Only 2 brands for domestic type A rcd/rcbo + type 2 spd in board??

[Mattja]

Looking around I'm wondering if I'm going mad. Would have thought type 2 spd next to main switch and type A (not type AC) rcd/rcbos would be the standard everyone should be looking for now (even if it's just recommended and not strictly required in domestics). But only Wylex and Schneider seem to supply the parts?

Anyone else found a supplier for both these features from any other brands or is this it?

 

[Risteard]

Hager do it.

In fact they have made Type A RCCBs and RCBOs for very many years indeed. However these were not common in the UK in the past. The UK is years behind much of the world in this regard.

 

[Mattja]

Cheers, a shame that it's Hager. I refuse to buy a Hager board until they stop mucking about with those stupid rectangular knockouts. Every other brand I've used has standard sizes of circular knockouts that grommets and glands can fit into, just Hager that insists I waste time and materials terminating SWA in a separate enclosure and worry about having enough cables through each side/top/bottom knockout to fill the hole enough for IP rating and then mess around with intumescent sealant when I should just be able to put an intumescent grommet/gland in there and be done with it quick and neat!

And yes it's bizarre isn't it? They do these parts for many other countries, surely it can't be that hard for manufacturers to put existing components into a form that fits UK boards.

 

[Bobster]

Cheers, a shame that it's Hager. I refuse to buy a Hager board until they stop mucking about with those stupid rectangular knockouts. Every other brand I've used has standard sizes of circular knockouts that grommets and glands can fit into, just Hager that insists I waste time and materials terminating SWA in a separate enclosure and worry about having enough cables through each side/top/bottom knockout to fill the hole enough for IP rating and then mess around with intumescent sealant when I should just be able to put an intumescent grommet/gland in there and be done with it quick and neat!

And yes it's bizarre isn't it? They do these parts for many other countries, surely it can't be that hard for manufacturers to put existing components into a form that fits UK boards.

You can get Hager boards with circular knockouts and without any knockouts.

 

[davesparks]

just Hager that insists I waste time and materials terminating SWA in a separate enclosure and worry about having enough cables through each side/top/bottom knockout to fill the hole enough for IP rating and then mess around with intumescent sealant when I should just be able to put an intumescent grommet/gland in there and be done with it quick and neat!

Hager don't insist that you waste time or materials, they supply boards with rectangular or circular knockouts or with plain sides. If you order boards with rectangular knockouts it's hardly their fault.

As for intumescent sealants, why would you need them?

 

[Mattja]

I've only found them with rectangular knockouts going into wholesalers and looking at pictures on webpages. If they're not displayed or advertised with circular knockouts it's their fault that I'm assuming they're all with rectangular knockouts. Good to know they can be found somewhere, cheers, but hardly an unfair assumption on my part.

As for sealants, if I'm putting up a metal board that's meant to contain a fire then surely it's good practise not to leave holes in it, and if I'm going down that route, best go intumescent so I'm not wasting time. I'm not having a go if you're not sealing it up, your choice, but I think it's better to do so (and for round knockouts it's as quick and easy as pushing a grommet in).

 

[davesparks]

I've only found them with rectangular knockouts going into wholesalers and looking at pictures on webpages. If they're not displayed or advertised with circular knockouts it's their fault that I'm assuming they're all with rectangular knockouts. Good to know they can be found somewhere, cheers, but hardly an unfair assumption on my part.

As for sealants, if I'm putting up a metal board that's meant to contain a fire then surely it's good practise not to leave holes in it, and if I'm going down that route, best go intumescent so I'm not wasting time. I'm not having a go if you're not sealing it up, your choice, but I think it's better to do so (and for round knockouts it's as quick and easy as pushing a grommet in).

Its not their fault that you haven't properly researched an dspecified the equipment you will be installing, if you are designing the installation then you are responsible.

Why is it meant to contain a fire? Metal CUs don't have any fire rating or type testing for containment of fire.

 

[Dobes_88]

Lewden and "Fusebox" offer A type RCBO's also, would imagine they have an type 2 SPD also (I haven't installed either unfortunately).

 

[HappyHippyDad]

ESR also do a type A RCD and at a reasonable price. I think Chint do a type A also, although i would not buy Chint as I believe they fail more often than most RCD's.

 

[gof1]

Hi MCG offer a type 2 & 3 combined SPD for a good price (£48 inc vat) single module you can get from CEF,
I have found these to be very good value.

 

[Midwest]

Don’t why some get all unnecessary, about sealing up holes with intumescent sealant. As long as the appropriate IP rating is maintained, that’s all is required.

 

[Thrashman]

Looking around I'm wondering if I'm going mad. Would have thought type 2 spd next to main switch and type A (not type AC) rcd/rcbos would be the standard everyone should be looking for now (even if it's just recommended and not strictly required in domestics). But only Wylex and Schneider seem to supply the parts?

Anyone else found a supplier for both these features from any other brands or is this it?

Hi,
Looks like this thread is a few months old but ,
I use a the “Fusebox” boards( consumer units ) now for all my installs , THey have type A rcbo s and a type 2 SPD built in next to the main switch , solid board and only £12 per rcbo

£120 all in for 8 way rcbo and SPD .
?

 

[Ian1981]

Hi,
Looks like this thread is a few months old but ,
I use a the “Fusebox” boards( consumer units ) now for all my installs , THey have type A rcbo s and a type 2 SPD built in next to the main switch , solid board and only £12 per rcbo

£120 all in for 8 way rcbo and SPD .
?

I’ve heard ( happy to be corrected) that fuse box have no ocpd for their SPD over than using the DNO fuse ( no internal ocpd on the SPD either) , for this reason I wouldn’t use them if wanting an SPD in the board.

 

[Thrashman]

I’ve heard ( happy to be corrected) that fuse box have no ocpd for their SPD over than using the DNO fuse ( no internal ocpd on the SPD either) , for this reason I wouldn’t use them if wanting an SPD in the board.

I’ve heard ( happy to be corrected) that fuse box have no ocpd for their SPD over than using the DNO fuse ( no internal ocpd on the SPD either) , for this reason I wouldn’t use them if wanting an SPD in the board.

Hi Ian,
Yes you are correct in saying their is no internal ocpd but they are rated at 125a which for most domestic installs with 60 and 80amp cutouts, the DNO fuse is acceptable for last resort OCPD with less than 250mm 6mm cable in total on the internal LNE SPD cables. For an extra £3 a 32amp mcb can be added to supply the SPD to give protection aswell ?

 

[Ian1981]

Hi Ian,
Yes you are correct in saying their is no internal ocpd but they are rated at 125a which for most domestic installs with 60 and 80amp cutouts, the DNO fuse is acceptable for last resort OCPD with less than 250mm 6mm cable in total on the internal LNE SPD cables. For an extra £3 a 32amp mcb can be added to supply the SPD to give protection aswell ?

My issue is continuity of service, if an SPD relies upon the dno fuse and for whatever reason it shorts out then you will loose the total supply and will be non compliant.
The extra £3 for mcb sounds okay tho.