Plastic consumer units and how to code them

[Dartlec]

Next time your in a wholesalers full of Sparkies.
Pretend your a laymen and say.
I've been asked to pick up one of those devices that protects you from electric shock.
Then cover your ears from the chorus of. "You mean an rcd mate"
Honest, try it ??

The correct answer is - that device is my business card - here you are Sir... ?

 

[LastManOnline]

. To enclose shoddy workmanship or poor quality materials in metal rather than plastic. And on that, I confess to wearing my heart on my sleeve.

Was, nt planning to involve myself in this peculiarly British sparks thread but the point above caught my attention as there was discussion here (in ROI) about following the UK example regarding metal CU, s. Until it was realised that the above measure was in fact "cart before the horse".

 

[Soi disant]

I've been asked to pick up one of those devices that protects you from electric shock.

 

[i=p/u]

No type A rcd in kitchen appliances c3
No sticker of wiring colours used c3
No arc fault detection in wooden sheds in many back gardens c3

C3 as minimum

 

[old man sparky]

Noooo!! We dont want to know what you get up to on a saturday night. ??

 

[Soi disant]

Since lockdown every day is a Saturday. Or a wet Sunday in Rhyl.

 

[Lister1987]

They (if working) may well protect you from electrocution - that's not the same as stopping you getting a shock of course...

From a quick google, seems like electrocution seems to be rare in domestic settings fortunately (< 10 per year), despite the state of some of the installations we see...

Not sure what that says about the relative risks of electricity compared to simple things like stairs that kill plenty of people though.

More people die from electrical fires than electric shock and yet little thought is given to fault currents and fire, all that emphasis is on RCDs as a magic bullet that will magically negate ---- electrical design

 

[Soi disant]

More people die from electrical fires fires decreed by the fire brigade investigators to have been electrical than electric shock

Fixed it for ya.

 

[LastManOnline]

They (if working) may well protect you from electrocution - that's not the same as stopping you getting a shock of course...

If working properly (average operation time 20ms) severity of shock will be significantly reduced

From a quick google, seems like electrocution seems to be rare in domestic settings fortunately (< 10 per year), despite the state of some of the installations we see...

It is (fortunately) rare. Its strange that we tolerate hundreds of road deaths every year as "normal" but a death by electrocution gets headlines

 

[Soi disant]

Its strange that we tolerate hundreds of road deaths every year as "normal"

It's actually thousands.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Probably because electrocution has become a rarity, road deaths are an every day occurrence unfortunately.

 

[LastManOnline]

all that emphasis is on RCDs as a magic bullet that will magically negate ---- electrical design

Have noticed how the rcd, s "reputation" varies from country to country, celebrated in one, maligned in the other.
However, whichever way you look at them, they are your only hope in a number of dangerous situations that no other safety measures can negate. Ultimately we have to ask ourselves if those risks are worth spending 20 quid on.
One other point I would like to highlight is the sometimes undervalued role they play in fire prevention. Apart from detecting line to earth arcing greater that 30 milliamps, bear in mind that many line to earth faults will be detected by either an rcd at an early stage of deterioration(heating elements) or by an mcb/fuse at a much later stage of deterioration. The major difference is the degree of current required to clear the fault. Will it be milliamps or hundreds of amps?
In the latter the risk of a potential fire is greatly increased

 

[nicebutdim]

It is (fortunately) rare. Its strange that we tolerate hundreds of road deaths every year as "normal" but a death by electrocution gets headlines

Might be down to the fact that driving licences are easily obtained by anyone who can demonstrate a very basic level of ability. If training cost thousands of pounds and took place over several years, with rigourous assessment of every stage, I'm sure road deaths would be significantly lower.

No one is allowed to perform brain surgery after answering some multiple choice questions, and proving they know which end of a scalpel to hold, yet it seems that people believe they have a God given right to wield several hundred kg of vehicle with impunity.

 

[Soi disant]

Might be down to the fact that driving licences are easily obtained by anyone who can demonstrate a very basic level of ability.

Unlike a qualification to wire up houses.

Oh, hang on a minute....

 

[nicebutdim]

Unlike a qualification to wire up houses.

Oh, hang on a minute....

In theory, that's how it works in most of the UK. Of course, I could expand upon that earlier analogy by including people who drive without a licence or when unfit to do so...