RCDs are available in different variants , namely ‘ passive ’ or ‘ active ’, and can be used for different applications .

An informative new brochure detailing the range of 10mA , 30mA , active and passive products , entitled ‘ A Guide to Electrical Safety ’, is available now , along with a new website solely dedicated to this impressive range ( please see www . powerbreaker . co . uk ).

PowerBreaker first created the RCD back in 1975 using its in-house expertise to produce the very first RCD to be totally housed within a 13A plug .

Residual current devices are electrical devices which , when incorporated into an electrical installation , will provide the highest degree of protection against the risks of electrocution and fire caused by earth faults .

The 17th Edition of Building Regulations recommends the use of RCDs for sockets

as well as for inside consumer units , but , despite this recommendation – there are still approximately 13 million homes in the UK that have no RCD protection at all . Approximately 10 per cent of all fires are caused by electrical faults and many of these could be prevented by using RCDs .

Where to use RCDs

RCDs are available in different variants , namely ‘ passive ’ or ‘ active ’, and can be used for different applications . Many people are unaware of the differences between these two products and do not understand where best to use what !

For passive RCDs a typical application would be a refrigerator or freezer that would return to their regular mode of operation as soon as the power supply resumes normal operation . Passive RCDs are also useful to use for sockets in hard to reach places where having to gain access to reset an RCD would be tricky , however where protection is still required .

An active RCD is better used for electrical equipment such as hedgetrimmers or power tools , where unexpected restarting of the equipment could present a danger to the user in a powercut situation .

You will also see PowerBreaker offer both a 30mA RCD as standard plus a 10mA option .

PowerBreaker 10mA RCDs are the latest products to hit the market and are the super sensitive products . These RCDs trip earlier as they are more sensitive to a fault current flowing , breaking the circuit before the trip occurs further upstream and takes out the nuisance to the consumer of the RCD tripping – often then cutting out other faultless items . These RCDs have been deemed safer for use in areas with young children , such as nurseries and schools , but also for use in places with more vulnerable people like hospitals or old people ’ s homes , where a chance of electric shock could be fatal . All public access areas would be advised to use 10mA as all types of people can pass through these areas .

‘ There are still approximately 13 million homes in the UK that have no RCD protection at all .’

• PowerBreaker 10mA RCDs are super sensitive and are ideal for use in hospitals and nurseries or areas where you would find vulnerable people .

• The PowerBreaker 30mA RCDs trip at least 10 milliseconds faster than the BSEN standards require .

• PowerBreaker socket RCDs also offer MFBL ( make first break last ) technology , which is critical to avoid upstream RCD nuisance tripping at the consumer unit .

• PowerBreaker is available in all good wholesalers .

So we see that the degree of risk depends not only on current and time but if the victim is a child or a person in poor health , the effects can be more serious so the need for RCD protection is even greater .

For further information visit : www . powerbreaker . co . uk

10 | February 2017