCBO combines overcurrent protection with earth leakage detection on an individual circuit basis. This means a fault on one circuit won’t affect the others, reducing the likelihood of losing power throughout the property if something goes wrong.
The new consumer unit also includes an integrated surge protection device. Voltage spikes from the electrical grid can damage sensitive electronics, particularly the kind of equipment many homes now rely on. The SPD diverts these surges away from the circuits, protecting everything from computers to kitchen appliances. Given the increasing prevalence of expensive electronic devices in homes, this protection has become increasingly worthwhile.
Part of bringing the installation up to current standards involved upgrading the meter tails. These cables connect the electricity meter to the consumer unit and need to be appropriately sized for the anticipated load. We replaced the existing tails with 25mm double-insulated cabling, providing adequate capacity for the property’s current and future electrical demands. Proper sizing here prevents overheating and voltage drop whilst giving some headroom for any additional loads the homeowner might want to add later.
The circuit configuration reflects the property’s needs. Alongside the 40A supply for the EV charger, we installed a mix of 6A, 16A, 20A, and 32A RCBOs to suit the various circuits throughout the property. Each rating matches the cable sizes and expected loads for circuits like lighting, sockets, and fixed appliances. Getting these ratings right matters because undersizing leads to nuisance tripping whilst oversizing reduces protection.
All electrical work of this nature requires thorough testing. We carried out comprehensive testing on both the new EV charging circuit and all the altered circuits affected by the consumer unit replacement. This testing verifies that everything is installed correctly, that protective devices will operate as intended, and that the installation meets the requirements of the 18th Edition wiring regulations. The results go into an Electrical Installation Certificate, which provides formal documentation of the work and facilitates the required Building Control notification.
The combination of new charging infrastructure and an updated consumer unit gives this Hayle property a solid electrical foundation. The homeowner can charge their vehicle reliably whilst knowing their home’s electrical system has the protection and capacity needed for modern life. The load monitoring prevents problems before they occur, the RCBO-equipped consumer unit provides circuit-level protection, and the surge protection guards against grid-related voltage issues.
Electric vehicle adoption continues to grow, and the electrical infrastructure in many homes needs updating to support this change safely. This installation demonstrates how charging capability and electrical system upgrades work together rather than as separate concerns. The charging point provides the convenience of home charging whilst the new consumer unit and associated protection systems make sure the electrical installation can handle it properly.
For properties considering EV charging installation, the state of the existing consumer unit often becomes relevant. Older boards may lack the capacity or protection features needed to support a charging point safely, making replacement a sensible step. Similarly, load monitoring technology offers a practical solution for properties where the incoming supply might struggle with the additional demand, allowing charging to happen without costly upgrades to the service cable or connection.
The work at this property shows how modern electrical installations can incorporate new technology whilst maintaining safety and reliability. From the initial mounting of the charging point through to the final testing and certification, each element contributes to an installation that will serve the property well for years to come.
