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Ask The Trades › DIY Forum › Electrical Questions › Circuit breakers?

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Circuit breakers? (Read 8808 times)

rcflyers

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Circuit breakers?
Jun 5^th, 2012, 3:59pm

I have just moved house and in the garage is a consumer panel but most of the fuses have been taken out and replaced with some sort of breakers. Please see picture.
They have just 2 pins on them which plug into the panel.
Are these RCD type devices or just resettable current overload type circuit breakers?
I am also not sure what the device on the right is doing either.
Thanks for any replies.

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Lectrician

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Re: Circuit breakers?
Reply #1 - Jun 5^th, 2012, 5:27pm

The Circuit Breakers in your pic are "Miniature Circuit Breakers, or MCB's". They provide overcurrent protection only.

The Circuit Breaker to the far right of your picture is a "Residual Current Device, or RCD", also known as an "Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker or ELCB" (particularly that model). It looks as if this has been fitted for the shower circuit?

If it was me, I would be budgeting for a new consumer unit to be fitted - These days you would be looking at a Dual Split Load incorporating RCD and MCB protection as required.

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cumbriahandyman GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #2 - Jun 5^th, 2012, 7:44pm Do you have another consumer unit in the house?
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Lectrician Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Ask The Trades Posts: 8814 Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0 Braunton, North Devon United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #3 - Jun 5^th, 2012, 8:08pm Quote: Do you have another consumer unit in the house? What makes you wonder that? I can't see anything to suggest there is?
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cumbriahandyman GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #4 - Jun 5^th, 2012, 8:15pm Lectrician wrote on Jun 5^th, 2012, 8:08pm: Quote: Do you have another consumer unit in the house? What makes you wonder that? I can't see anything to suggest there is? Just a thought as the wire to and from the RCD (in the piccy) looked a bit undersized for a shower.
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Lectrician Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Ask The Trades Posts: 8814 Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0 Braunton, North Devon United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #5 - Jun 5^th, 2012, 8:40pm I thought you were going on the lack of tails I reckon the cable with the RCD looks to be a 6mm² T+E, fed from one of the B32amp MCB's.
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rcflyers GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #6 - Jun 6^th, 2012, 6:55am Thanks, We have gas heated water for the shower, I am not sure what the unit on the right is protecting. This is the only consumer unit in the house. Can you give a ballpark figure to the likely cost of fitting an up to date consumer unit with better protection please?
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Lectrician Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Ask The Trades Posts: 8814 Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0 Braunton, North Devon United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #7 - Jun 6^th, 2012, 9:13am It depends on so many things really, one being the state of the installation as a whole (as the new consumer unit must be certified along with the original circuits). Around £300 is typical. Could be a little less, could be more. There may have been an old shower prior to the gas combi boiler?
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rcflyers GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #8 - Jun 6^th, 2012, 8:06pm Thanks, I have had a few quotes in the £300 - £350 range.
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cumbriahandyman GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #9 - Jun 6^th, 2012, 9:45pm Quote: Thanks, I have had a few quotes in the £300 - £350 range. Be thankful you don't live in Aylesbury, £800.00! http://www.whatprice.co.uk/prices/electrician/consumer-unit-install.html
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rcflyers GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Circuit breakers? Reply #10 - Jun 13^th, 2012, 8:43pm Here's the new setup fitted on Monday for £290.
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Lectrician

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Re: Circuit breakers?
Reply #11 - Jun 13^th, 2012, 8:49pm

Would be interested to see a shot with the cover removed (if you feel happy to do so!).

The main switch in the CU is on the wrong side, so I assume they struggled for length on the mains tails - would be nice to see how they got over that, as often not easy to simply move the mains switch from one side to the other!

Decent make CU though. Good to see some sparkies do as I do and try to steer clear of the mass market Wylex!

Here is an MK the way it usually is:

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