Rcd as main main switch?

[whazza22]

Just a quick one.

Is it acceptable to have a 63a 30ma Rcd as a main switch?

Can't see why not but just thought I would see what others say?

 

[plugsandsparks]

Could be, or not depends

 

[whazza22]

What would it depend on?

 

[plugsandsparks]

Whats on the board and comm or domestic

 

[Newbie90]

Domestic, one bed flat.

1 lighting circuit, 1 ring, cooker and shower

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i think i`d be using a DP mainswitch (a 100mA s type RCD would be good for this)...
RCBOs for the finals...

 

[Newbie90]

i think i`d be using a DP mainswitch (a 100mA s type RCD would be good for this)...
RCBOs for the finals...

The rcd was supplied with the 6 way consumer unit. I prefer rcbos but are too expensive

 

[Crosswire]

I hate having RCD's as a main switch. Does not "minimise inconvenience in the event of a fault"

If anything, it does the opposite.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I hate having RCD's as a main switch. Does not "minimise inconvenience in the event of a fault"

If anything, it does the opposite.

yeah well thats it isn`t it...
to the O/P....look,
you`v got four finals in there....i mean whats this C/U anyway?..electrium? crabtree?

whats the earthing arrangements as well...

 

[Des 56]

Yes there is minimising inconvenience,but I suspect that reg was put in there mainly for commercial or factory operations, where the whole place gets to be sitting idle whilst a single problem gets sorted and it then becomes of importance :nono:

In a domestic,how inconvenient is the loss of all circuits ? when there is a power cut, or someone does not have a shilling for the meter,it matters not what is the make up of the board in that situation
The twin Rcd jobbies are in themselves a botch of what may be the true intentions of the reg when applied to domestic

My own home has one Rcd covering the whole of the installation,yet it's never inconvenienced me at all :26:

Its applied in domestic but the way I look at it, One Rcd is not as good as 2 Rcds which is not as good as 1 rcd and a few Rcbos which is not as good as all rcbos which is not as good as all rcbos and an emergency light
It can become never ending :death:

I kmow it is not the done thing these days,but it's no big deal either
The Rcd board could be used, then he could install an emergency light,get it shoved in for some sort of home comfort should the Dno or a fault play games with the install and cause the ultimate inconvenience for the householder

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Yes there is minimising inconvenience,but I suspect that reg was put in there mainly for commercial or factory operations, where the whole place gets to be sitting idle whilst a single problem gets sorted and it then becomes of importance :nono:

In a domestic,how inconvenient is the loss of all circuits ? when there is a power cut, or someone does not have a shilling for the meter,it matters not what is the make up of the board in that situation
The twin Rcd jobbies are in themselves a botch of what may be the true intentions of the reg when applied to domestic

My own home has one Rcd covering the whole of the installation,yet it's never inconvenienced me at all :26:

Its applied in domestic but the way I look at it, One Rcd is not as good as 2 Rcds which is not as good as 1 rcd and a few Rcbos which is not as good as all rcbos which is not as good as all rcbos and an emergency light
It can become never ending :death:

I kmow it is not the done thing these days,but it's no big deal either
The Rcd board could be used, then he could install an emergency light,get it shoved in for some sort of home comfort should the Dno or a fault play games with the install and cause the ultimate inconvenience for the householder

well i know i advocated the application of the RCBO here Des...on the basis there were only 4 finals...
any more and i would have suggested a split load....

 

[Des 56]

well i know i advocated the application of the RCBO here Des...on the basis there were only 4 finals...
any more and i would have suggested a split load....

I think your advise was spot on Glenn

I was more trying to make a point to the general forum that I don't get too excited when the "Oh my God, one Rcd" type reactions come into some threads

That's not to say I would advise the guy to go instaling them instead of a better class of set up

 

[Deleted member 26818]

It's acceptable (just) in a new installation.
Not really for a replacement, unless it's a like for like replacement.

 

[Welchyboy]

Although not inherently wrong, it is frowned upon and it would be a last resort for me
I would not sit comfy with the fact of installing a single RCD up front for my own reasons, if they do get any issues in the future, be it with the installation or a dodgy appliance, and it trips and they can't re-set it, then as you installed it it will likely become your emergency to try and get to them ASAP and get their power on again,

I would at least try and install a dual rcd so that if you do get problems they can run a few extension leads and lamps out and give you a little breathing space if needed

having said that with only 4 circuits and if its a new install you should be ok, but you know how things have a habit of coming back to bite u lol

 

[Heisenberg]

It may not be an inconvenience to some, but some of the biggest computer problems come about because of dodgy power supplies. I can promise you this, if a PC loses its power in the middle of doing something there is always the chance that the HD will be corrupted beyond repair, resulting in catastrophic data loss. So having the main switch go, whilst someone is using a PC is not an ideal situation.

A mate of mine who was frustrated with his PC simply switched it off at the mains, and was then surprised when he switched it on again and it wouldn't boot. The upshot was that he lost everything on there, including some pictures of his young newly born son. I'm still not sure if his wife is talking to him.

The point I'm trying to make is that these days, your average home has more and more devices in it that don't like sudden loss of power.