What is the importance of RCD protection?
Residual Current Device or RCD is a life-saving device designed to give protection against fatal electric shocks if you touch a live wire. It can also offer protection against electrical fires. RCD devices provide a level of personal protection, which may not be feasible to get from regular fuse switches or circuit breakers.
What Does an RCD Do?
RCD is a sensitive safety device that shuts down power automatically if there is any fault present, which can further help in preventing significant accidents or fire from occurring. For instance, you cut through the cable while mowing the lawn and unknowingly touch the bare live wires.
In another incident, a faulty appliance overheats that causes an electric current to flow to earth. RCD protects against such situations where earthing faults can cause the risk of electrocution 0r fire.
How Does RCD Work?
RCD continuously monitors the electric current flowing through one or more circuits where it is used for protection. If it detects electricity flowing down an unintended path, such as through a person’s body who is in contact with a live wire, RCD will switch off the circuit rapidly—thereby reducing the risk of death or severe injury of the individual.
Some areas where you must give attention are – consumer units, switched and outlets, lightning devices, and bathrooms. BS 7671:2008 regulations are generally followed for following safety standards in all these areas.
Importance of RCD Protection
RCD protection is crucial for various reasons. An electrical fault has the potential of causing a fire hazard, endangering your home, or risking lives. However, with RCD protection in place, any fault can be detected early that can help prevent it from occurring.
Another instance where RCD protection can be critical is where someone is using electrical equipment either in the bathroom, garden, or similar areas. Electrical shocks commonly occur in gardens when an individual cuts into a cable accidentally or if any electrical device’s live wire is getting exposed to water in the bathroom.
If you have appropriate RCD protection in place, all such equipment or devices will automatically shut down, thus helping prevent an electric shock.
RCD is indispensable for carrying out electrical work at home and work premises. Such devices especially become essential for old homes or wok places. Since old fuse boxes do not usually come with RCD, you can buy it separately for enhanced protection.
Different Types of RCD
- Fixed RCDs
Fixed RCDs are generally installed in consumer units or fuse boxes that offer protection to singular or a group of circuits. It provides the highest level of protection by protecting wiring and sockets on a circuit and any connected equipment and appliances.
- Socket-Outlet RCDs
Socket-outlets have RCDs built into them as a standard, which offers protection only to the person in contact with equipment, including leads, plugged into the special socket-outlet.
- Portable RCDs
Portable RCDs are plugged into standard socket-outlets. You can plug any appliance into an RCD. They are only useful when fixed, or socket-outlet RCDs are not available. It offers protection only to the person in contact with the equipment, including its leads, which is plugged into the portable RCD.
The cost of all RCDs varies considerably as they serve a different purpose depending upon your requirement. However, each type of RCD device helps protect your home and workplace. If you face any electrical issues at home or office due to old wiring, connect with an electrical equipment specialist as soon as possible for its remedy. You can get the fuse box replaced with a best fitted RCD.
