ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades RCD's in Australia?

Trumpy, I have been caught out a couple of times with trs, I have had to do a few repairs on it to get people going for the short term. I found the only way to work with it for a temp repair, is to heat it with the gas torch first, this makes it supple enough so that it can be stripped and sleeved with heatshrink. But I agree it is a nightmare. I had to do a partial rewire once and leave the old trs in the roof, the home had been in a fire many years ago (while trs was still being used). but the ceiling joists did not look safe enough to climb through anymore, so I meggered the mains (100 Meg) and left it, I still don't feel right about it though.

Paul,

We go a little nuts on that. An RCD can't be used as the main switch. You have to effectively have 3 cut off points on the board itself, the power company (ESB) now also has sealed dual pole islolating switches between their meter and the customers equipment.

On the consumer unit: Main fuse (neozed/diazed 63amp), Main dual pole switch and then RCD.

It does indeed sound as though Ireland is getting a little carried away! I've seen a PoCo install their own D.P. isolator on their board a couple of times, but it's far more usual for the main RCD or switch in the panel to be the only isolator here (other than pulling the PoCo fuse, which is sealed).

The voltage-operated ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) was used for many years in rural parts of the U.K. as well. I see many which are still in service. For those who are not familiar with this old system, look at diagram #4 here.

Dapo,
If you are anything like me (or any other self respecting Tradesman), you do not like doing "Fix-up jobs", like putting a Band-Aid over the thing, hoping that it will go away.
These types of things keep me awake at night, if I have to do them.
Refusal, is best, let someone else worry about it!, if you cannot convince them to rewire the circuit.

You are dead right Trumpy, fix-ups and band aid repairs, can become a worry for an electrician. Some people don't want anything more done once they see you have got it going for them.

Dapo,
I don't know how many times I have been bitten, by people just wanting the wiring repaired temporarily.
As a standard, I always replace the (normally) existing Porcelain fuse(s) supplying any old wiring.
It's a whole lot easier on the nerves, when you go to re-energise the installation.