The third and final circuit(s) basically sit next to the main switch and are comprised of individual RCBO’s that provide all the protection for the circuit they are supplying. These circuits are considered highly important and as they are individually protected and outside of the RCD circuits, won’t trip with the other circuits protected under them.

Each MCB is installed by clipping it onto a DIN bar and the "teeth" of the bus bar are inserted into the base of each MCB. This carries the live current into the MCB and the cable that supplies the given circuit are connected to the top section.Step 2 – Install MCB/RCBO: As the circuit must have its own MCB or RCBO, first a new one is installed within the consumer unit in the appropriate place. Depending on what it will be powering will depend where it goes as the more power hungry circuits tend to be placed closer to the main switch and RCD When the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations were introduced in 2008, it stated that all circuits should be protected against earth leakage and to ensure this is the case, the split load consumer unit was introduced. Scottish Islands:HS1-9, IV40-51, IV55-56, KA27-28, KW15-17, PA20, PA30, PA32-34, PA41-49, PA60-78, PH42-44, ZE1-3

Scottish Highlands, areas which we class as zone 1 are post codes: AB30-38, AB44-56, FK17-99, G83, IV1-28, IV30-32, IV33-39, IV52-54, IV63, KW1-14, PA21-33, PA34-40, PH18-26, PH30, PH31-41, PH49-50 They can also feature 1 or even 2 RCD’s. The RCD, or residual current device is similar to an MCB in that if it senses an issue it will trip and isolate all the of the MCB’s/fuses below it. More on these below. There are some geographical areas that we are unable to offer next day delivery as standard, such as the Scottish Highlands. We are unable to guarantee next day delivery to the following post codes AB31, AB33-38, AB44-56, IV, HS, KA27-28, KW, PA20-88, PH17-26, PH30-44, PH49-50, TR21-25 and ZE. Never ever try to play with electricity (as it is dangerous and can be fatal) without proper guidance and care. Do the installation and repairing work in presence of experienced persons having vast knowledge and good practice who knows how to deal with electricity.Now connect the Neutral wire “N” (Blue color) to the input “N” terminal of RCD. The output “N” terminal of RCD should be connected to the Neutral busbar terminal in the consumer unit.

One final point – If you still have an old style fuse box as opposed to a consumer unit, then this almost certainly won’t be compliant with the latest wiring and electrical regulations so you should think about getting it changed for a much safer modern consumer unit as soon as you can. The Consumer Unit – What is it? Essentially, if an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is carried out on such a setup and it is found that everything is working as it should be then all should be well, as long as there are no outside or zoned circuits that require an RCD. In terms of the law, RCD’s are only required to be installed in a new build, where additions or major alterations are done to an existing property or when a rewire is carried out.

Click & Collect

When it comes to the name, ring main is a term which has been used for years and in all likelihood will continue to be used for many more to come, but it is in fact incorrect, it’s just easy to say! These rules exist for very good reasons as if it’s too long you are asking the circuit to use much more energy than it is designed for. More energy = more heat and when this happens, cables can very easily catch fire! Outdoor Appliances This seems to suggest that moving forward, RCBO’s should be used for individual final circuits as opposed to RCD’s as the earth leakage across several appliances on the same RCD could be enough to tip the balance and cause nuisance tripping, especially where washing machines, dishwashers and the similar that can earth leak quite a bit, up to 5mA in some cases are featured. Note: Depending on what the circuit will be running will depend on what size MCB is installed. Again, your electrician will know exactly what MCB can be used for a given circuit. There are restrictions on how much power and for how long, a ring main or final ring circuit may carry. This is reflected in the maximum distance a cable may be used for and the fuse rating it is given. Please see cable length restrictions below for more information.

The RCD is then clipped onto the DIN bar. The top clip is first clipped over the top of the bar and then bottom either clips over using a spring clip, a screw or simply just clips over.However to be sure that your electrician is doing it correctly, this is generally the process that’s followed: way circuit using RCBO’s and RCD’s – Image courtesy of the BS7671 18th Edition Wiring Regulations What are RCD’s? When it comes down to it, the only person(s) able to do this are those that are Part P registered. If however you ignore this and do carry out electrical work that you’re not allowed to, this is illegal and also can invalidate your home insurance and cause potential issues when trying to sell your home. Now that you know exactly what elements make up a standard consumer unit and why they are needed it’s time to look at exactly how they are wired up and why this is done a particular way. In this guide we take a look at the consumer unit and how it works, read on to find out more. Rules and Regulations for Electricity in Your Home