Wiring an MCB

[abrsmith]

Can a MCB be wired either way round or is it always "feed" in to the bottom and "load" out of the top?

MCB I have is MK Sentry.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[andy]

the feed goes in the bottom. since thats where the busbar is

 

[plugwash]

it won't make any difference which way round a mcb is wired.

obviously in a CU the busbar forces you to do it one way but in other situations it doesn't matter.

 

[abrsmith]

Does it have to? Reason I ask is that I have it in a enclosure with no bus-bar so could wire it either way.

Thanks

 

[andy]

Does it have to? Reason I ask is that I have it in a enclosure with no bus-bar so could wire it either way.

Thanks

AFAIK it can be wired either way

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Does it have to? Reason I ask is that I have it in a enclosure with no bus-bar so could wire it either way.

Thanks

Sentries can. Electrically, any MCB can, but some generic advice re non-bus-bar applications: make sure your chosen MCB can accept a cable at each end, and that the bottom terminal isn't designed with the expectation of a couple of bus-bar fingers...

 

[plugwash]

iirc the wylex ones have a cable hole below the busbar fork entry

not sure about other brands.

 

[Paul_C]

iirc the wylex ones have a cable hole below the busbar fork entry

They do indeed. In fact you've prompted me to post a thread on a Wylex panel in which somebody had made ingenious use of them:

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=115872#115872

 

[kai]

Why on earth would you want to wire up a MCB in a consumer unit with no busbar?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You wonder why they didn't put the neutrals in the top holes...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why on earth would you want to wire up a MCB in a consumer unit with no busbar?

So do small din-rail enclosures, such as one might use to supply a shower, come with bus-bars, kai?

 

[ChrisRogers]

Why on earth would you want to wire up a MCB in a consumer unit with no busbar?

So do small din-rail enclosures, such as one might use to supply a shower, come with bus-bars, kai?

for the benifit of BAS (and myself!), do you still respond to the name MB?

 

[plugwash]

i think the shower CUs do come with a busbar neutral bar and earth wire

thats why they are classed as CUs and not modular boxes

but why do you assume that a MCB will always be used in a CU?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

for the benifit of BAS (and myself!), do you still respond to the name MB?

Kai shuffles nonchalantly away, hands in his (double-seamed) pockets..