Residual current circuit breaker

Why should you never do without a residual current circuit breaker in your installations? And how do you find the right device with the best price-performance ratio? Interesting information about the function and use can be found on this page.

 


Notice:

Working with electricity is always dangerous. Always have electrical installations carried out by a specialist electrical company.


 

If you're unsure as a layperson, be sure to invest in professional support. This way you get a working installation and can rely on the installer's warranty if necessary.

What is a residual current circuit breaker?

Residual current circuit breakers, also known as residual current circuit breakers, bear the official designation RCCB. This is an abbreviation for 'residual current operated circuit breaker' and the devices belong to the superordinate group of 'residual current devices' (RCD), i.e. residual current protective devices. Residual current circuit breakers prevent dangerously high residual currents against earth and thus help to prevent life-threatening electrical accidents in low-voltage networks. These are connected upstream of the overcurrent protection devices in circuit distributors.

At eibabo® you will find not only a large selection of residual current circuit breakers, but also other protective devices such as residual current protective adapters, residual current protective plugs, automatic circuit breakers and automatic personal protection.

Is an RCD and an RCCB the same thing?

In colloquial German, the term 'FI switch' is still very common. The 'F' stands for error and the 'I' for the symbol for the current strength. Ultimately, it's just another name for the same device.

Image source: eibabo®, Eaton PXF-25/2/003-A residual current circuit breakerPicture: Eaton PXF-25/2/003-A residual current circuit breaker

How does a residual current circuit breaker work?

The device builds up a magnetic field around the incoming currents. This is neutralized by the currents flowing back. In error-free normal operation, this creates a balance between the energies within the system, which ensures that a relay can let the current flow unhindered. If a fault current occurs, it will create an imbalance, causing the voltage to drop across the relay and its auxiliary contacts to break the circuit. As a result, the switch shuts down the system within tenths of a second without auxiliary power.

Is the use of a residual current circuit breaker mandatory?

It all depends on which country you are in. There are national regulations for this. In Great Britain, the simpler and smaller electronic residual current circuit breakers are currently still common. In principle, however, the use of these devices is mandatory in many countries for new installations, modernizations or far-reaching changes for private households, commercial units and industrial plants in addition to the installed overcurrent protection devices.

In Germany, this applies, for example, to socket circuits up to 32 A and lighting circuits in apartments as well as for commercial buildings, schools and training centers, baths and swimming pools as well as fire-prone business premises and systems.

 


Notice:

Old systems that corresponded to the applicable standards at the time of their construction usually have grandfathering.


 

You may continue to operate, maintain and repair them, but not fundamentally expand or change them.

i have backups Can I then do without the residual current circuit breaker?

Irrespective of the fact that residual current circuit breakers are necessary for the technical acceptance of the system, they fulfill a different task compared to normal fuses and cannot be omitted. Normal home fuses are also known as circuit breakers. Their function can already be derived from this. They protect power lines from short circuits. They interrupt the circuit even at higher currents and imminent overload. This prevents cable fires, for example.

Residual current circuit breakers, on the other hand, have the primary task of protecting people and switching them off as quickly as possible, for example if people touch the damaged part of a live line. Because that can be life-threatening. The switch is also used for fire protection. Small fault currents that do not trigger a normal house fuse are prevented.

Which type of residual current circuit breaker is the right one for end users?

There are very different models on the market, each with individual characteristics. A basic distinction is made between types A, A-EV, AC, B, B+, F and S. Type A is the most common variant for use in classic households, in commerce, in public facilities, functional buildings and industrial plants. This is a pulsating current-sensitive switch that detects alternating currents and pulsating DC residual currents. The value at which the switch should trip is 30 mA (milliamps) in normal use. It is therefore necessary to install a switch with a rated fault current of 30 mA.

Rated current and rated residual current – what is the difference?

Both key figures are crucial for choosing the right circuit breaker. The rated current is the maximum voltage that can be conducted via the residual current circuit breaker per phase conductor. The rated residual current describes the maximum measured difference between incoming and outgoing currents before a residual current circuit breaker has to trip at the latest.

