Hager High integrity board + RCBO’s + solar install.

[Debrahim]

Your electrician will most likely want to obtain the parts he will be using.

That’s fine but if I know where it is, I can direct him to the correct place.

 

[davesparks]

That’s fine but if I know where it is, I can direct him to the correct place.

Your electrician will know where to buy a length of busbar from, or may even have some already, it's a pretty common item.

 

[Debrahim]

Thanks, I thought it had to be specific, to the board. I remember years ago you could just snap the busbar at the right place.

You guys are certainly very protective, - haha. I’ve agreed a day rate with my electrician, as quite a few jobs need doing.

 

[pc1966]

You guys are certainly very protective, - haha.

Giving advice has a risk, and those asking for advice are often not as knowledgeable or experienced to provide all information or to know quite what to do with it. Otherwise they would not be asking...

CU replacement and/or new circuits are notifiable work under Part P of the England and wales building regulations so this forum has rules to be cautious about any advice. Also none of us really want to read about death or injury resulting from ill considered actions.

 

[pc1966]

Maybe I’m being dim but isn’t this a Hager type B RCBO ?

The over-current side of protection, as for MCBs, has 3 options in the UK (in EU at least two more) and they cover the relationship between the rated current 'In' and the point where the magnetic instant trip kicks in. Here 'instant' means under a cycle of the 50Hz mains. They are:

• B trip at 3-5 * In
• C trip at 5-10 * In
• D trip at 10-20 * In

For example, a 32A B-curve MCB will trip fast somewhere between 96A and 160A.

The B-curve is most common for domestic work, C-curve is frequently seen in commercial/industrial work where large switch-on surges are present (e.g. lots of simultaneously switch lights in an office, etc) and D-curve is occasionally seen for big loads like motors or transformers, or for sub-mains feeding another distribution board (but can present issues of disconnecting fast enough for a final circuit's protection).

RCD are grouped by how well they cope with DC components in the fault waveform and the most common 3 are:

• AC - only rated to trip on an AC fault, seen in older RCD and not suited to any electronic loads (which is most stuff now bar water heaters)
• A - trips on a AC + DC load, such as rectified mains. Suited for most circuits that are unlikely to present a smooth DC fault.
• B - trips for DC and AC faults. This is ideal case, but the DC-sensing aspect makes them far more expensive than AC/A types so restricted for special loads like EV or PV set-ups.

Of course, once you are looking at RCBO you have both combined, so you see the clash of B-curve over-current but not B trip for RCD!

Most RCBO seem to be type A for the RCD side these days (as AC trip really should be relegated to history) and usually B or C for over-current. Personally I have never seen RCD B-trip or MCB D-curve in a RCBO but they might exist somewhere...

 

[baldelectrician]

I have just fitted a new dual row Hager consumer unit with SPD for a client who has EV, will be getting battery and PV

Hager do a change over switch (SF263), which is NOT an isolator (you will need the isolator in the main unit as well as an isolator in the new unit for the generator supply part

The change over switch is manual but allows you to alter between battery and mains at a flick of a switch- your electrician will need to decide with you which circuits you want on the batery side.

I installed a VML91620CUSPD which allowed dual RCD, 3 RCBO's and an unprotected way for the central heating (combi boiler, trunking, no buried cables etc)

If you are going for a straight RCBO then a VML11820SPD would do well. 38 total available ways- massive and room for extras - such as din rail mounted meter that may come with your solar panels

Allows all your stuff in the one consumer unit with room to spare.

We have started suggesting dual row consumer units for this reason

 

[WallaceP]

If you are converting a dual rcd board to mainswitch+RCBOs you might want to replace the neutral bar too, otherwise you will have to link them together.

 

[Debrahim]

With regards to the plastic Hager board made in 2012

Giving advice has a risk, and those asking for advice are often not as knowledgeable or experienced to provide all information or to know quite what to do with it. Otherwise they would not be asking...

CU replacement and/or new circuits are notifiable work under Part P of the England and wales building regulations so this forum has rules to be cautious about any advice. Also none of us really want to read about death or injury resulting from ill considered actions.

you really think I’m going to dismantle the board, order new RCBO’s, and wire it in ? I haven’t got the knowledge let alone the time. Perhaps you should campaign to make it a restricted product, like when I go to the wholesalers to order meds they check the register, or buying a product with R32 in it!