Topic: 🔁 Replace & upgrade
Replace & upgrade - how-to guides
Swapping old kit for new - light switches, sockets, fusewire, fuse boxes, consumer units, luminaires.
15 guides in this topic
Written specifically for UK domestic wiring - BS 7671, TN-C-S / TT earthing, and the fittings you actually find in a British consumer unit.
How to add a spur socket
A safe UK guide to adding a spur socket from a ring final circuit - identifying the ring, checking the rules, wiring the spur, and when to call a qualified electrician.
Read the guideHow to add an extractor fan or second light from an existing ceiling rose
A UK guide to taking a new cable spur from an existing ceiling rose to power a bathroom extractor fan or add a second light fitting - including loop-in terminal identification, cable choice, and safe isolation.
Read the guideHow to change a light switch safely
A safe UK guide to changing a light switch - isolating the circuit, taking a reference photo, transferring the wires correctly, and the earth checks that matter. Honest on when to call an electrician.
Read the guideHow to extend a ring final circuit
A UK guide to extending a ring final circuit to add extra sockets while keeping the ring intact. Covers ring health confirmation, safe isolation, cable running, connections and testing.
Read the guideHow to replace an electric shower safely
A UK guide to replacing an electric shower: isolating the circuit, removing the old unit, checking the existing circuit capacity, fitting the new shower and making safe electrical connections.
Read the guideHow to replace a plug socket safely
A safe UK guide to replacing a plug socket - isolating the ring final circuit, checking cable colours, transferring wires correctly, and verifying the earth. Honest on when to call a qualified electrician.
Read the guideReplace a 45A shower pull cord isolator switch
Step-by-step UK guide to replacing a 45A double-pole ceiling pull cord switch for an electric shower: safe isolation, photographing terminals, correct wiring and testing before restoring power.
Read the guideHow to replace a fluorescent tube fitting with an LED batten
A safe UK guide to swapping an old fluorescent strip light for a modern LED batten - isolating the circuit, removing the old fitting, wiring the LED batten and testing. Honest about when to stop and call an electrician.
Read the guideHow to replace fusewire in a rewireable fuse box
A UK guide to replacing blown fusewire in an old Wylex or BS 3036 rewireable fuse box -- finding the blown carrier, choosing the right wire rating and the safety warnings you must read first.
Read the guideHow to replace an immersion heater thermostat safely
A UK guide to replacing an immersion heater thermostat - isolating the circuit, testing dead, removing the old stat, fitting the new one and setting the correct temperature.
Read the guideUnderstand BS 7671 Amendment 4: what changed in 2026
A plain-English guide to BS 7671 Amendment 4 (2026), the latest update to the UK wiring regulations. What changed, what it means for home battery storage, and when it becomes mandatory.
Read the guideHow to upgrade a single socket to a double socket
A safe UK guide to upgrading a single 13A socket to a double gang - checking back box depth, fitting a deeper box where needed, transferring the wires and testing. Honest on when to stop and call a qualified electrician.
Read the guideWhat to expect from a consumer unit upgrade
A plain-English guide to consumer unit replacement in the UK: why old boards fail EICR tests, what the 18th Edition requires, how long the job takes, and what paperwork you must receive at the end.
Read the guideHow to replace a bathroom pull cord switch
A safe UK guide to replacing a bathroom ceiling pull cord switch - isolating the circuit, removing the old unit, connecting the new one and testing safely. Covers zone rules and when to call an electrician.
Read the guideHow to wire a backup generator changeover switch
A UK guide to wiring a manual changeover switch for a backup generator: choosing the right interlock, connecting the inlet socket, wiring the transfer switch and restoring safely to the mains. Honest on what Part P requi
Read the guideOther topics
🔧 Installation & wiring
Wire, fit and install - cable runs, sockets, switches, consumer units, cookers, showers, outdoor circuits.
🛡️ Safety & testing
Safe isolation, initial verification, insulation resistance, earth-fault loop, continuity, bonding.
🔍 Fault finding
Diagnosing tripping MCBs, flickering lights, dead sockets, buzzing switches and other common faults.
📖 Understand & explain
How your home electrics actually work - cable colours, ring vs radial, MCB vs RCD, live vs neutral, current vs voltage.
📋 Planning & regulations
What is notifiable, when to call an electrician, choosing consumer units and EV chargers, BS 7671 basics.
⚡ General guides
Working with cable, wiring accessories and everyday tools around the home.