Assembly

A residual current circuit breaker is typically installed in the meter cabinet / electrical distribution box. The position is directly behind the electricity meter and in front of the classic circuit breakers.


The switch thus covers all circuits in a system, regardless of whether they are inside a building or outside. However, it is advisable to use several separate residual current circuit breakers and fuses depending on use. In many countries and regions it is even mandatory to equip special areas with their own residual current circuit breaker.

Interesting - short and sweet

Are additional protective measures possible?

  • If you want to further increase the scope of protection of your electrical installation, you can equip personal protection sockets or socket strips with a residual current circuit breaker with a rated residual current of 10mA to 30mA.

 

What additional protection do residual current circuit breakers offer?

  • The special properties of residual current circuit breakers include personal protection against life-threatening currents and protection against fires that can be caused by earth fault currents, for example.

 

How do residual current circuit breakers work?

  • Due to the low tripping currents of 10mA to 500mA, the use of residual current circuit breakers means that the currents at the fault location are not as high.

 

Are there performance differences in residual current circuit breakers?

  • You can get the devices here in the shop in different versions: 16 A, 25 A, 40 A, 63 A and 100 A (ampere). The ampere rating of the device indicates the nominal current for which the residual current circuit breaker is designed and, along with the selection of the triggering rated residual current, represents one of the most important parameters in the purchase decision.

 

Who Makes Reliable RCDs?

  • We only carry high-quality devices from well-known manufacturers such as Siemens, ABB Stotz S&J, Doepke, Schneider Electric and Eaton (Moeller), Jung, Hager and ABL Sursum.

 

Good to know

When choosing a residual current circuit breaker, please take its dimensioning into account. The circuit breaker must never be designed smaller than the upstream fuse, otherwise it will be overloaded.


By the way: The forerunner of modern residual current circuit breakers is a German development from 1903. The principle of residual current protection goes back to a development by Sigmund Schuckert from Nuremberg, who had a corresponding device patented under the name summation current circuit for earth fault detection. The technology was then continuously further developed and in 1957 the Austrian Gottfried Biegelmeier presented the residual current circuit breaker in its current form.

What effect does charging an electric car have on the residual current circuit breaker?

Usually the purchase of an electric car has no effect on the circuit breaker. Nevertheless, care must be taken to ensure that protection against DC residual current is guaranteed during multi-phase charging. A type A circuit breaker does not offer such protection, but don't worry: plug-in hybrid vehicles typically charge in a single phase and are therefore technically hardly different from other household appliances. Pure electric cars that are capable of multi-phase charging cannot be connected directly to the house voltage. This requires either a wall box or at least a mobile charging cable with charging control, which then connects to a conventional 16A or 32A CEE socket. In both cases, the control unit of the charging technology should have a corresponding integrated DC fault current detection (DC fault protection). With professional installation of the wall box or the CEE socket, a simple type A residual current circuit breaker is sufficient in addition to the corresponding miniature circuit breaker.

 

eibabo - technology store

 

Catalogue content:


In this eibabo® catalogue Circuit breakers and fuses > Residual current circuit breaker (RCCB) you will find items from the following product groups:

Item overview:

  • Adapter plug
  • Circuit breaker
  • Differential current
  • Earth leakage circuit breaker
  • Electric charging station
  • Heat pump systems
  • Intermediate switch
  • Main residual current circuit breaker
  • Personal protection machine
  • Rail mounted devices
  • RCCBResidual Current DeviceA
  • RCCBResidual Current DeviceB
  • RCCBResidual Current DeviceF
  • RCD switch
  • Residual current
  • Residual current adapter
  • Safety switch


from the following manufacturers:

Manufacturer overview catalogue Residual current circuit breaker:

  • ABB
  • Bachmann
  • Berker
  • Doepke
  • Eaton
  • Gira
  • Hager
  • Jung
  • Schneider Electric
  • Siemens


 
Why should you never do without a residual current circuit breaker in your installations? And how do you find the right device with the best price-performance ratio? Interesting information about... read more »
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Residual current circuit breakers ensure safety

Why should you never do without a residual current circuit breaker in your installations? And how do you find the right device with the best price-performance ratio? Interesting information about the function and use can be found on this page.

