Author Topic: Post a picture of your Fuse Box  (Read 29097 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Online Monkeh

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8135
  • Country: gb
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #50 on: October 07, 2022, 11:32:27 pm »
... the MCB on the left feeds a secondary board in the workshop, so no RCD as it has RCBOs at the far end...

As long as the output cable has suplimentary protection, ie. armoured cable, with grounded armouring - as you have done.
Yes, it's armoured.
If it did have an RCD at the feed end, it should be one with a higher trip current than at the far end to ensure selectivity, i.e. the RCD closest to the load should trip first. Not sure if this is a requirement or a recommendation, as it's mostly an inconvenience thing rather than safety

It could be (should be) considered a safety issue if the lack of selectivity causes a loss of lighting with no emergency lighting provision (which domestic properties don't have).
 

Offline themadhippy

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 3266
  • Country: gb
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #51 on: October 08, 2022, 02:51:07 am »
Quote
It could be (should be) considered a safety issue if the lack of selectivity causes a loss of lighting with no emergency lighting provision (which domestic properties don't have)
But lighting circuits are now required to have rcd protection. welcome to one of the regs catch 22's
Quote
If it did have an RCD at the feed end, it should be one with a higher trip current than at the far end to ensure selectivity,
You  want a  time delayed  device at the supply end  as the fault current will be seen by both devices and the fastest will win .
 

Offline jonovid

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1546
  • Country: au
    • JONOVID
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #52 on: October 08, 2022, 03:07:46 am »
Occasionally you see pics like the following. Will be interesting to see if someone from a country that doesn't appear to have standards and regulations posts what their fuse box looks like.


looks like some Asian cable TV providers may provide free phantom mains power in a heavy rainfall :o
Hobbyist with a basic knowledge of electronics
 

Offline AVGresponding

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4931
  • Country: england
  • Exploring Rabbit Holes Since The 1970s
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #53 on: October 08, 2022, 07:52:47 am »
Quote
Those must be really old installations.
nope,thers even a piccy of such a beast by wylex  earlier in this thread, they were still being installed upto the 90's and  still plenty of them  in use
Quote
I rarely use a torque screwdriver,
In the uk " electrical equipment shall be installed in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the equipment" so if they give a torque spec your expected to follow it.

Yes, I know. In practice, it often doesn't happen. Even when torque drivers are used, in my experience they don't get calibrated every year anyway.
nuqDaq yuch Dapol?
Addiction count: Agilent-AVO-BlackStar-Brymen-Chauvin Arnoux-Fluke-GenRad-Hameg-HP-Keithley-IsoTech-Mastech-Megger-Metrix-Micronta-Racal-RFL-Siglent-Solartron-Tektronix-Thurlby-Time Electronics-TTi-UniT
 

Offline TopLoser

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 1925
  • Country: fr
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #54 on: October 08, 2022, 08:36:52 am »
3 floors, 450m2, 20+ rooms served by this. On the list of things to sort out…
 

Offline AVGresponding

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4931
  • Country: england
  • Exploring Rabbit Holes Since The 1970s
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #55 on: October 08, 2022, 09:07:59 am »
3 floors, 450m2, 20+ rooms served by this. On the list of things to sort out…



 :wtf: :scared:
nuqDaq yuch Dapol?
Addiction count: Agilent-AVO-BlackStar-Brymen-Chauvin Arnoux-Fluke-GenRad-Hameg-HP-Keithley-IsoTech-Mastech-Megger-Metrix-Micronta-Racal-RFL-Siglent-Solartron-Tektronix-Thurlby-Time Electronics-TTi-UniT
 
The following users thanked this post: Ed.Kloonk

Offline Gyro

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 10174
  • Country: gb
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #56 on: October 08, 2022, 10:18:44 am »
3 floors, 450m2, 20+ rooms served by this. On the list of things to sort out…

Oh, that's pretty! Those are the old French ceramic screw-in fuses on that panel aren't they?

I would put that as number 1 on your list, otherwise any other work on your 3 floors may be redundant.  ;)


Edit: Oh it's you Toploser, I vaguely remember you posting that you were moving to France. You obviously bought something with character!
« Last Edit: October 08, 2022, 10:26:19 am by Gyro »
Best Regards, Chris
 

Online Monkeh

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8135
  • Country: gb
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #57 on: October 08, 2022, 12:43:42 pm »
Quote
It could be (should be) considered a safety issue if the lack of selectivity causes a loss of lighting with no emergency lighting provision (which domestic properties don't have)
But lighting circuits are now required to have rcd protection. welcome to one of the regs catch 22's

I don't see the catch - it's been practical to use RCBOs or at a bare minimum a carefully populated dual RCD board for decades.
 

Offline MLXXXp

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 344
  • Country: ca
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #58 on: October 08, 2022, 06:53:51 pm »
This is the breaker panel in the basement of my single-detached house in Toronto, Canada. Installed in 1988 but this panel model is still available and typical of modern installations. Each breaker just snaps in place and is held securely by the panel cover. The hot wires are screwed to the breakers and the neutrals and grounds are screwed to the panel (except for GFCI breakers, where the circuit neutral goes to the breaker, with a separate "pigtail" neutral lead from the breaker to the panel).

I recently added the 240V 40A circuit with a GFCI breaker at top right, for EV charging. The thin red and black wires twisted together, running down the right side and along the bottom (which are likely not to code), are tapped off of this new circuit and are intended for a voltage monitor, along with a clamp-on current transformer to monitor the current.

The rectangular silver thing on the outside right side is a 10VAC doorbell transformer.

