Safetycut Vs Consummer

[Krub]

Hi,

I have asked my builder to use a safety cut in my electrical wiring.

He proposed 'Consummer' a brand that does the same job according to him and which is integrated with the 'breaker' making it a neat box into one

Anyboday have any specifics of thst system and/or any comparison to safetycut ?

Thanks

Edited March 14, 2005 by Krub

[surin]

Hi,

I have asked my builder to use a safety cut in my electrical wiring.

He proposed 'Consummer' a brand that does the same job according to him and which is integrated with the 'breaker' making it a neat box into one

Anyboday have any specifics of thst system and/or any comparison to safetycut ?

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just get a safety- cut installed.

[andy50]

Hi,

I have asked my builder to use a safety cut in my electrical wiring.

He proposed 'Consummer' a brand that does the same job according to him and which is integrated with the 'breaker' making it a neat box into one

Anyboday have any specifics of thst system and/or any comparison to safetycut ?

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hi krub, your builder probably means a "consumer unit"-this is what the unit it called here in the uk,

its a metal or plastic enclosure with a main switch and about 6 separate circuit breakers within

the main switch has a built in safety trip with a test button to test it occasionally

the main switch should have a trip rating no more than 30 ma(milli-amps) also an earth rod 1 metre long, should be installed with a 10mm wire attached to it, and the other end of the wire connected to the earth bar inside the consumer unit ,and all appliances and extranious metalwork inside the house earthed back to the earth bar in the consumer unit--this is VERY important! ps try to get the builder/electrician to position the consumer unit in a cupboard ,out of sight ,they always seem to fit it on the wall in the hall way,!!

Edited March 15, 2005 by andy50

[lopburi3]

The oldest ELCB/GFI in Thailand is the Safe-t-cut brand and it does not require a ground system which many Thai homes have not had. There are several other brands now available of the same stand alone master breaker type. The will all do the job.

What builder may be talking about is a power panel with the main breaker being ELCB to trip at 30ma and probably 63 amp breaker and then you have panel of 6/9/12 or whatever sub breakers which are also protected. For new construction this is probably the best at it puts it all in one panel. But remember you can not easily bypass this system so if a breaker trips it stays tripped until you find/correct the problem. With the Safe-t-cut you can bypass or change sensitivity in an emergency.

I use both systems myself and the panel type are made by ClipSal (from Oz I believe).

As Andy says the best thing is to have a 3 wire grounded system plus ELCB.

[andy50]

hi lopburi3,ive found a few faulty elcb,s in the past,here in the uk,

when tested with the correct equipment, some havent tripped at the correct ma/time rating, and some, not at all ! ,thats why its important to have an earth stake ,as a back-up

here in the uk,sometimes the earth is connected to the neutral ,instead of using a stake, so the neutral and the earth are as one-- its called PME(phase multiple earthing )

at least with a stake , the sub-breaker will /should trip if a fault occurs on a circuit

( providing the stake resistance is low enough to allow enough fault current to flow to earth that is!)

btw,i dont like the idea of a bypass switch on the safe-t cutout! !whats the point of having an elcb that you can bypass! that would be a big no-no in the uk !

Edited March 16, 2005 by andy50

[Krub]

Hi,

Thank you veyr much for your replies and detailed suggestions

Much appreciated

[paulfr]

at least with a stake , the sub-breaker will /should trip if a fault occurs on a circuit

( providing the stake resistance is low enough to allow enough fault current to flow to earth that is!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And when the current gets to the earth stake, where exactly does it go to complete it's loop ??

All current flows in a loop (except lightning which is a charge transfer or discharge)

Mythology can be very comforting and it can be very dangerous.

Take the time and trouble to make sure the ECLB is working ! !

[andy50]

at least with a stake , the sub-breaker will /should trip if a fault occurs on a circuit

( providing the stake resistance is low enough to allow enough fault current to flow to earth that is!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And when the current gets to the earth stake, where exactly does it go to complete it's loop ??

All current flows in a loop (except lightning which is a charge transfer or discharge)

Mythology can be very comforting and it can be very dangerous.

Take the time and trouble to make sure the ECLB is working ! !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hi paulfr,i didnt understand the bit about mythology,as for the question about the earth stake, the current makes its way back to the main earth stake at the power station, as does all fault current