i know that because of kitchen appliance being connected to the ring main, it should be protected by RCD. what if the RCD circuits are fully occupied, would you have to make all ring mains sockets (standard socket) into RCD sockets (by using RCD mounted sockets). this will also protect against sockets being used for external use.
kitchen ring main
- Thread starter teracir
- Start date
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Kitchens haven't got to be RCD protected, unless they can reasonably be expected to be used for outdoor equipment, but I agree it's a good idea (some people would add, except for freezers). However buying a number of RCD sockets is an expensive way to do it.
Depending on the make and type of your CU (and I'm surprised to hear you've run out of positions on the RCD side) it is probably possible either to reconfigure the RCD and busbar to give more protected, and fewer unprotected positions (this needs to be done by a competent person) or else to add an RCBO to one of the unprotected positions in place of the existing MCB. An RCBO is a combination device which includes an RCD and an MCB. Some makes are narrow enough to fit into the same space as an MCB; some are double width. What make is your consumer unit? Can you lay your hands on a digital camera and put up a pic?
RCBOs are I think an excellent way of protecting circuits, as you don't lose several circuits with a single fault. However this is a much more expensive way to do it than by having a single RCD protecting a group of circuits.
Depending on the make and type of your CU (and I'm surprised to hear you've run out of positions on the RCD side) it is probably possible either to reconfigure the RCD and busbar to give more protected, and fewer unprotected positions (this needs to be done by a competent person) or else to add an RCBO to one of the unprotected positions in place of the existing MCB. An RCBO is a combination device which includes an RCD and an MCB. Some makes are narrow enough to fit into the same space as an MCB; some are double width. What make is your consumer unit? Can you lay your hands on a digital camera and put up a pic?
RCBOs are I think an excellent way of protecting circuits, as you don't lose several circuits with a single fault. However this is a much more expensive way to do it than by having a single RCD protecting a group of circuits.
sorry for delayed responsei have been away.
it is not stated anywhere in the regs that hitchen ring should be RCD but it is good practice to have this on the RCD side since most of your appliances are high wattage ones and also there will be a chance that equipment used outside may also be connected to the kitchen ring
it is not stated anywhere in the regs that hitchen ring should be RCD but it is good practice to have this on the RCD side since most of your appliances are high wattage ones and also there will be a chance that equipment used outside may also be connected to the kitchen ring
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one out of two aint bad.
Teracir, I would always have the kitchen on the RCD side, because of 2 reasons.
1) more chance of outdoors equipment being used out of the Equipotential zone
2) Peace of mind for the homeowner, since an RCD will trip if someone cuts through a cable's live and is recieving 50mA of current which wouldn't trip an MCB. Lectric shocks are more likely in a kitchen - water, knifes etc.
Teracir, I would always have the kitchen on the RCD side, because of 2 reasons.
1) more chance of outdoors equipment being used out of the Equipotential zone
2) Peace of mind for the homeowner, since an RCD will trip if someone cuts through a cable's live and is recieving 50mA of current which wouldn't trip an MCB. Lectric shocks are more likely in a kitchen - water, knifes etc.
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