Questions about RCD's

[horsey89]

Helllo all,

Just a question about the operation of RCD's

At work there is 8 containers all fed from a panel. Each container is assigned a 132A RCD from this panel. The feeder units in each container have RCD's for lights, sockets & heaters ect. When I was fitting some new sockets into one of the containers I turned off the RCD for sockets in the feeder unit rather than turning the whole feeder unit off. This was to cause as little disruption to the workers in the cabin. When I cut through the neutral for the new socket it tripped the main breaker for the feeder unit and the main breaker that feeds all 8 containers.

Is this what should be happening? Do I have to isolate the feeder unit for a whole container to work on anything in it?

Also there are other containers which are fuses rather than RCD's, Would I have to isolate the whole container or can I just pull the fuse for the heaters and allow the workers to still use the sockets while I am terminating a neutral.

Any input appreciated

cheers

 

[ackbarthestar]

Also there are other containers which are fuses rather than RCD's, Would I have to isolate the whole container or can I just pull the fuse for the heaters and allow the workers to still use the sockets while I am terminating a neutral.

Sounds like a temporary sweat shop to me.

Firstly, How many phases are there feeding these containers?
Secondly, 132A RCD? What is its leakage allowance?
Thirdly, Safe Isolation ?
Fourthly, I assume you are disconnecting both phase and neutral when making new terminations

 

[Guest123]

Sounds like you dont have any discrimination between any of the RCD's in circuit.

As requested, can you clarify the mA rating of each of these RCD's??

 

[ackbarthestar]

Sounds like you dont have any discrimination between any of the RCD's in circuit.

As requested, can you clarify the mA rating of each of these RCD's??

The whole lot will trip if its a 4-pole RCD and this chap starts messing around with the neutral in one of the boxes

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I feel you maybe out of your depth here mate. You should be carrying out safe isolation, even if the isolation is only local especially if you are considering the possibility of people working in the vicinity of the electrical work.

I am not questioning your skills or ability as an Electrician, but some of the things you ask have sounded alarm bells, and i fear that you may not have enough relevant experience and knowledge to be able to work safely in the environment that you describe.

Cheers............Howard

 

[rich.250]

When you say Rcd for sockets do you mean single mod rcbo??
As if it is then yes it will trip the other end as there single pole. So neutral to earth will still be detected at the other end.

 

[RISElectrical]

Safe isolation would be breaking all live conductors

 

[sedgy34]

charge for out of hours works