VOELCB

[bigspark17]

Pic attached of an old voelcb, voltage operated earth leakage circuit breaker, for those who may not have seen one before.

 

[FatAlan]

Does that count as a antique then? I think the carpet says it all!

 

[bigspark17]

Yes whole house (old farm) was 50's install TT with a 2.5mm tinnned bare earth going to a rod out back reading 300+, rubbers everywhere (cables btw ) connector blocks everywhere, no bonding. Had a DNO install a pme head as available and just finishing of the rewire now, job satisfaction at a high today

 

[Deleted member 26818]

There's talk about bringing them back for electric car charging points.

 

[bigspark17]

I'll keep it on the van then incase might make a few quid on it

 

[FatAlan]

When you say rubbers I take it you mean the old rubber insulation. I'm over 50 and funnily enough do remember older wiring from my youth in various DIY escapades.

 

[Risteard]

There's talk about bringing them back for electric car charging points.

From Wiring Matters (emphasis mine):

"Regulation 722.411.4.1(iii) is based on the installation requirements (from the 14th edition wiring regulations) for a voltage operated earth leakage circuit breaker. However, the device differs from the BS 842 voltage operated earth leakage circuit breaker. A product standard for a protective device for the purposes of (iii) is being developed by BSI Committee PEL/23/1."

 

[Sparks1962]

This is one of Crabtree's early current operated devices, trips at 500 ma if I remember correctly...

I've taken plenty out, maybe I should have saved some for posterity

 

[freddo]

I thought they were 1 amp on those current operated ones?

Anyway here is a real voltage operated elcb the rather less common 3phase version. Sorry the photos are a bit blurry.

These things are robust as hell compared to modern stuff.

 

[Sparks1962]

1 Amp..you could be right. Frightening, in view of many situations!

I still come across a few of these 4 pole ELCB's, mainly in Farm buildings.

Somewhere in my workshop I have a Clare test set which does a 'Go, No Go ' test on VOELCB's.

I'll dig it out and post some pics if anyones interested..

Cheers

Dave

 

[Carl S]

I thought they were 1 amp on those current operated ones?

Anyway here is a real voltage operated elcb the rather less common 3phase version. Sorry the photos are a bit blurry.
View attachment 33885 View attachment 33886
These things are robust as hell compared to modern stuff.

VOELCB's worked on voltage rise not leakage current.

 

[1Justin]

I took one out exactly like that last week, still have the bits in the garage.

 

[freddo]

VOELCB's worked on voltage rise not leakage current.

I thought they were 1 amp on those current operated ones?

I was talking about the current operated ones as shown in the first post, not VOELCBs.

 

[1Justin]

Figure this one out then. (all done and dusted now, including a MET connected to something more conventional

 

[Lucien Nunes]

If anyone has complete units like this in good condition surplus to requirements - voltage or current operated - then I would be happy to pay you to pack and send them rather than bin them as I need a couple of good examples for the museum. If you send ones that either work or can be repaired I will make demo videos of them in operation for my forthcoming YouTube vintage electrics video series.

The first unit in the thread is indeed an RCD type. They took a standard VOELCB mechanism and mounted it in the box with that chunky toroidal balance transformer connected to what would have been the E & F terminals. I am not sure whether they used a different resistance of tripping coil or whether the transformer was wound to suit a standard coil.

 

[freddo]

1 Amp..you could be right. Frightening, in view of many situations!

Remember these things were designed for fault protecton on TT systems and not much else.

Figure this one out then.

Is it even connected? The tails look like they are out? Old E7 supply? The Chilton 500mA(?) RCD doing the normal supply?