Leisure Electrics
What is a 12V Fuse Board / Consumer Unit?
The little box of fuses and switches that protects every 12V circuit in the van.
Simplified animation — not to scale.
In plain English
Behind (or under) most control panels sits a row of small blade fuses — one for the water pump, one for the lights, one for the fridge, and so on. If one circuit has a fault, its fuse blows to protect the wiring rather than letting it overheat.
How it works
Power comes in from the leisure battery, passes through a main fuse, then splits across the board into individually-fused circuits, each one protecting a specific appliance or run of wiring.
Signs of trouble
- ⚠One specific thing stops working (lights, but the pump still runs)
- ⚠A fuse that looks discoloured or has a broken wire inside it
- ⚠Repeated blown fuses on the same circuit — a sign of a deeper fault, not just a tired fuse
Rough UK cost
Fuses themselves are pennies; a full board replacement runs £80 – £250 fitted.
Ballpark only — depends on your van, converter and local labour rates.
Heads up: CamperAutonomy is for general guidance only. Anything gas-related must be signed off by a Gas Safe engineer with LPG endorsement.
More in Leisure Electrics
Leisure Battery
The separate battery that runs your lights, water pump and fridge — without you ever waking up to a dead engine.
Split Charge Relay / B2B Charger
The clever switch that sends spare engine power to your leisure battery as you drive.
Battery Monitor
The little screen (or app) that tells you how much power you actually have left.