Surge Protection Devices for domestic - what do you think?

[a-z electrics]

Evening all,
Just attended elex exeter and see there's a big push on these SPDs coming as standard now in domestic consumer units. Hager, Lewden and Contactum to name just 3.
I have had at least 2 clients in the last few months whose appliances have been damaged by apparently surges on the supply when power has been lost/switched back on, one was an ASHP and the other an Aga oven controller.
Disregarding what it says in the Green book, the additional cost of these when fitting/changing a board is not that great and they appear easy to fit retrospectively if there's a spare way for one. or even in a separate enclosure so I personally think there's a case for recommending them to customers..
What do people think, anyone else had any experiences?

 

[buzzlightyear]

Just attended elex exeter and see there's a big push on these SPDs coming as standard now in domestic consumer units. Hager, Lewden and Contactum to name just 3.
I have had at least 2 clients in the last few months whose appliances have been damaged by apparently surges on the supply when power has been lost/switched back on, one was an ASHP and the other an Aga oven controller.
Disregarding what it says in the Green book, the additional cost of these when fitting/changing a board is not that great and they appear easy to fit retrospectively if there's a spare way for one. or even in a separate enclosure so I personally think there's a case for recommending them to customers..
What do people think, anyone else had any experiences?

Disregarding what it says in the Green book, blue now read what it says .

 

[suffolkspark]

How do we fit these in boards on TT.... they need to be installed upstream of RCDs as far as i can make out.... Which makes sense... But on a TT if using dual rcd boards there will be a 100ma typeS right upfront....

 

[Ian1981]

How do we fit these in boards on TT.... they need to be installed upstream of RCDs as far as i can make out.... Which makes sense... But on a TT if using dual rcd boards there will be a 100ma typeS right upfront....

They can be installed downstream of an rcd for TT installations as long as the upstream rcd is an S type with an immunity to surge currents of at least 3 Ka

 

[a-z electrics]

Disregarding what it says in the Green book, blue now read what it says .

Yes blue book too.. but I was asking for experiences if any. Do you have any?

 

[rolyberkin]

The last one I fitted was in a SBS board and cost the customer £30, bit of a no brainer really, fit it and forget it. IMHO if they don't want to pay the £30 then they have to raise it as an issue and sign a disclaimer, I know that most domestic properties do not need them but when the cost is so low why not.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - Control boards do fail, but I think its most likely due to the board design and components. I'm careful to follow a power down process for boilers, for example. I can only hope SPD will increase their survival rate in general use. My last 2 CU changes have included SPD at Customer request after I explained possible benefits. These were Wylex flex boards and it added a lot more than £30 to the material cost.

 

[a-z electrics]

The last one I fitted was in a SBS board and cost the customer £30, bit of a no brainer really, fit it and forget it. IMHO if they don't want to pay the £30 then they have to raise it as an issue and sign a disclaimer, I know that most domestic properties do not need them but when the cost is so low why not.

SBS board? never heard of them, where do you get those from?

 

[Deleted member 9648]

We just discuss with the client at the quote stage, if they decline surge protection then it is stated on the EIC that the client declined, nobody has to sign a disclaimer.

 

[Carl S]

SBS Trade Sales - the home of bespoke distribution boards - Order - https://www.sbstradesales.co.uk/order/

 

[buzzlightyear]

I use those boards company known has live ,if I can not use CED gear .

 

[IzzyS]

The last one I fitted was in a SBS board and cost the customer £30, bit of a no brainer really, fit it and forget it. IMHO if they don't want to pay the £30 then they have to raise it as an issue and sign a disclaimer, I know that most domestic properties do not need them but when the cost is so low why not.

What about TT fed with overhead lines? We're meant to fit a type 1 and those don't cost £30. I do a a fair few TT installs and I've only had one customer agree to the additional £££££ for the type 1.

TT, in my opinion, isn't well served by the main manufacturers, especially in regard to DP RCBOs. It's pointless having an up-front 100mA S-type protecting the distribution board/cable if an uncleared N-E fault downstream is going to take out the whole installation. CP Fusebox seem to be about the only manufacturer doing reasonably priced DP RCBOs, but they still lack a reasonably priced type 1 SPD as far as I can tell.

 

[loz2754]

Why a type 1?
I was taught this is only required if there is a lightning protection system installed.
(3 year old thread btw)

 

[nicebutdim]

I think type I is recommended for TT systems fed by overhead lines.

 

[pc1966]

CP Fusebox seem to be about the only manufacturer doing reasonably priced DP RCBOs, but they still lack a reasonably priced type 1 SPD as far as I can tell.

The Wylex/Crabtree compact RCBO are also neutral-switching and not too expensive. They do (or did...) a type 1+2 SPD as well.

As above, it is not the 'TT' aspect that merits a type 1 SPD but those systems on long overhead lines which are likely to pick up a lot more energy in the event a pole is hit, etc. They are often TT, but might also be TN-C-S depending on how the DNO thinks about the supply earth arrangements.