When Is An RCD Not An RCD...When It's A Main Switch!

[securespark]

 

[Spark123]

No expense spent?
Looks horrible!

 

[david_uk]

On the NIC form, in the bit where it asks you for charateristics of main protective device (not awake yet - need more coffee - maybe not exactly the right words) there are two boxes to write down the characteristics of the main protective switch if ot's an RCD, so one might logically assume that an RCD is acceptable.

Prepares to duck flying bricks.....

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[securespark]

Yeah, maybe it's misleading.

I came to this job a couple of days ago. At first glance, this looks like an RCD. It has the same design as an RCD, with a half-width offset switch & a recessed area where a test button resides.

However, written on this unit is "100A SWITCH DISCONNECTOR".

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So they use the same moulding for the two....

I get the feeling we're all missing something, in your mind?

 

[securespark]

Can I start again?

Let me make it very clear: All this post is doing is alerting sparks to the fact there are main switches out there that look like RCD's.

I thank you.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[securespark]

Precisely! That's what I'm saying.

Don't let appearances deceive you.

But has anyone seen a main switch like this before?

 

[ericmark]

Dorman Smith did a loadmaster MCB which caused some problems as the 100A one was an isolator only and not an overload and we fitted a few before someone bored read the instructions. We should have realised as the link bar was red on the isolator and black on the others up to 70A but this was before we printed B, C or D in front of the number.
And to be fair the test button is not always on the breaker on the larger moulded types it is a little white button and I think most with variable current and time delay have remote test button.
Of course you will not find these in domestic as they need to only altered by skilled persons but the 90 range automatic reset type have also an auto test built in so their test button is not visible. Yes I know there is one but it is covered up in normal use. Again I would not expect there are many used in domestic I think the £300+ price tag puts people off?

Untitled

• ericmark
• 6 Dec 2008
• 34

Eric