Powerbreaker 40 and fabulous! Residual Current Devices (RCDs) have been commonplace in the UK since PowerBreaker was first launched 40 years ago. The core technology that started saving lives back then still does the same job today.....but RCD products have developed significantly in that time. Over the years, standards of safety, durability and aesthetics have all improved, driven partly by market forces and the need to stay ahead of the competition, and partly by revisions to BS and EN standards focused on driving improvements in safety and quality.
Despite the importance of RCDs, research by Electrical Safety First has provided some shocking statistics into just how far the UK is from exploiting these simple and inexpensive devices to make every home safe. A figure of 41% is quoted of all fire related injuries being caused by electrical origin, and over 40% of owner occupied UK homes are not protected by RCDs. The remainder therefore, are at risk of electrical injury, fatality or a house fire due to an electrical fault. In addition, a DTI report estimates that 20% of electrical fires could be prevented by 16 - Automation Update April 2016
an RCD, highlighting an even greater requirement for potentially fire preventing electrical safety measures. And it is not only your property that is at risk; just 250mA of current leaking through a human body for 200 milliseconds can be fatal. Knowledge of just how quickly a small amount of electrical current can cause injury or death means that electrical contractors should regularly suggest RCDs as cheap and effective protection for their domestic customers.
S
o how does it work? An RCD protects by constantly monitoring the current flowing in the live and neutral wires supplying a circuit or an individual item of equipment. Under normal circumstances, the current flowing in the two wires is equal. When an earth leakage occurs, due to a fault in the circuit or an electrical fault, an imbalance occurs and this is detected by the RCD, which automatically cuts off the power before injury or damage can result.
Over the years there have been many revisions to the legislation around RCDs and PowerBreaker have continued to develop products to meet and exceed all the latest standards. In the recent change to the 17th Edition, the standards around RCD protection were updated enormously with regard to the consumer unit. RCDs were not required on all sockets so limited protection was provided. Now, the 17th Edition has brought to light the potential need for more RCDs in the home and workplace.