Single Rcd Boards

[r.b]

I know about dual rcd boards and split load boards in houses but cant you just have a board with one rcd protecting the circuits say if you have only 4 circuits in some houses?i.e changing a 3036 board I say fine?I mean as long as its rcd.I know on dual rcd you separate the rings and lighting.

 

[Manator]

Dual RCD boards are a compromise on the regulations. If a RCD trips out it will take all the circuits that it protects down with it. This causes some inconvenience for the user.

It is not good practice to put all circuits on one RCD however as the regulations are not statute deviations can be made.

 

[Blue Duck]

If its only 4 circuits why not use rcbo's? Sbs dave has some nice ones and cant remember which wholesaler but they were doing crabtree rcbo's for £16 ea.

As an aside to the op is it more dangerous to have 1arseyD or none at all?

 

[kerching]

Right, how can i put this simply

NICEIC are wrong

Elecsa are wrong

Napit are wrong

Dual RCD boards, single RCD. Boards do NOT comply. In the majority of cases

There is a Reg ( i cannot be ar5ed quoting numbers, you want it, YOU find it)

CIRCUITS ARE TO BE INSTALLED TO MINIMISE INCONVENIENCE IN THE CASE OF A CIRCUIT TRIPPING

so if you fit a split RCD. Board .a...)somebody made up,the names 17 th edition or 16 th edition board........bo11ocks)

You HAVE NOT MINIMISED INNCONVENIENCE YOU HAVE AT BEST HALVED IT,

Definition of minimise means , well you go and look it up

These are MY opinions AND the opinions of other sensible folk.......the rest are wrong

Rantette finishes

Just saying

 

[Sharpend]

Jeez, bad day Kerching or just fed up repeating yourself!

 

[Steve3948]

I think a consumer would class anything tripping as an inconvenience.

Its all down to health and safety, so say, however you can have all individual RCBO's and then you have a power cut and thats far worse than a split board.

In the last 5 years we have had 5 power cuts, my 16th Edition Fuseboard has never tripped except why I have pushed the test button.

There is no right or wrong as its been said a million times the regulations are for guidance.

I've been using SBS compact RCBO's, but not everyone wants to pay the extra which about double on a 10 Way, so when estimating I give both options.

 

[Blue Duck]

Lols kerch sounds like you had a bad day. .. been out lookin at horsey things? My question was theoretical as in to RCD or not to RCD? If an installation is unstable and had no RCD protection wouod there be any good in putting one in?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Right, how can i put this simply

NICEIC are wrong

Elecsa are wrong

Napit are wrong

Dual RCD boards, single RCD. Boards do NOT comply. In the majority of cases

There is a Reg ( i cannot be ar5ed quoting numbers, you want it, YOU find it)

CIRCUITS ARE TO BE INSTALLED TO MINIMISE INCONVENIENCE IN THE CASE OF A CIRCUIT TRIPPING

so if you fit a split RCD. Board .a...)somebody made up,the names 17 th edition or 16 th edition board........bo11ocks)

You HAVE NOT MINIMISED INNCONVENIENCE YOU HAVE AT BEST HALVED IT,

Definition of minimise means , well you go and look it up

These are MY opinions AND the opinions of other sensible folk.......the rest are wrong

Rantette finishes

Just saying

Perhaps you should be arsed to read BS7671 and its accompanying documentation such as the On Site Guide...

The reg you are thinking of is 314.1  page 46..

now try reading 3.6.3 "Application of RCDs" in the OSG

pages 27 thro 31...

look at the pictures....

NOTHING to do with Napit / Elecsa or NICEIC...

It is BS7671 guidance that suggests that dual RCD boards can satisfy 314.1

Another one of those myths that the various schemes have made up rule that are actually straight out of BS7671....

:coat

 

[Manator]

Its still a compromise SP, and yes it is straight out of the good book. The only myth started when the 16th edition came out when they started to name boards as compliant. To be honest the inconvenience is minor and most likely never to happen.

I grew up when power cuts were a normal and alarmingly regular occurrence, we all moaned about them, but just got on with life as normal.

Power cuts are temporary some faults could be permanent until fixed. Losing half of your power for a period of time until you could afford the repairs is to me unacceptable especially in these hard times.

People assume that an electrical installation has to be installed to the letter of the regulations, it does not. They are at best a guidance that if followed will comply.

For this reason split RCD boards are acceptable and DO comply with the regulations.

if you are doing a board change for a domestic property with only 2 or 4 circuits could a single RCD comply?  I have done it! The change was done on a low budget and offered a safety level higher than was achieved previously, reading the regulations gave me the right to do this. I have also done it differently when the customer could afford the extra costs and split the circuits.

It takes a little time to find the links from the downstairs circuits to the upstairs circuits, chop them, and replace with new. We did this on a number of installs to bring older installations into line without full rewires.

The regulations are written with consultation from all representatives, no single scheme is responsible for its outcome and are not to blame for any inclusion or omission.

.

 

[kerching]

Bad day?......Moi??

Bad freaking week, more like!

Wife has been evaluating items and paraphernalia of an equine bent

I have been painting

I dislike painting

Just saying

 

[Sharpend]

Painting? That must have escaped your memory in the 'things I don't like' thread?...

 

[pewter]

Not fitting RCD's would be more convenient.

:innocent

 

[Apache]

I'd rather have a single RCD up front than none. Usually you could drop the individual MCB down and even if a neutral fault not exactly rocket science to drop it from the board.

I'm more concerned what is either wrong with the installation or wrong with the homeonwer if tripping of either RCD or MCB is a regular event?

We've had more power cuts than trips. The DNO don't make sure the upstairs lights work when that happens................

I can see why the regs say what they do, but it's a little silly IMO.

 

[Doc Hudson]

The regulation relating to minimising inconvenience is not actually directly related to the use of RCD's at all. The opening statements of the particular regulation is that installations should be divided into circuits to avoid danger and minimise inconvenience and to facilitate safe operation inspection testing and maintenance. These exact phrases were in previous issues of the regulations a long time before the increased use of RCD's was required in the 17th edition. More to do with not just having a single light circuit MCB or a single socket circuit MCB.

Doc H..