Thoughts on an EICR on this board prior to physical testing.

Chivers · Nov 4, 2023

Opinions on this Crabtree TP 10 way board? Got to test this next week after a quick recce on a clients site yesterday. Although probably electrically safe the RCCB is feeding everything including another board Fed via an SWA and some external services also in armoured to. Thing that bothers me the most is if the RCCB trips either due to a fault or a nuisance trip the access gate is effectively powered down as is the fire alarm. I have 2391 but new to a company who do more in depth industrial testing.

In my mind I'd either suggest this Is completely replaced or modify with a Schneider bus bar conversion kit (I used to fit these a few years ago in mobile coms base stations - available from Edmundson's) is used and all the existing MCBs are replaced with MCBs or RCBOs depending on what they're supplying. Nice little gap near the RCCB.

Any codes you'd give this. Just looking at it this?

[ElectriciansForums.net] Thoughts on an EICR on this board prior to physical testing.

westward10 · Nov 4, 2023

Don't worry about the fire alarm going off, should have battery back up. The gate you may able to power off when it is open.
The main switch RCD is not compatible for the enclosure, pretty sure the original Polestar do not look like that plus it is wonky and doesn't fit the gap. It is also type A.
Do the EICR and do not concern yourself on how you are going to rectify things before you have the board cover off.
That make of Polestar is obsolete and RCBOs are not available, experience counts for a lot when doing EICRs.

westward10 · Nov 4, 2023

Is it a large countrywide company you are working for?

westward10 · Nov 4, 2023

I believe a compatible main RCD switch should look like this.

Crabtree Polestar RCD 100 Amp 100mA 4 Pole RCCB 100A 641/100B - Willrose Electrical - Discontinued & Obsolete Circuit Breakers

Used But Good Condition. Crabtree Polestar RCD Incomer. Tested @ 0.5x, 1x & 5x - Crabtree Polestar RCD 100 Amp 100mA 4 Pole RCCB 100A 641/100B

willrose-electrical.co.uk

Chivers · Nov 4, 2023

I'm not worried about the power going off when testing as can reset it ok within a minute or so. It's just looking at the installation should there be any kind of electrical fault - even a fire this could cause the RCCB to trip and prevent access via the the gate so I'd tend to not want the Fire circuit or gate fed from the RCCB?

Chivers · Nov 4, 2023

westward10 said:
Is it a large countrywide company you are working for?

based in the South East - this site is in Hampshire

westward10 · Nov 4, 2023

If I am correct the busbars have been modified to fit that RCD, I could be wrong but it is likely it is beyond repair.

loz2754 · Nov 4, 2023

westward10 said:
It is also type A.

Ermm....

loz2754 · Nov 4, 2023

As Westward10 says the purpose of an EICR is to highlight any safety issues due to non compliance with the current regs. So you assign Classification Codes to each and every item you find. Then it's up to the client what to do about that.

I wonder why a 300mA RCD why was fitted in the first place?

pc1966 · Nov 4, 2023

loz2754 said:
I wonder why a 300mA RCD why was fitted in the first place?

Might be for fire protection if agricultural, etc. Might even be a TT system!

westward10 · Nov 4, 2023

loz2754 said:
Ermm....

Got me meant AC

westward10 · Nov 4, 2023

The main RCD switch is an ad hoc replacement. Whose knows what was there previously.

Chivers · Nov 9, 2023

So further investigation there are three bolt on enclosures on the side fitted with RCBOs - these feed sockets and lighting. It was an abomination inside but as least the circuits that require additional protection have it!