 


Notice:

Working with electricity is always dangerous. Always have electrical installations carried out by a specialist electrical company.


 

If you're unsure as a layperson, be sure to invest in professional support. This way you get a working installation and can rely on the installer's warranty if necessary.

What is a residual current circuit breaker?

Residual current circuit breakers, also known as residual current circuit breakers, bear the official designation RCCB. This is an abbreviation for 'residual current operated circuit breaker' and the devices belong to the superordinate group of 'residual current devices' (RCD), i.e. residual current protective devices. Residual current circuit breakers prevent dangerously high residual currents against earth and thus help to prevent life-threatening electrical accidents in low-voltage networks. These are connected upstream of the overcurrent protection devices in circuit distributors.

At eibabo® you will find not only a large selection of residual current circuit breakers, but also other protective devices such as residual current protective adapters, residual current protective plugs, automatic circuit breakers and automatic personal protection.

Is an RCD and an RCCB the same thing?

In colloquial German, the term 'FI switch' is still very common. The 'F' stands for error and the 'I' for the symbol for the current strength. Ultimately, it's just another name for the same device.

Image source: eibabo®, Eaton PXF-25/2/003-A residual current circuit breakerPicture: Eaton PXF-25/2/003-A residual current circuit breaker

How does a residual current circuit breaker work?

The device builds up a magnetic field around the incoming currents. This is neutralized by the currents flowing back. In error-free normal operation, this creates a balance between the energies within the system, which ensures that a relay can let the current flow unhindered. If a fault current occurs, it will create an imbalance, causing the voltage to drop across the relay and its auxiliary contacts to break the circuit. As a result, the switch shuts down the system within tenths of a second without auxiliary power.

Is the use of a residual current circuit breaker mandatory?

It all depends on which country you are in. There are national regulations for this. In Great Britain, the simpler and smaller electronic residual current circuit breakers are currently still common. In principle, however, the use of these devices is mandatory in many countries for new installations, modernizations or far-reaching changes for private households, commercial units and industrial plants in addition to the installed overcurrent protection devices.

In Germany, this applies, for example, to socket circuits up to 32 A and lighting circuits in apartments as well as for commercial buildings, schools and training centers, baths and swimming pools as well as fire-prone business premises and systems.

 


Notice:

Old systems that corresponded to the applicable standards at the time of their construction usually have grandfathering.


 

You may continue to operate, maintain and repair them, but not fundamentally expand or change them.

i have backups Can I then do without the residual current circuit breaker?

Irrespective of the fact that residual current circuit breakers are necessary for the technical acceptance of the system, they fulfill a different task compared to normal fuses and cannot be omitted. Normal home fuses are also known as circuit breakers. Their function can already be derived from this. They protect power lines from short circuits. They interrupt the circuit even at higher currents and imminent overload. This prevents cable fires, for example.

Residual current circuit breakers, on the other hand, have the primary task of protecting people and switching them off as quickly as possible, for example if people touch the damaged part of a live line. Because that can be life-threatening. The switch is also used for fire protection. Small fault currents that do not trigger a normal house fuse are prevented.

Which type of residual current circuit breaker is the right one for end users?

There are very different models on the market, each with individual characteristics. A basic distinction is made between types A, A-EV, AC, B, B+, F and S. Type A is the most common variant for use in classic households, in commerce, in public facilities, functional buildings and industrial plants. This is a pulsating current-sensitive switch that detects alternating currents and pulsating DC residual currents. The value at which the switch should trip is 30 mA (milliamps) in normal use. It is therefore necessary to install a switch with a rated fault current of 30 mA.

Rated current and rated residual current – what is the difference?

