RCBO's that fit rewirable fuse boards

[lloyd1980]

Hi guys
I was on here sat, and another member poster he had seen RCBO's that fit re wirable fuse boards.
he said he'd had to look 3 times to double check what he was seeing and he saw it in wickes.
I asked my local wholesalers today if hed heard of them and he told me that he hadnt, but that wickes are a part of a larger organisation which included schnider and that schnider have a manufacturing arm, so they can aquire obscure electrical products.

Ive searched the net and cant find anything , searched wickes site and can only find mcb's that fit rewirable boards
has anyone else seen these??
if so where and what are they called?

really appreciate any help
thanks

 

[bugsy]

Schnieder are the perent company for a number of companies , clipsal and square d are 2 , but I cannot see how an RCD could be fitted to a rewireable fuse CU anway why can.t you install sep. rcd whats it for

 

[rocker]

Well to be honest there is absolutely no reason an RCBO wont work in an old fuseboard - you've got a line connection, a neutral bar and a CPC bar. It's only really because of the size and form factor of a normal RCBO that it wont physically fit in - I suppose you could do some modding work with a saw and a hammer to make them fit!

What gets me, though,is if these things do in fact exist, is that the companies providing them are acting pretty unresponsibly, just chasing the next quick buck (no change there then). OK, it's a cheap option for the consumer, but at the end of the day there would now be a way to slap a few RCBOs in an old 1950s Wilex oldsmobile and call it 'up to regulations'. As far as I'm concened some of the old boards are lovely to look at and could be polished up and put in a museum, but they have no place in modern wiring practice. The idea that these old things can be kept going for another 10-20-30 years (or however long it takes them to fall apart and cause an accident) totally breaks me!

 

[baldsparkies]

I have never seen any such animal, would not want to attempt to use it in an old wylex board anyway. I cant really see how it would be cost effective or fit the board to be honest. A much better option would be to fit a new 17th edition cons unit and cover all circuits in one go.Dont forget the old boards only had a 60amp mainswitch so with modern appliances and high load showers, those old mainswitches are being pushed to the limit.

 

[uksel]

Hi Lloyd, it was me that saw it (I believe I said i had a double take, i was in too much of a hurry to check 3 times )

and i'm pretty sure i spotted a test button on it which is why i was sure of it being an rcd

also scouted the wicked website and couldn't spot anything, if im in there again anytime soon i'll have another look and pick one up

 

[baldsparkies]

Plug in mcb's as per the photo is all I have ever seen, or can find.
So watching this thread with interest.

 

[Guest123]

The old style push-fit MCB's had a small red test button above the white/blue/red etc etc colour coded reset button. They were only MCB's though.

Sorry about the tiny pic.

 

[baldsparkies]

The old style push-fit MCB's had a small red test button above the white/blue/red etc etc colour coded reset button. They were only MCB's though.

Sorry about the tiny pic.

I think lenny may well have solved the mystery. They are the old style plug in rated at 3k I believe and definately not rcbo's. Its that little red test button that's caused the confusion methinks.

 

[lurch]

The old style push-fit MCB's had a small red test button above the white/blue/red etc etc colour coded reset button. They were only MCB's though.

Sorry about the tiny pic.

there not that old are they?

 

[sparks1234]

Yes they are old.
They changed them to a switch type rather than the push button type. I think there was a very valid reason for changing them to the more normal up / down switch type but cant remember why

 

[dufjax]

. The idea that these old things can be kept going for another 10-20-30 years (or however long it takes them to fall apart and cause an accident) totally breaks me!

The amount of customers keep calling you out to fix these boards they brought off Noah, will they shell out for a nice new 17th edition board.....

"Well it works doesn't it"


Jim

 

[baldsparkies]

Yes they are old.
They changed them to a switch type rather than the push button type. I think there was a very valid reason for changing them to the more normal up / down switch type but cant remember why

A lot were reported as having suffered mechanical damage under short circuit conditions. Not handling pfc's very well.
I think they are rated at 3k but there design was falling short of this, so most have now been withdrawn. Or so I was told by the man in the suit with 100,000 miles on his 08 Mondeo

 

[lurch]

Yes they are old.
They changed them to a switch type rather than the push button type. I think there was a very valid reason for changing them to the more normal up / down switch type but cant remember why

I jest old boy, I jest!