Discuss Consumer Unit I would be interested in your sage comments in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net
recommendation is to always fit one as the additional cost is small (around £100) when considered over the lifetime of the unit,
I thought surge protectors had a limited life span, i.e. shorter than a typical CU and associated devices?
I was just being pedantic, as you were offering the OP advice on what to state. So they have a limited life span, lesser than the CU. Have to get these things right.The life limit of these depends on how much lightning you are getting. The "end of life" flag seems to be the point when they have heated so much that the solder-fuse melts and disconnects them. Most of the ones I see offered have plug-in replaceable units so can be changed fairly easily, even by a competent home owner.
If you are seeing a life of only a couple of years then I expect that without one you would be seeing a lot of damaged electronics instead!
Also you can get beefier ones, the "type 1" that can handle quite a lot for input board protection, etc, but they cost a lot more (from memory £300-ish for single phase, £800-ish for three-phase)
I think the bigger problem with this, and it is the same for RCD, is practically none of the general population will know to check them, and even if they are told when new, they won't get round to doing it. The argument for 6 monthly RCD testing was it could be done when the clocks change, but that never happens.
I'm not a professional electrician, but if I were in that business it would be tempting to give each owner a laminated cheat-sheet on checking the SPD and RCD each time the clocks change and how to do it safely (along with company logo and contact details). More importantly, I would try and get thier permission for a 6-month text reminder and offer to do the checks for them for a small fee!
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Going back to the AFDD issue, considering they add around £1-2k to the cost of a new consumer unit, I personally would suggest that if it were affordable then spending that amount on something like a proper wired-in / coupled smoke & fire alarm, and maybe a couple of extinguishers for kitchen / garage, as better protection for the money.
That is a fair point!I was just being pedantic, as you were offering the OP advice on what to state. So they have a limited life span, lesser than the CU. Have to get these things right.
My French residence is in the Thunderstorm capitol of France dept24, we unplug our telephone and computers whenever a storm is brewing and when we leave at the end of the season, I have stood in the Dining room and watched a ball of blue fire cross the room, my car outside lit up like a Christmas tree, everything went on, that was the first time our Router was burnt out, happened again whilst out shopping and unable to unplug it, so these concerns are real in certain areas, the cost of a three phase SPD is not to be sniffed at.
Good point but the fire alarm etc. not a lot of use if you are out at the time !!The life limit of these depends on how much lightning you are getting. The "end of life" flag seems to be the point when they have heated so much that the solder-fuse melts and disconnects them. Most of the ones I see offered have plug-in replaceable units so can be changed fairly easily, even by a competent home owner.
If you are seeing a life of only a couple of years then I expect that without one you would be seeing a lot of damaged electronics instead!
Also you can get beefier ones, the "type 1" that can handle quite a lot for input board protection, etc, but they cost a lot more (from memory £300-ish for single phase, £800-ish for three-phase)
I think the bigger problem with this, and it is the same for RCD, is practically none of the general population will know to check them, and even if they are told when new, they won't get round to doing it. The argument for 6 monthly RCD testing was it could be done when the clocks change, but that never happens.
I'm not a professional electrician, but if I were in that business it would be tempting to give each owner a laminated cheat-sheet on checking the SPD and RCD each time the clocks change and how to do it safely (along with company logo and contact details). More importantly, I would try and get thier permission for a 6-month text reminder and offer to do the checks for them for a small fee!
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Going back to the AFDD issue, considering they add around £1-2k to the cost of a new consumer unit, I personally would suggest that if it were affordable then spending that amount on something like a proper wired-in / coupled smoke & fire alarm, and maybe a couple of extinguishers for kitchen / garage, as better protection for the money.
Hi Mike, I was thinking that in the future insurance cover for electronic equipment may be dependent on having SPD.Only comment is that insurance companies can not void a claim, you have a contract with the insurance company and they must honour that contract, the only time they can void a claim is if on the insurance application the details where deliberately made out to deceive/fraud the company. What they can do, if in the opinion of the company contributory negligence was a deciding factor of the damage being claimed for then they can reduce the amount of the claim, but I can not emphasise this strongly enough, an insurance company can not void your claim.
The SPD we use in France are to the most point one hit wonders, can go on one lightning strike (common) or last a few strikes, but nevertheless they need replacing about every two years as indicated by the flag on the unit.
Hi Mike, I was thinking that in the future insurance cover for electronic equipment may be dependent on having SPD.
Good point but the fire alarm etc. not a lot of use if you are out at the time !!
Underground SWA three phase.
So far I have replaced two of these: 15kA 4 Module 3 Pole and Neutral Type 2 Surge Protector expensive, I now have a very cheap oriental version that I am trying out in parallel.
So far I have replaced two of these: 15kA 4 Module 3 Pole and Neutral Type 2 Surge Protector - https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/1047310-four-pole-surge-protection-device?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_adgroup=&utm_campaign=&ppc_keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwu6fzBRC6ARIsAJUwa2Sfw6cnA4oqUMRO8Lt3lxz1F7SuDHIg7HkCqa2w6A7cB6TWcUzkprAaAk1YEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds expensive, I now have a very cheap oriental version that I am trying out in parallel.
I just found this on e-bay, makes my very cheap oriental version seem positively expensive: 4-Poles Lightning Arrester Din Rail Over Voltage Surge Protector Device UK | eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Poles-Lightning-Arrester-Din-Rail-Over-Voltage-Surge-Protector-Device-UK/173965195762?_trkparms=aid%3D1110004%26algo%3DSPLICE.COMP%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225075%26meid%3D9688108c5744450d828dd36a70bd28f8%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D292881829230%26itm%3D173965195762%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3Ddefault%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219
I also am not sure that parallel operation will work effectively, I will let you know next time it get's hit will be interesting to see what one goes first, if at all with it being a domestic situation on a TT earth I thought a type 2 would be sufficient.
All rural supplies in France are TT.
Reply to Consumer Unit I would be interested in your sage comments in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net
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