When you have electrical circuits at your home, office or other places, current leakage hazards can occur anytime. Such hazards may be fatal sometimes. Hence, it is important to protect the circuits beforehand.
RCCB is a useful safety measure for this purpose. It is installed with MCBs in many places like homes, tunnels, construction sites, welding machines, etc.
But there is one thing to note. Buying the right RCCB is important to avoid the hazards. In this article, we will talk about it in detail.
First, we will talk about what RCCB is. Then, we will discuss selecting the right RCCB and the difference between RCCB and RCBO. A checklist to identify the reasons for RCCB tripping will be at the end.
What is RCCB?
RCCB, or Residual-Current Circuit Breaker, is a safety measure that protects electric circuits from getting damaged due to earth faults or wiring problems.
They are installed parallel to the MCBs inside a distribution board. The MCB protects against overload and short circuits, and the RCCB protects against earth leakage.
If any fault is found or the current exceeds the rated sensitivity, RCCB senses it. Then, it disconnects the circuit. Thus, it protects from a shock caused by direct contact.
RCCB vs. RCBO: Learn the Differences
Many times, people get confused between RCCB and RCBO.
RCCB is, as we mentioned, an electrical wiring safety device that disconnects the circuit when it senses a current leakage to the earth wire.
RCBO or Residual Current Breaker with Over-current, combines the functionality of both MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker) and RCCB. When a current leakage takes place, the RCBO trips the whole circuit.
An RCCB can protect against electric shocks and earth faults. As a combination of MCB and RCCB, RCBOs can protect against overload and short-circuit problems.
So, while buying an RCCB, keep the differences in mind to avoid any hassle.
How to Choose the Right RCCB: Different Applications Explained:
Depending on where you’re using the circuits, you need to choose the right RCCB.
Let’s know more about it.
In places with great risk of electrical shock: Bathrooms, swimming pools, tunnels, etc. are the places with a huge risk of electrical shock. So, high-sensitivity, fast RCCB should be used here. Its sensitivity should not be more than 10 mA.
In motors: In these cases, an RCCB should be able to avoid the starting leakage current of the motor without action. It is often up to 15 mA for a 100 kW motor. The RCCB should have better balance features to avoid the rated sensitivity of the stall current during a malfunction.
In welding machines: For short-term impact welding current, you can use an RCCB with normal operational abilities. But, for a high-frequency welding machine, you may need an RCCB with a standard anti-electromagnetic interference performance feature. On average, 9-30 mA is an ideal rating for RCCBs in welding machines.
In construction sites: Metal structures and electrical tools are present here with a high risk of shock. So, on these sites, you should use mobile or portable devices with high-sensitivity RCCB. The ideal rating for RCCBs used on these sites is 100 mA.
In lighting lines: If you plan to buy RCCB for the circuits in lighting lines, you should note a point. It must be based on the size and distribution of the leakage current across the lines. A 10 mA or 5-6 mA RCCB is enough to protect the lighting circuits.
In residential areas: Mostly, 30-100mA is the normal range for RCCB for household needs. 30 mA is quite sensitive and can cause a few tripping without any visible fault.
Usually, 60 mA and 100 mA are installed in most houses to ensure a balance between no obvious fault and actual fault.
So, determine your purpose first and buy the right RCCB. Also, don’t forget to take expert advice to select the rating of the RCCBs.
Checklist on Identifying the Reason for RCCB Tripping:
Anyways, apart from finding the right RCCB, another issue that people face is an inability to find out the reasons for RCCB tripping. We will discuss here how to identify these reasons.
When you find tripping, ask these questions to yourself and act based on your answers:
A. Do you have made any changes in the system, e.g. installing new sockets or lights?
If any change has been made, the reason for tripping might be a loose terminal or wiring fault.
B. Was weather a concern?
A lightning strike can produce high-surge currents, which can trip the switches. Heavy rainfall and damp walls may also cause damage to the circuits leading to tripping.
C. Have the wires been damaged in any way, e.g., during furniture shifting or renovation?
If any cable is damaged already, tripping can occur easily. Check it carefully. Well, such incidents may include crucial fire hazards. Beware of that!
D. Is there any discolouration around your outlet?
The discolouration hints at the possibility of a ground fault surge. It is an issue similar to a short circuit. In such cases, a hot wire touches a ground wire. This makes more electricity pass through it, which the circuit cannot manage.
E. Have you checked the fault’s location?
You can do it by switching off individual circuits through relevant MCBs. If you see all circuits working except one, the fault lies there only.
Wrapping it Up
As a final thought, we must say that choosing the right RCCB is a difficult task. But, with the suggestions we mentioned above, it can be easier. As it is an efficient protective measure, you must get the right RCCB to keep the circuits safe for years. So, buckle up and buy it today. Looking for high-quality RCCB in India for your electric circuits? Visit L&T-SuFin now.