Wrong type of RCD is it even part of EICR?

[EricMark]

I have noted more and more items ask for a type A RCD rather than type AC, with electric car charging units it is often even better than type A required, but with car charging units it is hard wired so clearly should be part of the inspection and looking up one make of charger unit not really a problem.

But what about items that plug in and also smaller items like central heating boilers? I have noted that some Bosch Worcester boiler instructions state type A RCD, but to wall round a house or any other building and note what is fitted and look up each set of manufacturers installation instructions is not really practical.

And testing a RCD we remove all load so if there was some item which was causing a DC component to stop the RCD tripping we would not know, maybe part of the testing should be to check the RCD trips when all circuits connected?

It is if you like an extension of the old question, is it part of inspection and testing of in service electrical equipment or the electrical installation condition report, the whole idea is one or the other should highlight faults, but in the way some thing has degraded over time and faulty installation methods, if we assume who ever installed it did it right, why do we check for earth sleeving?

I think most car charging points will be fitted by some one who understands what is required, but smaller electric vehicles like an electric bike, or mobility scooter, clearly are still electric vehicles but the charger simply plugs in.

My own house had a new consumer unit last year, when I looked at it every RCBO was type AC, I looked on the manufacturers web site and only the 6A were available as type A. So to get a type A for over 6A it would need a new consumer unit, and it is less than 6 months old.

I am not even sure if a mixture of type A and type AC would work, as would not the DC stop other RCBO's in the same board from working?

 

[Vortigern]

A weighty subject indeed! Becoming ever more complex. Your observations are quite correct and assessment is required and the owner informed if AC types are installed and the likeliehood of hysteresis is found. As to testing DC current faults as I understand it we are not required to do so...yet! by regs at least. All RCD types are type tested by the manufacturer for the DC current side of things. With the advent of EV chargers and induction hobs and electronics more and more being used it seems now that AC types are not to be used. Although it is not precluded in the regs as I see it. However it is still standard practice (mistakenly????) to fit AC types. And as the original installation is designed with conventional equipment it is perfectly reasonable to do so. However this does not take into account the householder or owner upgrading and modernising getting induction hops and variable speed motors in washing machines plus electronics in smart homes thus making the AC type not only obsolete but also dangerous and as good as not having an RCD. So the answer to this is difficult as it does not appear to be common knowledge on these matters. Although the changes from 531.3.3 onward re RCD are quite comprehensively addressing these concerns but of course who really reads it? And even if you do you will see you need BSI standard PD IEC/TR 62350 which willl cost you £191.00. I therefore moot that we all sub to a library of BSI standards that we can all access through the forum exclusive to those who pay the subs. Are you listening @Dan? I understand that a number of manufacturers as a result of the changes do not now sell Type AC any more.