geoffxr4

I wonder if ayone cld help with a technical question. I am currently in the process of letting out a property and need to get an eletrical safety test. However, i wish to prevent undue work being carried out due to my lack of knowledge. I currently have an older style fuse box, with a sperate RCD after the fuse box that protects the power sockets in the house. However, my electrician is sayign that the RCD needs to be placed before the circuit breaker, which would mean a whole new fuse box.

I phoned the NICEIC's technical support line and the guy was pretty clear that the power shld come into the property, go through the circuit breakers and then into the RCD, the reason being the the circuit breaker protects the wires going into the RCD. He said as long as u hav an RCD in teh circuit going to the power sockets then it's all good.

My problem is i phoned my electrican and he's not having it, and trying to confuse me with all techincal jargon.

Any electricians pls confirm where the RCD shoudl be placed? The last house he did he changed it so that it comes in from electricity board, goes thru RCD then into circuit breaker. Had new consumer unit there so didn't cost me anything but still made me change it. I'm worried it's the wrong way round now as techincal guy on phone was very clear.

Advice please....??


Also, anybody know any good honest! electricians in south east area. Need a decent one for my yearly checks etc but dont need all this messing about, trying to be conned stuff

Thanks

danneth

as long as you have an RCD protecting the sockets, shower, cooker ( if theres a socket on it) i wouldn't worry about it

personally though if its an older board why not just get a split load board then you can have them all on the RCD side and do away with the seperate RCD's

rstdave

iTrader: (3)

As said above, a split load board would be the ideal setup......cos it's split loaded u won't get the lights goin out if a socket trips the rcd, and is basically the best way of doin things. Plus, the rcd covering the sockets has to have a 30ma tripping current. My company does loads of inspection and testing, and to be fair it's amazin how much u find wrong in most properties that we test, especially those where the diyers have had a go!

stevieturbo

Depending on the incoming supply, you may need a 100ma RCD covering the entire board...which would mean after the meter, but before your fuse board.

The relatively large cables, will already be protected by the incoming fuse, so its a little odd that the NICEIC would say that an RCD should be mounted AFTER any circuit breakers. This would imply using mulitple RCD's or indeed RCBO's


Best way would be with a split board as already mentioned. Cover entire board with a 100ma, and sockets with a 30ma, and you should be well covered.

danneth

so true im currently doing upgrade board and bonds in some bungalows and its almost certain ill power it up flick the sockets on and "trip" goes the RCD the amount of properties with faults that the old boards dont pick up is unreal

mackers

dont forget if the main rcd covering the board is 100ma and the 30ma for sockets, as in a TT system, the 100ma must be time delayed.

geoffxr4

Yeah, i do see what ur saying about new boards being better etc. BUt i'm confident the existing fuse box/circuit breaker is fine and dont really wanna pull it out if dont need to.

I just wanna make sure it's ok to simply put the RCD in series, after the circuit breaker, on the power socket circuit?

Far i see it teh addition of an RCD is simply to add protection against electric shock, and doesn't interfere with the existing circuit breakers. It's just offering added protection
Or is this too simplisitc and do i not really understand what's going on?