E

electritaz

When wiring an rcd do you fit the neutral wire on the left hand side and the live wire on the right hand side or viceversa? According to the iee regulations is there a specific way how to wire it correctly and safely.
 
Follow the manufacturers instructions either accompanying or on the device.
failing that ,in my experience ,either way round is equally acceptable....ensure the rcd is fully tested after installation to verify this.



spark1
 
When wiring an rcd do you fit the neutral wire on the left hand side and the live wire on the right hand side or viceversa? According to the iee regulations is there a specific way how to wire it correctly and safely.
Are you talking about an RCD or RCBO:confused:
 
Rcds,rcdo,rccb,ect All manufacturers are slightly different so just wire to manufacturers instructions. As for the institute giving a regulation for them as there is such a variety the only on i can think that may apply is safe isolation before doing it
 
Hi


You will have a wiring diagram printed on the side of the RCD/RCBO's, make sure you get the polarity correct very important incoming and outgoing. And the Earthing lead to the earth terminal inside the distribution board. Neutral and earths to the correct split bars.


regards

sorry Head Moderator i was trying to cover all angles as he did not respond to macca's question RCD or RCBO
 
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Jason some modular rcbos dont have a functional earth on them.
So how are they supposed to work then.Overload and earth leakage protection.All the RCBO's i have installed have had a fly lead.Which one's are you talking about and what are they used for:confused:
 
I stand corrected!

Must admit tho, i wouldnt touch Proteus with anyones barge pole.

All the RCBO's i have installed have had an earth and neutral flylead, and thats ranging from Contactum (RIP) to Hager etc.
 
I know, but why do RCBO's need them for the RCD function(?) yet RCD's dont?
If you don't have an RCD protected board,where the customer won't pay for a board change or something like that.You could change the main switch to 30mA but that would take everything out.Only other option is to install an RCBO on that designated circuit
 
If you don't have an RCD protected board,where the customer won't pay for a board change or something like that.You could change the main switch to 30mA but that would take everything out.Only other option is to install an RCBO on that designated circuit

How does one carry out safe isolation if you change the main switch for an rcd. Cutting the main incoming seal and pulling the fuse appears to be the only way, if so is this acceptable practice?
 
I know, but why do RCBO's need them for the RCD function(?) yet RCD's dont?


Jason I remember reading somewhere that RCBOs require the earth connection as a reference point and without them they would fail to respond to lost neutrals or n-e faults....dont know is this is exactly correct and I must say its a test I have not tried out myself to confirm it:)


spark1
 
Jason I remember reading somewhere that RCBOs require the earth connection as a reference point and without them they would fail to respond to lost neutrals or n-e faults....dont know is this is exactly correct and I must say its a test I have not tried out myself to confirm it:)


spark1

Ah yes you could be right there, as most RCBO's are only single pole and so therefore, without the flylead, the neutral could go to earth with the RCBO detecting it.

How does one carry out safe isolation if you change the main switch for an rcd. Cutting the main incoming seal and pulling the fuse appears to be the only way, if so is this acceptable practice?

Most RCD's are double pole, so there is your safe isolation.

However, the use of an RCD as a main switch is not a good idea with regards to nuisance tripping.

Hence the dual RCD boards.
 
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Yes Jason, there is also the problem when using single pole RCBOs that when a N-E fault is detected and the device trips off it only isolates the Phase conductor and leaves the original N-E fault still in circuit....possible problem in TT systems....


spark1
 
Hagers do have a flylead, fitted some only yesterday. Also I would be interested how much are people paying for the Hager RCBO for a consumer unit and how much are they paying for an RCBO for a 3-phase board
 
Hagers do have a flylead, fitted some only yesterday. Also I would be interested how much are people paying for the Hager RCBO for a consumer unit and how much are they paying for an RCBO for a 3-phase board

Not at home at the moment but will have a look later.

I have just done a few Hager DB's and CU's.

From memory, the DB RCBO's are around £20 on top of the standard ones!!!
 
Well, I have just taken my wholesaler to task on this, I am now paying 20 quid for the ADN rcbo units for consumer units and 24 quid for the AD for dis boards, its all because of the length of the neutral lead, quite bizarly the neutral lead still didn't reach

Should add really, I got the bill through for the dis board ones (AD) and they were £51-00, they took it up with Hager and got the discounts sorted out.
 
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I am surprised the neutral lead did not reach as the neutral bars are labelled bottom to top along with the DB (if you start nearest the main switch) so the distance should stay the same as you go up the bus bar.

I have just done a 16 way and didnt have any probs.
 
Ah, this was an older board and had earth on the left and neutral on the right

Ah fair enough.

These RCBO's are doing my head in tho.

Its near enough impossible to keep the inside of DB tidy with all the earth and neutral fly leads trailing everywhere.

Do you cut yours??
 
I try not to, you never know when you may take them out or move them around. I think you commented on a thread I had going a while ago about RCD's on commercial premesis. I again asked the ECA this week about using them in offices etc, they state that they should not be used on either lighting or power circuits unless it is a tea point or cleaners sockets etc as it is a controlled enviroment and anything hung on walls etc should not be done by office staff
 
Hmm thats very interesting they said that, however, this shop/showroom i have just installed, does have 2 lady members of staff plus the owner and he is a hands on kind of person.

How would that stand then??

He is certainly one for putting things on walls.
 
Yep I must admit, showrooms, shops I would put RCD protection in, I think what they are also saying is that in an office things tend to be plugged in and left there, I did also question them about sockets chased into walls and he came up with the same answer..no RCD
Just going off the subject a bit, if you are installing floor boxes and client doesn't want to pay for some lovely electrak, what method of wiring do you use?

Should have said it was a raised access floor
 
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Tricky one really.

The only other method would be 2" galv trunking but that would be a royal pain.

The only floor boxes i have been involved with were in a 2ft x 2ft square modular suspended floor with the boxes cut into the square where needed.

All cables run in kopex.

To be honest, if its a new install, then there isnt really any other way than using the trak.
 
I have seen it so many times where twin and earth is used and tie wrapped to the posts, also seen it in twin and earth on tray, cant think that is a lot better as you have more chance of walking on it on tray...think i will start a new thread
 
Ah yes you could be right there, as most RCBO's are only single pole and so therefore, without the flylead, the neutral could go to earth with the RCBO detecting it.



Most RCD's are double pole, so there is your safe isolation.

However, the use of an RCD as a main switch is not a good idea with regards to nuisance tripping.

Hence the dual RCD boards.
Sorry Jason, I missed out if the rcd itself then required replacing due to becoming faulty at a later date.
 

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How to wire an rcd according to regulations?
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