Consumer Unit isolator with RCD

[KeenPensioner]

I have an old CU with BS3036 rewireable fuses. I'm having the board upgraded soon but in the meantime I'd like to add RCD protection. Can anyone tell me where I can find a consumer unit isolation switch with RCD built in - to fit between the meter and the CU?

 

[UNG]

Just upgrade the CU, the cost to add an upfront RCD and the potential problems and inconvenience it could cause are not worth the expense. Also when the CU is upgraded the RCD will be redundant so it is more cost effective to put the cost of the upfront RCD into the new CU from the start

 

[westward10]

To add to the above if you have not had it tested the addition of a main rcd switch may just result in unwanted tripping if there are underlying faults.

 

[KeenPensioner]

Thanks for your prompt replies. I'll just wait and have the board updated.

 

[KeenPensioner]

Found this from Delroy...at 1.33 minutes in..

 

[brianmoooore]

Just upgrade the CU, the cost to add an upfront RCD and the potential problems and inconvenience it could cause are not worth the expense. Also when the CU is upgraded the RCD will be redundant so it is more cost effective to put the cost of the upfront RCD into the new CU from the start

It was a good few years ago now, but one of my customers ended up dead because I took this approach.

 

[KeenPensioner]

It was a good few years ago now, but one of my customers ended up dead because I took this approach.

Thanks for the reply. What happened to cause the fatality?

 

[brianmoooore]

Thanks for the reply. What happened to cause the fatality?

The belt had come off in their washing machine. She was knelt behind it, with the back off, guiding the belt back on, while he turned the drum from the front. Heater element terminals are just below the drum pulley, and, for reasons I've never worked out, tend to be switched on the neutral side, so are both live whenever the machine is switched on.
She must have touched one of the terminals, and was found dead in a kneeling position behind the machine, when her partner realised she was not responding to him.
Rewiring, with new RCD protected consumer unit, was due to start in a couple of weeks time.

 

[KeenPensioner]

The belt had come off in their washing machine. She was knelt behind it, with the back off, guiding the belt back on, while he turned the drum from the front. Heater element terminals are just below the drum pulley, and, for reasons I've never worked out, tend to be switched on the neutral side, so are both live whenever the machine is switched on.
She must have touched one of the terminals, and was found dead in a kneeling position behind the machine, when her partner realised she was not responding to him.
Rewiring, with new RCD protected consumer unit, was due to start in a couple of weeks time.

How awful, just shows how easy it can happen. Thanks for explaining that.

 

[UNG]

It was a good few years ago now, but one of my customers ended up dead because I took this approach.

When most 3036 boards only have 4 - 6 ways a new CU with 4 - 6 RCBO's would not be that much more expensive than an upfront RCD ok the installation of a new CU would be a little bit more expensive but I believe that is what most electricians would recommend and not just because of making a little bit more on the job

The belt had come off in their washing machine. She was knelt behind it, with the back off, guiding the belt back on, while he turned the drum from the front. Heater element terminals are just below the drum pulley, and, for reasons I've never worked out, tend to be switched on the neutral side, so are both live whenever the machine is switched on.
She must have touched one of the terminals, and was found dead in a kneeling position behind the machine, when her partner realised she was not responding to him.
Rewiring, with new RCD protected consumer unit, was due to start in a couple of weeks time.

So there were some mitigating circumstances that resulted in this tragic death not least the safe isolation of the washing machine
So are you saying that you would have installed the upfront RCD sooner than what appears to be the scheduled upgrade of the CU thus possibly preventing this tragedy