Hager Design Evo Consumer Units: Every Feature Explained

Consumer Units Guide

Hager's Design Evo range takes what used to be optional upgrades on its consumer units and makes them standard across the whole VME range.

Hager frames this around four pillars — better engineering, better installation, better safety and better devices — all included as standard rather than sold as extras.

This guide goes through what each of those actually means for anyone specifying or fitting a Hager consumer unit, including the new RCBO launched alongside the range.

What is Hager Design Evo?

Design Evo is the current generation of Hager's VME consumer unit range. Hager's own positioning is simple: it's the evolution of the existing consumer unit range, bringing premium features as standard to make the next installation easier. In other words, features that might previously have been reserved for higher-spec boards are now built into the range across the board.

Four pillars, all included as standard

Rather than selling premium features as optional extras, Hager groups the improvements across Design Evo into four key areas.

Better installation as standard

This is where Design Evo makes the most obvious difference on site, and it covers several small changes that add up.

• Smart Lid Locators — front cover locators hold the cover in place automatically during final fix, enabling a true one-handed fitting, rather than needing to brace the lid with one hand while fixing it with the other.
• Retained Screws and Door Prop — the cover screws are captive so they don't get lost during installation, and lid prop holes let you keep the lid open hands-free while labelling circuits.
• Secure Cable Clamp — secures the meter tails firmly, preventing strain on terminals and freeing up your hands for tightening connections, rather than tails moving around loose.
• Integrated Spirit Level — lets you check alignment during installation without needing a separate tool.
• Cleaner Cabling — round knockouts are included as standard for cleaner cabling, and rear entry oval knockouts are paired with rear cable protection to help keep cable entry and management tidy.

Better safety as standard

• Lockable Lid — can be locked without drilling, using a pre-cut facility for an optional lock barrel or padlock, supporting Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) compliance without modifying the enclosure.
• VMLOCK Bung — listed alongside the lockable lid as part of the standard safety features on the range.
• Patented SPD Earth Connection — an integrated SPD earth connection eliminates the need for a separate earth cable when fitting a surge protection device, simplifying what would otherwise be an extra wiring step.
• Higher InA Rating — gives more headroom on the incoming current rating than a standard board.
• Full Compliance with BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 — built to support full compliance with the current UK wiring regulations.
• British Build Quality — backed by British build quality and guaranteed performance as standard.

Better devices as standard

• Quick-Release DIN Clips — a single device can be removed or replaced without dismantling the entire busbar, so a faulty MCB or RCBO doesn't turn into a full strip-down of the board.
• Busbar Flexibility — supports the same easy device changes that the quick-release clips enable.
• Torque Requirements — addressed as standard across the range's devices, supporting secure connections.
• Bi-Directional RCBOs, SPD Kits and AFDDs — Design Evo boards are designed to work with all three, giving flexibility in how a board is specified depending on the circuit protection needed.

The new RCBO: ADB9**R

Launched alongside Design Evo, Hager's new RCBO (product code ADB9**R) is the RCBO Hager positions as the natural pairing for Design Evo boards, combining bidirectional and switched neutral design with a longer fly lead for more flexibility when making up connections on site.

• Rated 6A to 32A
• Bidirectional capability
• Switched neutral (2P)
• 500mm neutral fly lead

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