ARD (Automatic Reclosing Device)

jaypp · Mar 21, 2014

Hi all.
After reading some threads regarding whether to install RCD/MCB's or RCBO's, I wondered if anyone saw the article in Professional Electrician about ARD's or had any experience/knowledge of them. Also your thoughts as to their possible advantages/disadvantages.
Regarding RCD/MCB's vs RCBO's, and separate to the point of this post, much like smoke alarms on lighting circuit, a fault on a circuit that trips a RCD covering multiple circuits is more likely to get attention than if on RCBO alone, although I see advantages in both.
thanks

NJR · Mar 21, 2014

I saw that article, certainly have its uses bit at what cost? Probaly going to be well over priced for a few years!

jaypp · Mar 21, 2014

NJR said:
I saw that article, certainly have its uses bit at what cost? Probaly going to be well over priced for a few years!

for sure. But you can't put a price on not having to get up to reset when one trips!

joking aside, I thought of people with impaired mobility benefitting from them.

Knobhead · Mar 22, 2014

An Italian company makes a very good system of auto recloser (I’ll have a look for them later). It’s based on a system the DNO’s have used for years on 11KV systems, one of my collage lecturers was involved in the design. The system I was looking at missed out the last part of the MV sequence where the recloser would try to burn the fault clear, not a good idea in a house.

I’ll see what I can find.

jaypp · Mar 22, 2014

Tony said:
An Italian company makes a very good system of auto recloser (I’ll have a look for them later). It’s based on a system the DNO’s have used for years on 11KV systems, one of my collage lecturers was involved in the design. The system I was looking at missed out the last part of the MV sequence where the recloser would try to burn the fault clear, not a good idea in a house.

I’ll see what I can find.

thanks Tony, I see there could be an issue regarding safe isolation too.