TODAY I am replacing an old consumer unit with faulty MCB’s and a broken cover. Here is how it is done step-by-step in a Spanish installation. I am using Chint switchgear. Step 1: Make a note of what you started with, i.e. label and identify the sub-circuits, where do the cables enter the box, etc. Step 2: Mark and cut the hole for the new back box covering...
Read MoreTHERE IS a common apprehension and mistrust by the Brits regarding the safety of Spanish electrics in the home. This is probably due to the lack of mandatory regulations for domestic installations in Spain compared to the UK. There are a number of specific national practices, habits and traditions associated with electrical wiring in Spanish houses that...
Read MoreWHY DO I need an RCD if I have a good earth connection? Earthing is a solid method of protection for an electrical system, whilst a Residual Current Device (RCD) is a device that disconnects the electricity supply in the event of a fault. The big advantage of using earth over an RCD as the primary means of earth fault protection is that earth is all around us in...
Read MoreAN EFFECTIVE way of dealing with a “pain in the butt” nuisance RCD tripping is to fit an automatic resetting or recloser Residual Current Device (RCD). In the majority of cases the nuisance fault is downstream, somewhere in the property. Invariably the trips are caused by deteriorating insulation on heater elements in water heaters, cooker elements,...
Read More#testyourRCD. An RCD (Residual Current Device) is the most important safety device in your home electrics. Don’t ignore the importance of this little baby and ensure that you test it regularly. An RCD is not a fuse. That function is provided by a Circuit Breaker (CB). CB’s are used together with RCD’s, fitted alongside each other in the consumer...
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