VOELCB

[bigspark17]

Pic attached of an old voelcb, voltage operated earth leakage circuit breaker, for those who may not have seen one before.

 

[FatAlan]

Does that count as a antique then? I think the carpet says it all!

 

[bigspark17]

Yes whole house (old farm) was 50's install TT with a 2.5mm tinnned bare earth going to a rod out back reading 300+, rubbers everywhere (cables btw ) connector blocks everywhere, no bonding. Had a DNO install a pme head as available and just finishing of the rewire now, job satisfaction at a high today

 

[Deleted member 26818]

There's talk about bringing them back for electric car charging points.

 

[bigspark17]

I'll keep it on the van then incase might make a few quid on it

 

[FatAlan]

When you say rubbers I take it you mean the old rubber insulation. I'm over 50 and funnily enough do remember older wiring from my youth in various DIY escapades.

 

[Risteard]

There's talk about bringing them back for electric car charging points.

From Wiring Matters (emphasis mine):

"Regulation 722.411.4.1(iii) is based on the installation requirements (from the 14th edition wiring regulations) for a voltage operated earth leakage circuit breaker. However, the device differs from the BS 842 voltage operated earth leakage circuit breaker. A product standard for a protective device for the purposes of (iii) is being developed by BSI Committee PEL/23/1."

 

[Sparks1962]

This is one of Crabtree's early current operated devices, trips at 500 ma if I remember correctly...

I've taken plenty out, maybe I should have saved some for posterity

 

[freddo]

I thought they were 1 amp on those current operated ones?

Anyway here is a real voltage operated elcb the rather less common 3phase version. Sorry the photos are a bit blurry.

These things are robust as hell compared to modern stuff.

 

[Sparks1962]

1 Amp..you could be right. Frightening, in view of many situations!

I still come across a few of these 4 pole ELCB's, mainly in Farm buildings.

Somewhere in my workshop I have a Clare test set which does a 'Go, No Go ' test on VOELCB's.

I'll dig it out and post some pics if anyones interested..

Cheers

Dave

 

[Carl S]

I thought they were 1 amp on those current operated ones?

Anyway here is a real voltage operated elcb the rather less common 3phase version. Sorry the photos are a bit blurry.
View attachment 33885 View attachment 33886
These things are robust as hell compared to modern stuff.

VOELCB's worked on voltage rise not leakage current.

 

[1Justin]

I took one out exactly like that last week, still have the bits in the garage.

 

[freddo]

VOELCB's worked on voltage rise not leakage current.

I thought they were 1 amp on those current operated ones?

I was talking about the current operated ones as shown in the first post, not VOELCBs.

 

[1Justin]

Figure this one out then. (all done and dusted now, including a MET connected to something more conventional

 

[Lucien Nunes]

If anyone has complete units like this in good condition surplus to requirements - voltage or current operated - then I would be happy to pay you to pack and send them rather than bin them as I need a couple of good examples for the museum. If you send ones that either work or can be repaired I will make demo videos of them in operation for my forthcoming YouTube vintage electrics video series.

The first unit in the thread is indeed an RCD type. They took a standard VOELCB mechanism and mounted it in the box with that chunky toroidal balance transformer connected to what would have been the E & F terminals. I am not sure whether they used a different resistance of tripping coil or whether the transformer was wound to suit a standard coil.