rcd protection in commercial

[super_stuey]

As the title says, what are the rules regarding RCD protection in commercial situations?

We are working at a pharmacy and intend to group a couple of re-wireables onto a three phase board with a bus bar link and just wonderin whether we have to use RCBO's. There is a large mixture of lighting, socket outlet radials, rings, and alarm/cctv circuits currently in use.

Cables are all T&E and mainly in plastic conduit/trunking etc and not run in plaster anywhere.

Cheers all

 

[bugsy]

RCBO's on all outgoing circuits is what I would recommend however if as you say there are no buried cables and all the earthing is up to regs then you could get away with RCBO's feeding socket outlets only

 

[super_stuey]

cheers mate, is that a REQUIREMENT tho or preference?

 

[robsparky1975]

why do you need rcbo protection on lighting circuits in commercial premises if reference method is trunking/conduits?no bathrooms or the like,sockets if labelled for specific equiptment does not have to be on rcbo if,again if in trunking/conduits.re-wirables and linking the busbar does not sound too great,submains?

 

[super_stuey]

Thats what I was thinkin about the lighting just wanted to check.

Reason 4 the large board is there is two old wylex boards full of circuits in a cupboard with a 25mm 3 core armoured single phase supply doing all three. It already is a submain in that sense.

 

[robsparky1975]

sounds ok.some good labelling,sorted,didnt grasp what you meant at first,a blonde moment,i would only rcbo sockets,that had no tills/computers on them,most other circuits would not require it dependant on the wiring method(conduit/trunking),brb has a section on this.

 

[super_stuey]

Cheers rob, did look at the BRB (section 415??) but got myself all confused. Bit ambiguous for a change!

 

[Boaky]

I have done alterations to a lighting CCT in an old people's home do I need to use RCD protection. (Cables are buried less than 50mm)

 

[Darkwood]

Check the thread date but here's my take anyway ..
... i would be very cautious going down the RCD protection on all sockets in a pharmacy ... considering you have many drugs in fridges etc, do the fridges have dedicated supplies, is their a skilled person within the premises that can take responsibility for any socket circuits not having rcd protection and understand the implications of such a set-up ... all this is within the big green book and to be honest should be Basics here.

As no circuits are buried then only socket outlets are required rcd protection but in commercial and industrial it can be the case that a skilled person who understands the pro's and con's of rcd protection may allow for the omission of rcd protection but this shouldn't be an excuse not to bother fitting protection you should find reason that rcd protection may cause issues if fitted which may be the case in a pharmacy as i said drugs in fridges. I would look to having rcd protection on all sockets and/or radial each fridge on its own rcbo or unprotected outlets which i would suggest T pin sockets so standard plugs cant be used in them.

When i say skilled person this dosn't refer to yourself or workmates it refers to one of the Employee's or boss of the pharmacy.

Finally as this thread was started 3yrs ago i hope the install has been done i would suggest you open a new thread Boaky!

 

[Boaky]

Not sure how to open a new thread that's why I posted on an old thread here's for the reply though

 

[Darkwood]

Click on FORUM at the top and when the page opens go down and click the header that most suits your thread.... the next page will show all related threads to that subject and above them all is a POST NEW THREAD ...click on this and away you go.