Electric dilemma - MCB info wanted

[LeeUK]

Hi

I have a holiday home and received a 2k elec bill recently despite the house being empty 6 months.
I have found my elec heaters come on automatically if there has been a power cut so presume this is the issue. The maker says the heaters do this and advised to switch main switch off!
I have ordered some smart switches (not MCBs - edit) off a chinese site but am wondering if anyone knows of any MCBs available in the UK that would be off and need to be reset to on if power has resumed from a power cut. I have had a few things off the site ive ordered off and ok with those and currently trialling a switch (not mcb) at the mo.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I have found my elec heaters come on automatically if there has been a power cut so presume this is the issue. The maker says the heaters do this and advised to switch main switch off!

That seems extremely unlikely and potentially dangerous.

If it is true, it is an extremely daft idea. Do they not have an 'off' switch?

I have ordered some MCBs off a chinese site but am wondering if anyone knows of any MCBs available in the UK that would be off and need to be reset to on if power has resumed from a power cut.

I don't know why you are asking about MCBs; they are no different than the main switch in that respect.
MCBs are just switches that don't move whether they are on or off whatever the power situation - cut or resumed.

There are "active" RCDs which switch off when there is a power cut - but if they are switched off anyway that would make no difference.

 

[LeeUK]

That seems extremely unlikely and potentially dangerous.

If it is true, it is an extremely daft idea. Do they not have an 'off' switch? ...........................

Yes they have an off switch, " in fact theres 3 (fused wall switch, power switch on rear and an on/off on the control) but you tend to have them powered on and use the control panel as and when needed and in the problem I had, there must have been a power cut and once re connected they all switched on!

I am testing this switch out at the mo which Im happy with but wondered if there was a more common MCB type in the UK that did similar. No idea if they act like a MCB as well as a switch.
This one, as well as monitoring power consumption it can be off if power is cut until manually or remotely switched on

Maybe I should have just asked if anyone had been using these, thoughts on etc...

 

[EFLImpudence]

I do not have any experience of the device - someone else might know.

However, from what I can find:

Perhaps you have it programmed incorrectly on your phone/PC/whatever.

 

[LeeUK]

I do not have any experience of the device - someone else might know.

However, from what I can find:

View attachment 249463

Perhaps you have it programmed incorrectly on your phone/PC/whatever.

The switch is working fine, no issues as yet.
We're getting crossed wires now.

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes they have an off switch, " in fact theres 3 (fused wall switch, power switch on rear and an on/off on the control) but you tend to have them powered on and use the control panel as and when needed and in the problem I had, there must have been a power cut and once re connected they all switched on!

I am testing this switch out at the mo which Im happy with but wondered if there was a more common MCB type in the UK that did similar. No idea if they act like a MCB as well as a switch.
This one, as well as monitoring power consumption it can be off if power is cut until manually or remotely switched on

Maybe I should have just asked if anyone had been using these, thoughts on etc...

View attachment 249461

I struggle to understand why you require remote control of heating in a holiday home. Just switch the RCD off when you leave and on when you return.
Total isolation, no chance of high bills, no running costs...

 

[plugwash]

I would NOT install a device obtained from a Chinese marketplace site that has no safety approval makings as the protective device for a circuit in a CU and would consider doing so to be highly negligent.

Indeed it's not clear from the markings whether the device you have installed provides any form of overcurrent protection at all.

I suspect the easiest way to achive what you want with readilly available approved would be to wire up a contactor so it switches it's own coil, then use a push-button switch to turn it on but that would still need to be in addition to an overcurrent protection device, not instead of it.

 

[SUNRAY]

I would NOT install a device obtained from a Chinese marketplace site that has no safety approval makings as the protective device for a circuit in a CU and would consider doing so to be highly negligent.

Indeed it's not clear from the markings whether the device you have installed provides any form of overcurrent protection at all.

I suspect the easiest way to achive what you want with readilly available approved would be to wire up a contactor so it switches it's own coil, then use a push-button switch to turn it on but that would still need to be in addition to an overcurrent protection device, not instead of it.

Unless I've read this post wrong the device is not being used to replace a MCB, just switch and monitor the power.

 

[plugwash]

It certainly looks like it's replacing a MCB in the OPs picture.

 

[ericmark]

I have noted with smart light switches default is off, but smart bulbs default is on, so after a power cut any lights using smart bulbs auto switch on. That actually works well, as if you don't have your phone, turning lights off then on again turns them on.

I have not tested relay, this relay allows two way operation between phone and wall switch, so either can change state. This means you likely don't know default state.

Some show state

note the green on/off button showing lamp switched on, but the bulb shown as white 2

is on at the moment but the app shows it as off. "Offline" means unpluged or switched off. The other system

the socket top does not show if on or off, but the socket with switch and monitor and the monitor does, in summer I use centre one for the AC so I can actually see if running.

If a light bulb gives wrong report not that worried, but for the AC I want to see if running or not.

 

[flameport]

It certainly looks like it's replacing a MCB in the OPs picture.

More likely the existing MCBs have been shifted to the left, the busbar connected into the bottom of that dubious switch device, and some piece of wire connected between the RCD output and the input to the device.

All entirely inappropriate and making the whole thing a custom assembly designed by whoever made those changes. When it all goes wrong, that person is 100% responsible for any damages caused.

 

[LeeUK]

I struggle to understand why you require remote control of heating in a holiday home. Just switch the RCD off when you leave and on when you return.
Total isolation, no chance of high bills, no running costs...

Easy to say Switch off when not required
several people use it, were switched off on control panel but not via switch at rear
no point questioning logic, im wanting more control in case they are not switched off properly

 

[LeeUK]

I would NOT install a device obtained from a Chinese marketplace site that has no safety approval makings as the protective device for a circuit in a CU and would consider doing so to be highly negligent.

Indeed it's not clear from the markings whether the device you have installed provides any form of overcurrent protection at all.

I suspect the easiest way to achive what you want with readilly available approved would be to wire up a contactor so it switches it's own coil, then use a push-button switch to turn it on but that would still need to be in addition to an overcurrent protection device, not instead of it.

Has CE mark (I know !) and a marque ive bought and used lots of other items without issue hence buying again
My reason for posting was to see if there was anything on the UK market I could use

 

[LeeUK]

It certainly looks like it's replacing a MCB in the OPs picture.

It isn't

 

[LeeUK]

I have noted with smart light switches default is off, but smart bulbs default is on, so after a power cut any lights using smart bulbs auto switch on. That actually works well, as if you don't have your phone, turning lights off then on again turns them on.

I have not tested relay, this relay View attachment 249522 allows two way operation between phone and wall switch, so either can change state. This means you likely don't know default state.

Some show state View attachment 249523 note the green on/off button showing lamp switched on, but the bulb shown as white 2 View attachment 249525 is on at the moment but the app shows it as off. "Offline" means unpluged or switched off. The other system View attachment 249526 the socket top does not show if on or off, but the socket with switch and monitor and the monitor does, in summer I use centre one for the AC so I can actually see if running.

If a light bulb gives wrong report not that worried, but for the AC I want to see if running or not.

I do know of these and have similar
I don' want hidden smart switches that require someone that might be in the property to ask me to remotely activate
the switch ive added allows whoever is in the property to activate after a cut (as well as me remotely)