which RCD system and which CU to match it.

[amstel]

Good evening everybody.
I live in a 3 bedroom bungalow with a detached garage, where I will probably stay.
At the moment I have no RCD protection at all, nothing.
I would like to have my system uprated, if I give my present configurations and say what i,d like, maybe you experts can help please.
To start with, there is a 6 way contactum CU with mcb,s. (p6n)
1:lights
2:sockets
3:emersion
4:garage
5:central heating
6:blank
there is no cooker or shower circuits,....gas cooker,plumbed in shower.
On the lighting circuit, there are 2 spurs, 1 to a bathroom extractor, and the other to a kitchen extractor, through separate FCU,s.
The part of it all I think is old hat, is just 1 lighting 1 sockets cicuits, can I have the lighting circuit divided into 2 ? also, same with the sockets, kitchen sockets and rest of bungalow?
If I go down the RCBO route, it will cost more than a dual RCD CU.?
Thanks.

 

[flyingsparks]

RCBO's will cost a lot more than dual RCD CU yes.

 

[riveralt]

At the end of the day you can have what you want.
It will depend on how much disruption you are prepared to put up with and how much you are prepared to pay.

The difference between a RCD and RCBO installation is falling all the time.
Just got my trade magazine through and a 14 way board with 8 RCBO's is £120. Time was it when a single RCBO was £40.

Fitting a new Consumer Unit and altering the circuits as you are proposing should be done by a professional or a very good competent and knowledgeable diyer.
If you do not fall into the latter category then get a couple of electricians in to discuss your options.

 

[echoes]

Every house if different, and each designer will have their own ideas of how best to comply with the wiring and building regs.

There seems little point in installing extra circuits that you do not need, or are you planning on a full rewire, or bringing your current installation up to date with room for expansion later?

RCBOs are much more expensive than MCBs, so the more circuits you have, it gets more expensive. However not all circuits must be RCD protected if they are installed appropriately.

It's a good idea to have your freezer on a separate circuit that won't be affected by an RCD tripping. 2 lighting circuits also helps by designing to have some light still available in the event of a trip.
As kitchens get more power-hungry it is common to have a dedicated power circuit, with maybe dedicated circuits for washing machines, dryers, etc as well as the traditional cooker circuit.

 

[amstel]

Echoes, which circuits do not need RCD protection if fitted appropriately?
As for extending the system, no I dont want to do that, it just seems daft having 1lighting/1sockets circuits,...if a rcd trips, I would be plunged into darkness, etc. thanks.

 

[riveralt]

Personally I would have RCBO protection on all of my circuits.
While I appreciate you saying you are not extending the system but by suggesting that you want to divide the socket circuit up for example you are altering the circuit which is sometimes easier said than done.
If you do want avoid the blackout situation when you get a problem go down the RCBO route - as I said there're not as dear as they used to be - For new boards this is all I fit now.

 

[RF Lighting]

No circuits require RCD protection if fitted apropriately, except for socket circuits intended for general use.

Normally in a domestic environment all circuits would require RCD protection with the exception of perhaps a dedicated freezer socket which has been specifically installed to avoid RCD protection etc.

As you only have 5 circuits I'd be looking at installing an all RCBO CU, and I really wouldn't worry about splitting any of your circuits up father than they already are.

If you are worried about being plunged into darkness in the event of a fault, then you could fit an emergency light.

With an all RCBO CU you would still have power to your sockets to plug in some table lamps.

 

[echoes]

On your lighting, it may be quite easy to split your existing circuit into 2, and have both on a separate RCBO if that's what you want, but as RF says, there are other ways of ensuring that you are not in the dark.

I'm not fishing for the OSG right now, but these circuits need RCD protection:

1. General purpose power
2. Where cable is installed less than 50mm in walls without protection (which in a house is usually the case).
3. Anything in a bathroom

 

[RF Lighting]

Whoops I forgot to mention that all circuits in a bathroom require RCD protection too

 

[sparkwright]

RCBOs are more desirable, as described earlier will only make the faulty circuit trip, nothing else.

Not sure on the age of the wiring, but if property is over 45 years there could be some out of date wiring that could do with be replaced or checked. That's not to say a newer property won't have it's problems.

Far better to get whole house checked over before new consumer unit is fitted, and get everything done right now rather than later.

Common problems in older houses are no earth in lighting circuit (or parts of it) and under sized or no earth bonding to gas and water etc.

Get everything checked and upgraded as necessary, and you won't have any problems for a long time.

 

[ericmark]

As well as the RCBO/RCD question there are also varying quality of RCD devices the X-Pole it seems is less likely to trip without cause and there are even auto resetting

Untitled

• ericmark
• 6 Dec 2008
• 34

although the price at about £350 each means they are really only for remote buildings like pumping stations not a house where one can easy reset the device manually. However I would consider using for the disabled.

 

[plugwash]

While i'm sure there are uses for an auto-reset RCD using one for personal protection (which is the main reason we put RCDs in domestic houses) seems like a bad idea to me.

 

[amstel]

I would like to say thankyou to all who replied to my questions, and I think I will choose the all independant rcbo option that is reccomended.
I would still like to have the 1 lights and 1 sockets circuits both split, so maybe an 8-way would be about right.
I,ve only lived here since 2005, and at a guess, looking at the CU, cables, bonding etc, doesnt look much older.
It is a CONTACTUM cu, are they as good as wylex, mk, hager?
Thanks

 

[RF Lighting]

I'm not keen on contactum my self, and they did go into recivership for a bit a few years back.

Personally I would say hager are the best for domestic use.

 

[flameport]

While i'm sure there are uses for an auto-reset RCD using one for personal protection (which is the main reason we put RCDs in domestic houses) seems like a bad idea to me.

From 1 January 2012 they are not permitted anyway. (530.3.5).