Axiom Consumer Units — 4, 8, 12 and 18 Way Metal Clad Distribution Boards for UK Electricians

Consumer units are the hub of every domestic and light commercial electrical installation — they house the protective devices that keep circuits safe and allow individual circuits to be isolated without cutting supply to the whole property. Axiom (distributed by CED Electrical) offers a straightforward range of metal-clad consumer units in four principal sizes: 4-way, 8-way, 12-way and 18-way. All are supplied with a 100A DP main switch and comply with the BS 7671 18th Edition requirement for metal enclosures on domestic consumer units. This guide covers the four core Axiom consumer unit sizes available at APM Electricals, with trade prices inc VAT.

Why Electricians Choose Axiom Consumer Units

Axiom consumer units ship in all-metal enclosures as required by the 18th Edition Amendment 1. The metal construction reduces the risk of fire propagation in the event of an arc fault at the busbars — a key compliance requirement since 2019 for all new domestic consumer unit installations. All Axiom units take standard DIN-rail-mount Type B and Type C MCBs, RCDs and RCBOs, giving flexibility to populate the board according to the installation design without being locked into proprietary devices.

The range is sized for the full spread of domestic and sub-distribution jobs: the 4-way suits a garage or outbuilding sub-board; the 8-way handles medium-complexity outbuildings and HMO sub-metering; the 12-way is the standard choice for a domestic rewire; and the 18-way covers larger properties or installations with numerous dedicated circuits. SPD (Surge Protection Device) requirements under BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 2 mean electricians should reserve at least one way for a T2 SPD on any new installation.

Axiom Consumer Units at APM Electricals

Axiom Metal Consumer Unit 4 Way — 100A Main Switch

Price: £36.99 inc VAT

The Axiom 4-way metal consumer unit is designed for small sub-distribution installations: garages, outbuildings, annexes and home office pods where a handful of circuits is all that's required. The 100A DP main switch simultaneously isolates all circuits; the metal enclosure is suited to non-domestic environments where a plastic board would not be appropriate. Feed from a 2-core SWA cable from the main house consumer unit. Populated with four MCB ways — typically one lighting circuit, one socket ring, one dedicated circuit (electric vehicle charger, air compressor or similar) and one spare. Compatible with standard CED/Axiom Type B MCBs.

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Axiom Metal Consumer Unit 8 Way — 100A Main Switch

Price: £44.99 inc VAT

The Axiom 8-way metal consumer unit handles medium-complexity sub-distributions: large garages, workshop units and outbuildings requiring separate circuits for lighting, sockets and dedicated machine supplies. Eight ways comfortably accommodate lighting, ring final, EV charger, 16A machine socket, cooker circuit and an SPD while leaving spare capacity. Also suitable for HMO and flat sub-metering arrangements where a tenant sub-board is required downstream of the main incoming supply. 100A DP main switch; metal enclosure; DIN rail busbar takes standard Type B/C MCBs and RCBOs.

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Axiom Consumer Unit 12 Way — 100A Main Switch

Price: £54.99 inc VAT

The Axiom 12-way consumer unit with 100A main switch is the standard board for a domestic rewire or new build. Twelve ways accommodates the typical domestic circuit schedule — upstairs lighting, downstairs lighting, upstairs ring, downstairs ring, kitchen ring, cooker, hob, immersion heater, shower and dedicated circuits — with room for an SPD and a spare way. Metal enclosure compliant with BS 7671 18th Edition. Suitable for Type B and Type C MCBs, RCBOs and twin-module RCDs. Note: BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 2 requires an SPD on all new consumer unit installations — fit a T2 device to one available way.

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Axiom 18 Way Consumer Unit — 100A Switch and 2P Isolator

Price: £64.99 inc VAT

The Axiom 18-way consumer unit is the large-format option for properties with extensive circuit schedules: large detached houses, properties with separate heating circuits, commercial-domestic hybrid installations or outbuildings requiring many dedicated supplies. Supplied with a 100A main switch and 2-pole isolator, the 18-way format provides ample room for a full domestic circuit list, RCBO protection on individual circuits, an SPD, and multiple spare ways for future additions. Metal enclosure; DIN rail takes standard single-module MCBs and double-module RCDs/RCBOs. SKU: MCU18S.

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Axiom Dual RCD Consumer Units

Where the installation design calls for a split-load board with dual RCD protection rather than individual RCBOs, Axiom offer pre-populated dual RCD consumer units. The 12-way dual RCD unit (£99.99) is supplied with 2 × 63A RCDs and 12 Type B MCBs — a common configuration for domestic rewires where RCBOs are not specified. The 18-way dual RCD main switch unit (£84.99) includes 10 MCBs. Both units use the same metal enclosure and 100A main switch as the unfilled versions.

MCBs, RCBOs and Blanks

APM stocks a full range of Axiom MCBs and RCBOs to populate Axiom consumer units. Single-pole Type B MCBs are available from 6A to 40A, starting at £3.99 each. Axiom RCBOs (20A, single-pole, Type A, 1 module) at £14.99 provide combined overload and 30mA earth leakage protection in a single module — the preferred solution for circuits requiring individual RCD protection under BS 7671 without a split-load board. Consumer unit blanking plates at £0.75 cover unused ways and maintain the IP rating of the enclosure.

SPD Requirement — 18th Edition Amendment 2

From October 2022, BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 2 requires a Type 2 SPD on all new consumer unit installations where the system is connected to an overhead supply or where the risk of transient overvoltage is assessed as relevant (which effectively covers all new domestic installations in practice). APM stocks the FuseBox SPD In Line T2 Surge Protection Unit with 100A main switch at £75.80, and the T2 SPD 32A MCB module at £34.99 for installations where the SPD fits within the consumer unit. Axiom consumer units have sufficient ways to accommodate a single-module SPD alongside the required circuit protective devices.

Choosing the Right Size Consumer Unit

• 4-way: Garages, garden buildings, annexes — up to 3 live circuits plus SPD.
• 8-way: Larger outbuildings, HMO sub-meters, small flats — typically 6 live circuits plus SPD plus spare.
• 12-way: Standard domestic rewire or new build — full domestic circuit schedule with SPD and one or two spare ways.
• 18-way: Large properties, properties with extra dedicated circuits (EV charger, solar PV back-feed, air source heat pump, underfloor heating zones) — full schedule with room to grow.

Trade Pricing and Availability

All Axiom consumer units at APM Electricals are priced inc VAT. The 4-way board starts at £36.99, the 8-way at £44.99, the 12-way at £54.99 and the 18-way at £64.99 — competitive with Screwfix and Toolstation pricing on equivalent metal-clad boards. APM also stocks MK Sentry consumer units and FuseBox distribution boards for customers who prefer an alternative brand. Order online with delivery to trade customers across the UK, or contact APM for trade enquiries.

View the full consumer unit range at APM Electricals.

APM Electricals — 24 Western Avenue, Acton, London W3 7TZ | Tel: 020 8702 8080 | info@apmi.uk