Domakihub How to Label a Consumer Unit the Right Way
Understand what every circuit does, prep your electrics for safety, and know when to call a licensed electrician.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
A neatly labelled consumer unit is one of the most practical safety upgrades you can make in a home, holiday rental, or hotel. It lets you — and any qualified electrician you call — cut the right circuit quickly and safely without guessing. The video above walks through the identification process with a master electrician; the guide below turns that into clear, ordered steps you can follow in your property in Greece.
What Is a Consumer Unit and Why Do Labels Matter?
A consumer unit (also called a distribution board or fuse box) is the central hub that splits your incoming mains supply into individual protected circuits — lights, sockets, oven, boiler, air conditioning, and so on. Each circuit is protected by a miniature circuit breaker (MCB) or, in older installations, a fuse. In Greece, electrical installations must comply with ELOT HD 384 (the national adaptation of IEC 60364), and a correctly labelled board is part of a compliant, inspectable installation.
Unlabelled or wrongly labelled boards are surprisingly common, especially in older apartments and island holiday villas where wiring has been added over the years without documentation. A missing or inaccurate label is not just an inconvenience — it is a hazard when a fault occurs at midnight or when a tenant needs to reset a tripped breaker safely.
A Word on Safety: What Requires a Licensed Electrician
Identifying which breaker controls which circuit — and writing that down — is a low-risk task any competent homeowner can do. However, any work inside the consumer unit itself (replacing an MCB, adding a new circuit, installing an RCD or SPD, or touching the busbars) is mains-voltage work that must be carried out by a licensed electrician (Ηλεκτρολόγος with an Αδεια Εγκατάστασης). In Greece, only a registered professional can issue a Υπεύθυνη Δήλωση Εγκατάστασης — the compliance declaration required by ΔΕΔΔΗΕ for any notifiable electrical work. Use this guide to map your circuits safely from the load side, so your electrician arrives with a clear picture of your installation.
How to Label Your Consumer Unit: 5 Steps
- 1
Gather your tools before you open the board
You need a plug-in socket tester (or a lamp), a non-contact voltage tester, a notepad or circuit-mapping worksheet, and a label maker or durable adhesive labels. A battery-powered radio or phone charger works well as a portable load. Do not remove any covers from the consumer unit itself — you are working only at the outlets and light switches on the load side.
- 2
Switch all breakers on and photograph the existing labels
Take a clear photo of the board as-is, even if the current labels are blank, faded, or wrong. Note the total number of breakers, their ampere ratings (typically printed on the switch toggle: 6 A for lighting, 16 A for sockets, 20–32 A for high-load appliances), and the position of any RCDs or RCBOs. This photo is your baseline — your electrician will also want it.
- 3
Map each circuit one breaker at a time
Switch off one breaker, then walk the property to find everything that lost power. Plug your socket tester into every socket in turn, check each light switch, and note any appliance (oven, boiler, AC unit, washing machine) that went dead. Write the breaker number next to each item on your worksheet. Restore the breaker, then move to the next one. Work methodically, room by room — in a typical Greek apartment there are 6–12 breakers; a villa or hotel room may have 14 or more.
- 4
Write clear, plain-language labels
Use short descriptions that any family member, guest, or emergency responder can understand at a glance: 'Bedroom 1 + 2 lights', 'Kitchen sockets', 'Air-conditioning unit – living room', 'Boiler / water heater'. Avoid codes like 'C3' or 'KIT' that only make sense to the person who wrote them. A label maker produces tidy, durable labels that survive the heat and humidity typical of Greek summers — handwritten paper labels peel and fade quickly.
- 5
Fit the labels and create a circuit schedule
Stick a label neatly beside or beneath each breaker toggle. Then fill in a circuit-schedule card — a simple table listing breaker number, rating, description, and the room or appliance it serves. Slip it into a plastic sleeve and fix it inside the consumer unit door or directly above the board. Many consumer units have a card slot built into the cover for exactly this purpose. Share a photo of the completed schedule with your property manager or your licensed electrician so they have a digital copy.
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FAQ
- Can I label my consumer unit myself, or do I need an electrician?
- Mapping which breaker controls which circuit and writing the labels is work any careful homeowner can do safely, as long as you stay on the load side and never open the consumer unit cover or touch internal components. Fitting, replacing, or rewiring anything inside the board — including changing an MCB or adding a new circuit — is mains-voltage work that must be done by a licensed electrician (Ηλεκτρολόγος) in Greece.
- What kind of labels should I use on a consumer unit?
- Heat-resistant, adhesive-backed labels from a label maker are the best choice. They stay legible through the temperature swings common in Greece, do not peel like paper, and look professional. Self-laminating label tape adds an extra layer of protection in humid locations such as basement utility rooms or boat-house distribution boards. Avoid permanent marker directly on plastic — it fades and cannot be cleanly updated.
- How often should a consumer unit be inspected in Greece?
- ELOT HD 384 and Greek insurer practice recommend a full Periodic Inspection Report (ΠΕΠ) every 10 years for owner-occupied properties, every 7 years for rented residences, and more frequently for commercial or hospitality premises. If you have bought an older property, inherited one, or are preparing a rental unit, a licensed electrician should inspect the installation and issue an updated compliance declaration before new tenants move in.