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Powerbreaker – 40 and fabulous!
Richard Shaw, Managing Director of GreenBrook, this year celebrates PowerBreaker’s 40th Anniversary and looks at how continuous product improvement enables the PowerBreaker brand to remain at the leading edge of RCD development . . .
R
esidual Current Devices (RCDs) have been commonplace in the UK since PowerBreaker was first
launched 40 years ago. Since developing the first ELCB for Watney Mann Brewers in 1975, 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.
So 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. Despite the importance
of RCDs, research by the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) 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 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
Although not a legalised requirement, 10mA RCDs are
more in demand as specifiers are seeing the benefits of these products in places
such as hospitals and schools that need to ensure the highest level of protection. This is a growing trend in the market and it should be expected that more installations will be specific to this type of RCD going forward.
10 | electrical wholesaler May 2015
www.ewnews.co.uk
regularly suggest RCDs as cheap and effective protection for their domestic customers.
Changing legislation 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.
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