should I use a RCBO breaker?

[OneMoreFarang]

There are also lots of interesting videos on YouTube and some people who know what they are talking about. 

 

This is one interesting video, and the guy has a lot more of the same.

Thomas Nagy - YouTube

 

 

[Woof999]

Should you use an RCBO? Yes.

 

Ice cream will last in a freezer for hours (up to 48), but easily 8 hours+ after it loses power. UNLESS that is, someone keeps opening the door. If you know the RCBO has tripped and you still keep opening the door...

[sometimewoodworker]

6 hours ago, Woof999 said:

Should you use an RCBO? Yes.

 

Ice cream will last in a freezer for hours (up to 48), but easily 8 hours+ after it loses power. UNLESS that is, someone keeps opening the door. If you know the RCBO has tripped and you still keep opening the door...

I think that a chest freezer is probably even better than that

[xtrnuno41]

It is a bus/rail system. All the fuses are connected on that by rail 2 sides.

After that the live wire will continue from the fuses to sockets or lights. All the neutrals are on neutral bar.

 

On top you see the power coming in on a Schneider connection.

I enlarged it to see what is was, but then too blurry.

Couldnt really make up what it is. It would be logical, if it is the overal fuse for the box and have included the earth leakage detection. I see a little red button on it, which could be the test knob.

It means ALL your groups are protected then with one central earth leakage. It is in the main power. But only if that connection block has an earth leakage. Should have a detailed pic of it to see.

 

I see a lot of C32 and wandering why? Heavy duty machinery?

The cables all look the same 1.5-2.5mm2? Only the third from bottom looks bigger.

On a C32 you would expect at least 4 mm2.

Before the fuse will ever start to react, your cables could be glowing red in heat, causing fire. The fuse allows more amps then your cables can handle.

You should know what is on your groups for choosing the right fuses. Meaning how much amps could be used on the specific group. I dont think you would like to have your bar burned down.

 

In this case9?), earth leakage in central power line, you dont have to put in another, separate RCBO.

Besides as this is a rail system, you would need one specially for that system. 

 

The problem with one RCBO in powerline is that all groups will shut down.  You have to switch off then all fuses before resetting the main, earth leakage switch (main power), and putting the fuses on again, one by one until it switches off again and you find the guilty group with a fault.

 

But is the main connection on the Scheider, a fuse with an earth leakage detection? 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/14/2022 at 10:42 PM, STD Warehouse said:

so every socket inside your house uses a RCBO?

Use a Safe T Cut and IMO everything inside the house is protected. Mine saved me at least twice.

[Muhendis]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Use a Safe T Cut and IMO everything inside the house is protected. Mine saved me at least twice.

There are quite a few companies making RCBO's. Whichever one is fitted please remember to test it regularly. I cannot recommend Safe T Cut because I had one in my CU and, unknown to me at the time, it failed. Not a shocking problem fortunately but one which went undetected for I don't know how long.

[lopburi3]

17 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

I cannot recommend Safe T Cut because I had one in my CU and, unknown to me at the time, it failed.

For me still using an original Safe T Cut purchased in 1978 and it is still appears to be working fine although have added several sub circuit panels with own RCBO over the years.  

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Muhendis said:

There are quite a few companies making RCBO's. Whichever one is fitted please remember to test it regularly.

Statistically how often or seldom do they fail. And do they fail less often if they are triggered from time to time (by pressing that little button)? 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, Muhendis said:

There are quite a few companies making RCBO's. Whichever one is fitted please remember to test it regularly. I cannot recommend Safe T Cut because I had one in my CU and, unknown to me at the time, it failed. Not a shocking problem fortunately but one which went undetected for I don't know how long.

My SafeT Cut was a stand alone unit- not part of a CU. If not for it I wouldn't be here today.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Statistically how often or seldom do they fail. And do they fail less often if they are triggered from time to time (by pressing that little button)? 

I think the little button just lets one know it's still working.

[sometimewoodworker]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Statistically how often or seldom do they fail. And do they fail less often if they are triggered from time to time (by pressing that little button)? 

The problem with not testing them with the button is that, yes they may fail early by using it but if you don’t use it you won’t know that they have failed so you don’t have protection. Thusly dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t! But if you do then the period without protection is short.

[bluejets]

16 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Statistically how often or seldom do they fail. And do they fail less often if they are triggered from time to time (by pressing that little button)? 

During 12 month interval testing at one of the many sites we do, one installation has well over 1,000 rcbo's, of which, perhaps 2 or 3 may fail.

This failure is not only due to the mechanical trip but also the time (less than 400mS) to do so, this is on both legs of the sine wave.

In general, trip time can be anywhere between 9 and 40mS which we consider to be "normal".

Pressing the button at intervals of perhaps once every couple of months, can make the mechanics of the unit operate as it should.

One sometimes gets a unit which will fail to trip first press, but sucessive are ok. As expected, they go out in the bin anyhow.