Sunny Spain

[Lectrician]

Having just spend 12 days in my neighbours place in spain, I thought I would share a few of the lecky pictures I could not resist taking.

Firstly, the place is billed via a meter, but is on a 'green 5.5kw' tarrif.

Unfortunately, this means the supply is limited (via an MCB) to 25amp - with aircon in each room (as heating too), a water heater, oven etc, it is rather annoying! The MCB is sealed as can be seen in the pic.

Consumer unit with covers on.

Consumer unit labelling:
*Alumbrado (Lighting), all lighting.
*Otros Usos (Other Uses), a couple sockets.
*Electrodomesticos (Sockets).
*Cocina (Cooker), oven only, gas hob.
*Diferencial (Differencial), RCD covering all circuits.
*General (General), Main Isolator.

Sealed 25amp Merlin MCB limiting supply from lecky company.
This is a picture of the main consumer unit with the flange removed. Notice the electricity board sealed cover over the MCB limiting the load to 5.5kw.

Inside the consumer unit, because I knew you would ask.

Access panel and doorbell above consumer unit.

Doorbell - nothing much to see, but notice it is mains voltage! Never seen a FRIEDLAND 220v version before - it certainly sounds powerful when used. It is operated from a mains momentry action switch outside the door, and wired to the lighting circuit.

Wiring access - pull off cover, no tools required.
They use these decorated panels all over the place to show change of directions etc in conduit runs.

Pics are all here - I may add some more.
http://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-b...wgallery;username=Lectrician;album=1260281091

 

[Chri5]

Busmans holiday ?

Did the wife have a good time

 

[chivers67]

That is a grey live wire serving the bell isn't it?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Quite amused that all the internal circuits have DP cbs but the service cb is only SP.

Are the wiring ends all finished in pin crimps with (in some cases) more than one conductor per crimp?

Nice insulated busbar though

 

[aptsys]

Are the wiring ends all finished in pin crimps with (in some cases) more than one conductor per crimp?

Looks like it. You can get ferrules for multiple conductors though so it's not a bodge.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You can get ferrules for multiple conductors though so it's not a bodge.

Aah. I must have led a sheltered life!

 

[333rocky333]

Are the wiring ends all finished in pin crimps with (in some cases) more than one conductor per crimp?

looks like maybe, single and double ferrules.
Yellow is french code for 6mm ferrrules

 

[Taylortwocities]

Aah but look at the sheer majesty of it

Not a ring final to be seen
A bit pointless with a 25A limit on the incomer

 

[AndyPRK]

they don't believe in busbars then. I guess the DP MCB's make that difficult.

Mains on the doorbell button Give an english man a shock

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Did the wife have a good time

She seemed to.

"Don't worry, Martin will be gone for hours, taking his photos" she used to say.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I remember staying in a rather posh hotel in Madrid a few years ago. The wardrobes had lights that went on as you opened the door.

Being a curious tyke I investigated what worked this miracle.
I identified a brass push button near the top of the door frame and pressed it with my finger, expecting the light to go off. Instead I got a 220volt belt up my arm.

(They couldn't afford 230volts back then)

 

[Astra99]

When I had to replace the doorbell on our apartment in Spain, I was quite surprised to find Frieland 240/120v units at the local Ferreteria. The problem I hit was the cables supplying the bell are 1.5mm, so it was a bit of a devil to get a good connection without crimping a ring/openring connector on the end, but I managed it. When we next go over, I will take a short length of 0.75 flat-twin flex (bell is double-insulated) and make the connection inside the adjacent wall-box. BTW, were any of the sockets on the lighting (alumbrado) circuit? And picking up on the comment about DP breakers but an SP on the main incomer, please bear in mind that the main incomer breaker is not for overcurrent protection, but to act as a current limiter for charging purposes; the monthly standing charge increases the higher the power supplied. It is usual to find these are "C" curve breakers, especially when 3.3 or 5.5 kW "potencia" is supplied.

 

[dingodeano]

We really do have the best wiring in this country.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How does a 25A MCB stop you from using more than 5.5kW?

 

[dingodeano]

In spain is phase brown grey or black?