RCD wiring

[JM2]

Not UK Electrics really - more Boating Electrics.

Replacing an RCD (fails to test).

Are there any issues with wiring an RCD with the input (shore lead) to the bottom of the RCD and output (to MCBs) from the top ?

Can't see a problem but not the norm for consumer units.

 

[ericmark]

It would depend on the manufacturer but with electronic sensing having the supply on wrong side would mean with an active RCD it would not set. Since supplies can be rather long with a boat there could be a problem with passive RCD's as under fault conditions the voltage could drop below what is required to work the unit also type A is normally used with boats not type AC because of the use of simulated sin wave inverters. So although there may be the odd one where it does not matter in the main it will matter.

 

[JM2]

Well there are no manufacturers notes to say either way - implied connect how you like.

Noo, nothing to do with sim sines gens - shore supply, mains (1ph) albeit effectively on a very long feed.

Just received the replacement, picy shows the same image but this one has no markings at all for the terminals.

 

[JohnW2]

Well there are no manufacturers notes to say either way - implied connect how you like.

As you implied in your original post, I can't think of any real reason why it should matter, with a passive RCD. Indeed, I don't think there is essentially any difference between L & N, let alone 'in' and 'out'. As eric said, it would matter with an active RCD, because it presumably would regard 'wired upside down' as representing a loss of power, and therefore would not reset. Although many/most passive RCDs have electronics, powered from what it expects to be the 'supply side', those electronics are only involved in 'tripping' (not 'setting') and therefore should not matter.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JM2]

Thanks.
Replacement fitted as per original (make life easier).
- Yes, passive.
All in and working now.

Discovered loose N out and a lot of heat damage along with the fail to test so I think that rcd has seen its days out.

 

[securespark]

Hope you trimmed back the neutral to clean shiny copper!

 

[JM2]

No, had to replaced it as it was too far gone.