Any leccy's got a good argument for not using a single 16 amp 30 milliamp type B RCBO to fulfil the requirements for electrical socket outlets in a van? Seems to be the cheapest way of achieving double polefault protection to me and doesnt take up as much room as a DP RCD and a DP MCB (or two for that matter) In theory to simply provide power to a socket and charger circuit (or fridge) you need a 6 way consumer unit. I aint got space for that sh1t!
Hi, i'm not a leccy but have sold consumer units before. Why don't you look at a small 4 way consumer unit designed for a shed. RCBO/RCCD plus 2 MCBs then if you have a problem with your fridge/socket circuit you will still have lights?
Thanks Sean. My current set up is single pole MCBs fed from and RCD and im trying to improve on that and make it compliant.
I've got a single pole RCBO, just a single breaker feeding two single sockets and the fridge as recommended on here some time back. The obvious difficulty here is that in Europe they don't have a dedicated live and neutral wire and the breaker will only work if there's a fault on the live and if you connect up back to front you will not be protected. Hence the mains tester plugged into the socket in the second pic. My incoming supply is via an original German spec Schuko plug which is reversible so whenever the tester shows the supply is reversed I reverse the inlet plug to correct. I've also got a pair of cartridge fuses in line - this is how Westfalia supplied it. I looked at other solutions but I'd have ended up with a huge box which like you I was keen to avoid. I doubt if what I've got is compliant but i don't believe it's unsafe. (Let flame war commence).
Im doing exactly what you have - right down to the schuko and mains tester. Im not sure that its not compliant indeed I believe that reversed polarity is catered for when the device is double pole. Spookily nough thats where im looking at putting it too.
in terms of compliance, who actually tests this? not the MoT man......I'm not being flippant, but I'd've thought a single pole RCD/mcbs set up was more than adequate
I agree to an extent and the only reason Im swapping mine out is its very old, not well constructed and I need to replace. Smaller is good here!
An RCBO is fine if you also have a double pole isolator before it but I would just use a simple and cheap 'garage consumer unit' with DP RCD and 16a mcb for sockets, one for the fridge etc.
try this - http://www.amazon.co.uk/GW40022-Gewiss-KVA-40-1-2/dp/B0085AFEU8. Is it cheap enough for you?
Not casting nasturtiums. I was quite impressed myself when I looked to see the actual item is less than £3. I'm sure I paid a fair bit more.
nowt at the moment but its all wired to under the bed now. Want to be able to get at it easily when i need to.
sorry had a re think RCBOs only disconnect the live. The regs need both live conductors need to be disconnected