RCBOs

Drackley · Jan 7, 2020

Hi all,

Does anyone have any apps/conversion charts that are handy for swapping out circuit breakers to rcbos without relying on electrical stores to check conversions/fittings.

Im quite fresh out my time so a lot of the common ones are not common to me as yet. The problem I am having is, I have a factory full of circuit breakers and I can only isolate certain circuits due to the factory in full operation and vital machinery is always running so a total board RCD is out of the question most of the time.

For speed and tidyness I want to avoid installing external RCDs everywhere also an Rcbo looks a lot neater ?

Any advise on how you approach this situation would help too.

Midwest · Jan 7, 2020

Can you not contact the manufacturer and ask about compatibility between their products.

davesparks · Jan 7, 2020

Simple, fit the brand/model of RCBO that matches the board. Fitting a product from another manufacturer is not normally permitted.

Drackley · Jan 7, 2020

Hey,

Thank you both for your help, Its pretty simple now you have said it that way davesparks, my brain has had a funny way of over complicating it. ?

Cheers guys!

drzsta · Jan 7, 2020

what brand are the board and circuit breakers in this factory?

NDG Elecs · Jan 7, 2020

If you swapped out the main switch and and PD's inc busbar then surely the enclosure becomes a humble enclosure... Something goes wrong then manufacturers may grumble the neutral and CPC bars were wrong..type testing... Bah!! It's all money these days... Don't get me wrong the busbars should fit the PD's correctly...but too many get-out clauses these days... Same scenario with moulded plugs... Manufacturers have too much power..their input into the regs should be minimal and their products should be held accountable on numerous levels... Drunken rant over!

Drackley · Jan 8, 2020

drzsta said:
what brand are the board and circuit breakers in this factory?

NDG Elecs said:
If you swapped out the main switch and and PD's inc busbar then surely the enclosure becomes a humble enclosure... Something goes wrong then manufacturers may grumble the neutral and CPC bars were wrong..type testing... Bah!! It's all money these days... Don't get me wrong the busbars should fit the PD's correctly...but too many get-out clauses these days... Same scenario with moulded plugs... Manufacturers have too much power..their input into the regs should be minimal and their products should be held accountable on numerous levels... Drunken rant over!

Hey NDG

I couldn't even if I wanted to remove the dB internals. I can only isolate certain circuits due to the factory being in operation. The rcbo I have just fitted is to bs7671 so in my eyes should be OK.. I mean surly that's all we can work too? ?....thats what ide be telling Mr Judge anyhoo ?
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drzsta said:
what brand are the board and circuit breakers in this factory?

Hey drzsta

They all all different, currently I'm on a Square D dB but have found an rcbo conversion made by schneider.

telectrix · Jan 8, 2020

square are schneider, so if it fits....

davesparks · Jan 8, 2020

Drackley said:
The rcbo I have just fitted is to bs7671 so in my eyes should be OK.. I mean surly that's all we can work too? ?....thats what ide be telling Mr Judge anyhoo ?

They all all different, currently I'm on a Square D dB but have found an rcbo conversion made by schneider.

The RCBO should be to BS/EN 61009, the work you carry out should be in accordance with BS7671.

Schneider bought square D and are manufacturing square D products, so as long as you have the correct schneider product then it is the correct part.

Vortigern · Jan 8, 2020

Merlin Gerin are also Schneider now. I recently spoke with Schneider seeking written evidence from them that replacement with a different (apparently) manufacturer is OK. They were quite willing to endorse said use.