I have a 12 way split load consumer unit that I plan to have installed in our house. Simple unit, 6 MCBs on the non-RCD side and 6 on the (63A) RCD side.
Having done a bit of reading though I gather that there are several disadvantages to this design. For example, if I put all three ring mains on the RCD side then any apliance in the house can trip all other appliances. This is obvioulsy especially bad for the freezer.
I have also read that lighting cirucits on the RCD side are considered a bad idea as you can be left in the dark during a fire etc:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=House_Wiring_for_Beginners
In addition, the dedicated radials for the immersion and the cooker should apparently not be on any RCD as they naturally leak a little as they get older.
When I take all this info togeher it looks like a single non RCD box with the correct mixture of RCBOs and MCBs might be a better choice? In that case I would have:
Ring1: 32A RCBO
Ring2: 32A RCBO
Ring3: 32A RCBO
Radial1: 16A RCBO
Radial2: 16A RCBO
Immersion: 16A MCB
Cooker: 40A MCB
Lighting1: 6A MCB/RCBO?
Lighting2: 6A MCB/RCBO?
Lighting3: 6A MCB/RCBO?
Obviously this setup (if it is correct) would not nwork with the split load box I have. I guess I could take out the 63A RCD and replace it with a second 80A switch instead?
Cheers,
iep
Having done a bit of reading though I gather that there are several disadvantages to this design. For example, if I put all three ring mains on the RCD side then any apliance in the house can trip all other appliances. This is obvioulsy especially bad for the freezer.
I have also read that lighting cirucits on the RCD side are considered a bad idea as you can be left in the dark during a fire etc:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=House_Wiring_for_Beginners
In addition, the dedicated radials for the immersion and the cooker should apparently not be on any RCD as they naturally leak a little as they get older.
When I take all this info togeher it looks like a single non RCD box with the correct mixture of RCBOs and MCBs might be a better choice? In that case I would have:
Ring1: 32A RCBO
Ring2: 32A RCBO
Ring3: 32A RCBO
Radial1: 16A RCBO
Radial2: 16A RCBO
Immersion: 16A MCB
Cooker: 40A MCB
Lighting1: 6A MCB/RCBO?
Lighting2: 6A MCB/RCBO?
Lighting3: 6A MCB/RCBO?
Obviously this setup (if it is correct) would not nwork with the split load box I have. I guess I could take out the 63A RCD and replace it with a second 80A switch instead?
Cheers,
iep