crabtree starbreaker

[waynelester]

hi,im after a little advice.a 5+5 consumer unit(star breaker),5 protected and 5 unprotected.the board has 3 un protected circuits ie 2 spare ways and 5 rcd protected circuits no spare ways.my problem is i need to add a new protected circuit.is it possible to move the rcd unit to allow an extra circuit.iv been told this cannot be done,an alternative would be to install a new rcbo but theses are expensive,also is it a no no to fit a type c breaker on a domestic system if its not required,thanks

 

[GLENNSPARK]

What do you want a c type for wayne? The only reason you would fit a c type is for inductive loads such as motors and non-incandescant lamps. Type c and d are for loads that have high inrush currents.......you will not normally encounter such loads in a domestic environment........

 

[waynelester]

i wouldnt go out and buy one,but if for example i was stuck for a b type,bu had a c type could i use it

 

[Des 56]

is it possible to move the rcd unit to allow an extra circuit.

If its the modern plug them in type,then I would say no,its not possible
The older type with the standard bus bar,I would say yes they can be altered

 

[Engineer54]

Agree, the standard bus bar CUs can indeed be altered/rearranged

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i wouldnt go out and buy one,but if for example i was stuck for a b type,bu had a c type could i use it

Put a B type in. C and D types would not give you the same characteristics you really need for a domestic environment....you dont want to restrict yourself to lower values of loop for a c type. Check out BS7671 (P49) TABLE 41.3 for tabulated values of loop for breakers to BS60898.........

 

[waynelester]

yes i beleive its the plug in type

 

[telectrix]

on all the starbreaker boards i have seen , because of how the RCD gets it,s incomer, the RCD position is fixed. fit an RCBO. OK they're £30, but it saves any hassle.

 

[Geordie Spark]

on all the starbreaker boards i have seen , because of how the RCD gets it,s incomer, the RCD position is fixed. fit an RCBO. OK they're £30, but it saves any hassle.

or less on fleabay

 

[Engineer54]

I see it's still a case of Rip Off Britain then!! Even MG and ABB RCBOs in Cyprus, are way under 30 Euros, and the cheapies run out at about 9 to 11 Euros....

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Hi Wayne, The Crabtree Starbreaker plug-in busbar can be changed from 5+5 to 4+6 (Part No. 9770) or 3+7 (Part No. 9680) the current trade price for either busbar is £9.80 each.

 

[telectrix]

useful to know. thanks.

 

[topquark]

Expensive bit of busbar, can't you just use some of the slot in shelving uprights (they look about the same)

 

[Engineer54]

Never physically seen the Crabtree Starbreaker CUs, but most of the plug-in type breaker systems i've come across are nasty affairs especially those i've seen for American breakers. Personally i would never use plug-in breaker systems, i don't like them and seen more than enough burnt out breakers due to inadequate or loose contact conections with these bar systems..... Plus your paying a premium for these systems, and breakers also tend to cost more too!!!

 

[topquark]

Never physically seen the Crabtree Starbreaker CUs, but most of the plug-in type breaker systems i've come across are nasty affairs especially those i've seen for American breakers. Personally i would never use plug-in breaker systems, i don't like them and seen more than enough burnt out breakers due to inadequate or loose contact conections with these bar systems..... Plus your paying a premium for these systems, and breakers also tend to cost more too!!!

They're very similar to the wylex type ones, only the crabtree has an insulated busbar (hence looking a bit like the old plastic coated shelf supports ).

Maybe for that price it includes a couple of replacement neutral bars as well?

 

[telectrix]

they ain't that bad on price. i bought a 3-5-5 c/w 10MCBs for £90 inc. vat.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Your better off with the older type (the din rail type) easy and cheaper to configure as you want...what a stupid idea those plug in things are...i had a load of em...gave em to my boss....£20 for the lot about 10-12 breakers i think,..i didn`t want em anyway......

 

[Deleted member 9648]

We only use starbreaker on domestics,with plug in mcb's...never had a problem with a single one and I've fitted hundreds.
Also there is no reason to this thing that you can only use type B's on domestics.As long as the Zs meets the disconnection time you can use any type you wish.
I fit type C's to lighting circuits as first choice...they rarely trip out when a bulb blows,even GU10's.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

We only use starbreaker on domestics,with plug in mcb's...never had a problem with a single one and I've fitted hundreds.
Also there is no reason to this thing that you can only use type B's on domestics.As long as the Zs meets the disconnection time you can use any type you wish.
I fit type C's to lighting circuits as first choice...they rarely trip out when a bulb blows,even GU10's.

Yep wire....Its generally where they are found (type c) in a domestic....on a lighting circuit......but there are disadvantages to this n all.....a while back we went to look at some lamps installed over a fat fryer at a macdonalds drivethrough...the complaint was that every time a lamp blew it threw the breaker (type b) they wanted a c type putting in but i noticed there was no means of isolation for these lamps on their own so we kept the b type in as that would mean they wouldn`t be changing lamps on an energised circuit.............

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Yep wire....Its generally where they are found (type c) in a domestic....on a lighting circuit......but there are disadvantages to this n all.....a while back we went to look at some lamps installed over a fat fryer at a macdonalds drivethrough...the complaint was that every time a lamp blew it threw the breaker (type b) they wanted a c type putting in but i noticed there was no means of isolation for these lamps on their own so we kept the b type in as that would mean they wouldn`t be changing lamps on an energised circuit.............

Surely all the lamps on the circuit dont blow at the same time?...Likely they would have to switch back on the mcb in order to identify which lamp had gone!!...In which case your reason for not fitting a type C might be redundant......