Both key figures are crucial for choosing the right circuit breaker. The rated current is the maximum voltage that can be conducted via the residual current circuit breaker per phase conductor. The rated residual current describes the maximum measured difference between incoming and outgoing currents before a residual current circuit breaker has to trip at the latest.

Assembly

A residual current circuit breaker is typically installed in the meter cabinet / electrical distribution box. The position is directly behind the electricity meter and in front of the classic circuit breakers.


The switch thus covers all circuits in a system, regardless of whether they are inside a building or outside. However, it is advisable to use several separate residual current circuit breakers and fuses depending on use. In many countries and regions it is even mandatory to equip special areas with their own residual current circuit breaker.

Interesting - short and sweet

Are additional protective measures possible?

  • If you want to further increase the scope of protection of your electrical installation, you can equip personal protection sockets or socket strips with a residual current circuit breaker with a rated residual current of 10mA to 30mA.

 

What additional protection do residual current circuit breakers offer?

  • The special properties of residual current circuit breakers include personal protection against life-threatening currents and protection against fires that can be caused by earth fault currents, for example.

 

How do residual current circuit breakers work?

  • Due to the low tripping currents of 10mA to 500mA, the use of residual current circuit breakers means that the currents at the fault location are not as high.

 

Are there performance differences in residual current circuit breakers?

  • You can get the devices here in the shop in different versions: 16 A, 25 A, 40 A, 63 A and 100 A (ampere). The ampere rating of the device indicates the nominal current for which the residual current circuit breaker is designed and, along with the selection of the triggering rated residual current, represents one of the most important parameters in the purchase decision.

 

Who Makes Reliable RCDs?

  • We only carry high-quality devices from well-known manufacturers such as Siemens, ABB Stotz S&J, Doepke, Schneider Electric and Eaton (Moeller), Jung, Hager and ABL Sursum.

 

Good to know

When choosing a residual current circuit breaker, please take its dimensioning into account. The circuit breaker must never be designed smaller than the upstream fuse, otherwise it will be overloaded.


By the way: The forerunner of modern residual current circuit breakers is a German development from 1903. The principle of residual current protection goes back to a development by Sigmund Schuckert from Nuremberg, who had a corresponding device patented under the name summation current circuit for earth fault detection. The technology was then continuously further developed and in 1957 the Austrian Gottfried Biegelmeier presented the residual current circuit breaker in its current form.

What effect does charging an electric car have on the residual current circuit breaker?

Usually the purchase of an electric car has no effect on the circuit breaker. Nevertheless, care must be taken to ensure that protection against DC residual current is guaranteed during multi-phase charging. A type A circuit breaker does not offer such protection, but don't worry: plug-in hybrid vehicles typically charge in a single phase and are therefore technically hardly different from other household appliances. Pure electric cars that are capable of multi-phase charging cannot be connected directly to the house voltage. This requires either a wall box or at least a mobile charging cable with charging control, which then connects to a conventional 16A or 32A CEE socket. In both cases, the control unit of the charging technology should have a corresponding integrated DC fault current detection (DC fault protection). With professional installation of the wall box or the CEE socket, a simple type A residual current circuit breaker is sufficient in addition to the corresponding miniature circuit breaker.

 

eibabo - technology store

 

Catalogue content:


In this eibabo® catalogue Circuit breakers and fuses > Residual current circuit breaker (RCCB) you will find items from the following product groups:

Item overview:

  • Adapter plug
  • Circuit breaker
  • Differential current
  • Earth leakage circuit breaker
  • Electric charging station
  • Heat pump systems
  • Intermediate switch
  • Main residual current circuit breaker
  • Personal protection machine
  • Rail mounted devices
  • RCCBResidual Current DeviceA
  • RCCBResidual Current DeviceB
  • RCCBResidual Current DeviceF
  • RCD switch
  • Residual current
  • Residual current adapter
  • Safety switch


from the following manufacturers:

Manufacturer overview catalogue Residual current circuit breaker:

  • ABB
  • Bachmann
  • Berker
  • Doepke
  • Eaton
  • Gira
  • Hager
  • Jung
  • Schneider Electric
  • Siemens
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