What Is An RCD?
Your consumer unit houses RCD (Residual current device) & MCB (miniature circuit breaker) fuses. The RCD’s prevents you, anyone in your household (or place of work) suffering from an electric shock if live components In the electrical system are accidentally touched
RCD fuses found in the modern home replace traditional fuses that used fuse wire which melted in the event of a fault.
RCDs are way more sensitive and safer and will instantly shut off the flow of electricity in the event of a fault such as someone one-touching a live wire.
How An RCD Works
For example, you could be putting up a shelf in your home.
Unbeknown to you there’s an electrical wire running along the wall.
You drill through the electrical cable inside the wall
The RCD instantly detects that electricity is flowing somewhere it shouldn’t be.
The RCD instantly shut cuts off the electricity
Electricity doesn’t flow through you
You’re saved from death by electrocution or a severe electric shock
Fixed Or Portable?
Fixed RCDs are found in your consumer unit.
Multiple RCDs cover different parts of the electrical system wiring sockets and hard-wired appliances.
Portable RCD’s plug into sockets.
You plug an appliance such as a lawnmower into the portable RCD which acts as a circuit breaker in the event of a fault.
Test Regularly
Thankfully electric shocks in the home are very rare, and RCDs are very reliable. You should however test your RCD’s regularly to ensure they’re working properly.
If you suspect a fault in the electrical system or feel your RCD’s are past their best, let us know one of our qualified electricians will be happy to check your electrical system RCDs for you.
Both fixed and portable RCD’s are reasonably cheap, so there’s no excuse not to use them or replace when necessary.
Time To Upgrade?
If you live in an old home with an old-style fuse box with traditional fuses, then it’s time to consider upgrading to a modern consumer unit that utilises a combination of RCD’s and MCB’s
MCB stands for miniature circuit breaker they work in the same way as an RCD that breaks the flow in the event of a fault.
RCD’s are life-saving devices to protect humans while MCB’s protect the electrical circuits from damage caused by overload.
Learn More About RCD’s, MCB’s and Consumer Units