All RCBOs?

[JohnW2]

RCDs used to be really expensive when they first came out and now they’re not any more.

That's true, and I presumed that someone would jump in with that. However, for a good few years after they first appeared, a lot of people were paying a lot of money on them before the price began to fall.

However, more to the point, in terms of what we're discussing about the accelerating rate of 'technological advances' (which, very often, evolve into 'regulatory requirements'), it's not really in the manufacturers' interests to allow a type of device to remain 'state of the art' for so long that they have to allow the price to topple - far better for them to invent something even newer-fangled (to eventually become a 'regulatory requirement') and then start selling it at an even more exorbitant price than the 'starting price' of their previous offering!

Cynical - who, me?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Risteard]

Maybe it usually is ("OK today)?

Don't forget that, as I illustrated, Amendment 1 of BS7671:2018 (published in February 2020, and effective from July 2020 - so hardly 'out-of-date') says:


Kind Regards, John

I.S. 10101:2020, on the other hand, states that Type AC RCDs are not recommended for new installations.

 

[He who knows]

If it helps my 2020 new build is 15 circuits grouped over 2 type AC RCDs.

I've invited the NICEIC for a site visit so we will be able to see (or maybe not) what they say about this kind of design on what I assume is a 18th edition certificate.

I'm looking at around 20±, depending on how unnecessarily I divide them.

When I started planning it I was going to use MCBs behind 4 RCDs (got the space). Like others here I've never suffered nuisance trips.

RCBOs have "come down in price" over recent years but still not a trivial price. Although Fusebox ones aren't bad.

Might go for a blended approach of A and AC RCBOs, and some MCBs behind an RCD where (a) losing several circuits at once would be OK as the loads could easily be isolated and (b) the RCD could be easily swapped out for a Type F if that was found to be necessary.

 

[He who knows]

... if, very roughly (and 'conservatively'), we say that's about £130 more than a bog-standard Type AC RCBO, that there's an average of about 8 per CU, and around 25 million domestic electrical installations, I make that around £26 billion ... one then has to think about the benefits to be had by re-directing that £26 billion in other directions - such as road safety, or 'merely' just addressing the problems of the 'disadvantaged' and/or poverty-stricken.

But I'm not likely to spend my share of that £26B on road safety or poor-relief.

 

[He who knows]

I.S. 10101:2020, on the other hand, states that Type AC RCDs are not recommended for new installations.

But those are the rules for a foreign country.

 

[Swwils]

On the flip side you could get a niglon 5+5 loaded board, somehow make your design compliant and it would only of cost you £86 Incl vat!

Maybe the intention behind promoting these newer devices is to shift the "average" towards slightly more adoption.

 

[JohnW2]

I.S. 10101:2020, on the other hand, states that Type AC RCDs are not recommended for new installations.

As has been noted (in this UK forum), some EU Member States have a different view from the UK. What, I wonder, was/is the Irish position as regards Covid-19 vaccine in the over-65s?

 

[JohnW2]

But I'm not likely to spend my share of that £26B on road safety or poor-relief.

Probably not, but if the requirement for the devices wasn't there, the government could take 'your share' from you in taxation, and then distribute it in what it regarded as the most sensible/cost-effective fashion, and you would be financially no worse off.

Kind Regards, John

 

[He who knows]

Well they could, but even though I am in favour of higher taxes and greater "social" spending, I'm not sure I'd be keen on what would basically be a "circuit tax" of £130 per circuit. Would old Wylex standards attract an even higher rate, as all the cost of RCBOs would be avoided?

 

[He who knows]

Hopefully it's all preparation for ditching ring finals!

If you don't like 'em don't have 'em.

 

[JohnW2]

Well they could, but even though I am in favour of higher taxes and greater "social" spending, I'm not sure I'd be keen on what would basically be a "circuit tax" of £130 per circuit. Would old Wylex standards attract an even higher rate, as all the cost of RCBOs would be avoided?

I think you understand the point I was making!

I obvious wasn't making a serious suggestion about taxation, and certainly not a political point. I was merely observing that 'we', as a nation, have a certain amount of money to play with - whether that be currently in the hands of individuals, the government's coffers or even notional/virtual 'money to play with' in the name of 'government borrowing'. If, as a nation, we didn't spend £26bn (or whatever) on certain electric devices, then that would be £26bn (or whatever which "we" (the nation) could spend on other (perhaps 'more worthwhile') things.

Kind Regards, John

 

[He who knows]

RCD trip out to help out?

 

[Risteard]

Maybe it usually is ("OK today)?

Don't forget that, as I illustrated, Amendment 1 of BS7671:2018 (published in February 2020, and effective from July 2020 - so hardly 'out-of-date') says:


Kind Regards, John

I.S. 10101:2020, on the other hand, states that Type AC RCDs are not recommended for new installations.

As has been noted (in this UK forum), some EU Member States have a different view from the UK. What, I wonder, was/is the Irish position as regards Covid-19 vaccine in the over-65s?

I presume you're referring to AstraZeneca? It's not used in the older age group.

 

[He who knows]

I.S. 10101:2020, on the other hand, states that Type AC RCDs are not recommended for new installations.

And the NEC says that breakers should not be loaded to more than 80% of their rating.

 

[JohnW2]

I.S. 10101:2020, on the other hand, states that Type AC RCDs are not recommended for new installations.

As I said, some EU Member States take different views from the UK about various things. For example ...

I presume you're referring to AstraZeneca? It's not used in the older age group.

As I half-expected. So the Irish take the same view as the Germans and others did (although I believe they are now 'rethinking their position') that, despite the absence of any evidence of any 'problem', they took the (initial) paucity of evidence that there was not any problem to mean that there was a problem?