A quick European wiring puzzle with a simple answer

[Lucien Nunes]

Following from a recent thread mentioning some continental electrical practice, I made this mock-up of something you might see in an older installation in a certain West-European country. It's not standard practice now but is widespread enough to have a specific name. What is the name of this specific circuit arrangement in the local language? Not sure if we have any sparks from the country in question on here but please let the Brits have a try!

 

[LastManOnline]

@LastManOnline got there: 10A red, 16A grey. Bonus to @Vortigern for identifying the type of fuse.
DIAZED:: Diametrisch abgestufter zweiteiliger Edison-Schmelzstöpsel.

Two-part Edison-screw fuse insert differentiated by diameter. I.e. the diameter of the 'nose' contact depends on the rating. Each fuse holder has an interchangeable gauge ring or screw base of matching colour that will accept any fuse up to its size but not a larger one.

A very good design of fuse with high performance from the very beginning, now over a century old and still in use throughout Europe. This is the DII range up to 25A, the DIII range with a larger body covers the higher ratings. Technically superseded by the Neozed, D02 and D03 but both are still to be found.

The Dutch fuse box has, like all of its era, a DP isolator for each outgoing way. A nice feature that no-one in the UK thought to implement. Also interchangeable cable entry plates (blank / large hole / small hole / coupling to next box) that just slot in.

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There was also available in Holland a resettable fuse which was a real game changer in the pre-mcb days. Saved invaluable time and inconvenience during faultfinding. Its probably the kind of item you have hundreds of. Just in case you don, t, I kept one as a souvenir and you would be very welcome to it if would serve some purpose in your collection.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Oo yes please, we don't have any of those. A few modern Chinese screw-in MCBs only here. At some point I would like to make up displays of different wiring systems of various countries in addition to the different eras of UK, for comparison.

 

[LastManOnline]

Oo yes please, we don't have any of those. A few modern Chinese screw-in MCBs only here. At some point I would like to make up displays of different wiring systems of various countries in addition to the different eras of UK, for comparison.

No problem. Will do a little digging. It, s there somewhere

 

[Vortigern]

Thanks for the tests Lucien. Entertaining and informative as well. Got us thinking at least, makes a change in my case.

 

[LastManOnline]

Oo yes please, we don't have any of those. A few modern Chinese screw-in MCBs only here. At some point I would like to make up displays of different wiring systems of various countries in addition to the different eras of UK, for comparison.

This was what I was referring to to??

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Interesting, a Polish one. I think it uses the normal Stotz mechanism, some POLAM examples have the Stotz-Kontakt logo on as well, this one doesn't though. FWIW the old Wylex pushbutton plug-in MCBs, from before the lever type, also used the same mechanism under licence.

I have a few nasty modern Chinese clones here, one of which rather alarmingly jammed in the on-position the first time I tried to demonstrate it. Not what you want in an MCB!

 

[LastManOnline]

Interesting, a Polish one.

Yes. I googled it and was surprised to see they are still been made. The one in the picture dates from early eighties but possibly earlier. Anyway if its of any use let me know. You are more than welcome to it.
As an aside, you mentioned you would like to get examples of various wiring systems in UK abroad. I wondered if you were aware of the Dutch, rather novel solution to providing an earth fault return path after their metallic services were replaced with plastic?