3 phase dist board labelling

[Lukey]

Can anyone help me on this matter. As far as I know there is no regulations on this or wrong or right way to do it but when labelling a 3phase board I have always done it bottom left up then bottom right up so for example from the main switch on the left side been 1l1 up to 12l1 then on the bottom right start 13l1 up to 24l1 at the top. I have always been told to do it this way and see it as a good common practaice as on single phase boards your first cct always starts next to the main sw/ RCD so why change it for 3phase?? But on doing some work for another sparky today he does it from the top down and he was adamant that I was doing it wrong and it was not up to regs? So anyone of you come across this before I often go to jobs and 3 phase boards are labeled any how so to me it seems each to their owe and there isn't a reg for it!

 

[Banjo]

I personally label it so 1L1 is at the top left of the board, but have seen it done a number of ways, I can't see it breaching any regs as long as it is clearly labelled.

 

[JB_]

It maybe that your sparky friend is a bit of a control freak and just likes it his way.

Some 3phase CCU's are labelled 1-whatever from bottom left up & then bottom right up (if that makes sense?!), as you do it, and others from top left down & then top right down.

I'm of the same ilk as yourself, closest to main swt gets used first.

Makes little difference which way you do it as long as your phases are correct ie 1/1 (L1) - 1/3 (L3) or you'll have motors running backwards!

Certainly there is no regulation regarding where you start, just label what the position on the CCU is supplying & also label at the point of use where the supply is coming from.

 

[telectrix]

i was always taught left side top to bottom, then right side top to bottom, but have seem bottom to top as well. as banjo says, don't think there's any specific reg. as long as circuits are labelled.

 

[needasparks]

Seen this loads of times, I'm the same as Banjo on this as it makes it easier to locate for us, client and other sparks later, In saying that we have to be aware of keeping larger supplies closer to the main switch for obvious reasons so planning a board rather than just throughing cables in should be a must. A lot of the circuit numbering could be down to how the neutrals and earths are numbered internally as you would not want cables to be in reverse order up and down relating to the circuits as these are pre numbered and as always is down to easy location later.
When Making off a three phase board I know what cable is going where before its fitted as it balances the loads on the phases and looks like the installer knows what he/she was doing.

 

[snowhead]

All the 3 ph MCB boards I've seen in the last 20 years have been top left down = odds, top right down = evens.

Previous to that for fuse boards, number from the top down.

It doesn't matter what scheme you follow as long as it's clearly marked.

 

[Swicade]

I've always labelled Leftside Top to bottom then Rightside Top to bottom....always down it that way personaly because it's the way i read a list (top to bottom) and pages of a book (left to right). Guy that trained me all those years ago taught me that.

 

[JB_]

All the 3 ph MCB boards I've seen in the last 20 years have been top left down = odds, top right down = evens.

Previous to that for fuse boards, number from the top down.

It doesn't matter what scheme you follow as long as it's clearly marked.

Mmmmm.
Control gear, basics, some old merlin - start at the bottom! Sure there's more too.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I use left top to bottom, then right top to bottom.

 

[trev]

In saying that we have to be aware of keeping larger supplies closer to the main switch for obvious reasons QUOTE]
That's a myth mate, the bus bars are rated at --- amps all the way along their length. That said I always install the larger loads nearest the main switch just out of habit but as long as the loads are balanced across the phases you're good to go.

 

[Brightspark2]

Top left down for me too...then top right down...

 

[needasparks]

Always have done this after feeling the heat generated through the bar, yes the bar is rated along its length but why should excess heat be absorbed into other mcb's when they don't need to be.
IMO its good practice and also shows good planning.