The yogurt cup at the bottom is not permanent. It's holding the screws for the front cover :) The sticker behind it is the one on the cover in the next photo.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2022, 07:31:00 pm by MLXXXp »
 

Online Circlotron

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 3364
  • Country: au
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #59 on: October 08, 2022, 10:18:10 pm »
When our place was built in late 1994 the standard offering was 240V 80A single phase. I asked how much extra for three phase? $200. Go for it! 3x60A fitted down the same underground pvc conduit so that’s what I got. Was doing a bit of work with motor control gear at the time, but never actually used all phases as intended, but hasn’t hurt having them.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2022, 11:37:00 am by Circlotron »
 

Offline Whales

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2122
  • Country: au
    • Halestrom
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #60 on: October 09, 2022, 12:06:30 am »
Circlotron: Just like me I see your oven is not RCD protected.  Perhaps it was more than just cost, perhaps ovens were known to be nuisance trip devices?

I'm surprised to see DIN rail GPOs.  I assume putting a traditional GPO below the box would be cheaper than a DINGPO but I guess it's also much faster (time equals money).

Thankyou everyone sharing their photos  :)  I'm enjoying looking through them all.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2022, 12:12:07 am by Whales »
 

Online RJSV

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2762
  • Country: us
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #61 on: October 09, 2022, 04:56:28 am »
Yes, Ed.K; Extravaganza happens:
   Doing minor odd-job electrical fixit, I noticed that effect, a breaker box from 1974 gets modern solar, and next thing you know...needs a giant water pump to handle the heat load.  Problem was, the installer just 'piggybacked' the new 240 VAC pump controller, onto existing 120 VAC legs...causing a shortage of the original (120 VAC) breaker outputs.  Sorry, no picture.  The solar pool pump folks should have, instead, installed a completely separate panel and plywood wall panel (2 ft. By 2 ft.).
The clutter 'extravaganza' just grew from there, as there was, ever since, a 'shortage' of outlets, as accessories were added, thru the 1990's and beyond.
I gazed at TWO giant heavy duty 'Y' cables, (that could handle a clothes drier), parked right there, in front of the little breaker box.
   Pool cover motor also with hookups right there, on top of everything else.
   Anyway, heck, electrician just trying to save the customer some giant expense along the way, so I've come to view it as a 'clutter issue', more than a safety thing.
 
The following users thanked this post: Ed.Kloonk

Online Ed.Kloonk

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4000
  • Country: au
  • Cat video aficionado
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #62 on: October 09, 2022, 05:11:05 am »
Circlotron: Just like me I see your oven is not RCD protected.  Perhaps it was more than just cost, perhaps ovens were known to be nuisance trip devices?
The sequence of adoption was first, 1 big RCD that cost a bomb so you just did the power points. Then they said you really should include the lights. Lights started going off leaving the whole house dark because of old fridges. Old stoves were considered quite safe so long as the earth was good and since they tended to just go bang when something was wrong anyway.

As the RCDs got cheaper and the rules changed specifically WRT outlets around kitchens and bathroom sinks, you can kind of date the vintage of the work by observing the look and feel of the box.

Quote

I'm surprised to see DIN rail GPOs.  I assume putting a traditional GPO below the box would be cheaper than a DINGPO but I guess it's also much faster (time equals money).


Watch out for them. They often require a earth terminal on the plug to allow plug entry into the socket. You may not be able to use a two-pin plug. And having no switch is annoying. (you can get them with switches)

iratus parum formica
 

Offline David_AVD

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2864
  • Country: au
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #63 on: October 09, 2022, 05:57:03 am »
Here's mine at home. Built in 1996. I had it upgraded to RCBOs about 5 years ago.

They are so cheap now there's no reason to stay with RCDs feeding more than one circuit.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 39026
  • Country: au
    • EEVblog
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #64 on: October 09, 2022, 08:41:55 am »
I should do a tour of my lab building power room, it's pretty large and handles a multi floor commercial office building. Probably wouldn't know what I'm looking at though  ;D
Probably wouldn't make it public, but could be a supporter video.

Should also do the fuse box inside my lab, I don't think I've ever taken the panel off before to see behind.
 
The following users thanked this post: SeanB

Offline AVGresponding

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4931
  • Country: england
  • Exploring Rabbit Holes Since The 1970s
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #65 on: October 09, 2022, 08:54:01 am »
Circlotron: Just like me I see your oven is not RCD protected.  Perhaps it was more than just cost, perhaps ovens were known to be nuisance trip devices?

I'm surprised to see DIN rail GPOs.  I assume putting a traditional GPO below the box would be cheaper than a DINGPO but I guess it's also much faster (time equals money).

Thankyou everyone sharing their photos  :)  I'm enjoying looking through them all.

They are. The insulating powder in the elements absorbs moisture over time and can have quite a low resistance when cold. I did once put some fail stickers on some ovens in a home economics classroom in a school we were refurbing, and their maintenance manager kicked off about it, saying they were fine, and a low resistance between line and earth is normal and the IET PAT manual mentions it. They had a big meeting about it and my line manager asked me what the measured resistance was. "Zero" I said. The head teacher then said "well, we'll just buy new ones, they were a bit old and tatty anyway".
nuqDaq yuch Dapol?
Addiction count: Agilent-AVO-BlackStar-Brymen-Chauvin Arnoux-Fluke-GenRad-Hameg-HP-Keithley-IsoTech-Mastech-Megger-Metrix-Micronta-Racal-RFL-Siglent-Solartron-Tektronix-Thurlby-Time Electronics-TTi-UniT
 

Offline tom66

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7336
  • Country: gb
  • Electronics Hobbyist & FPGA/Embedded Systems EE
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #66 on: October 09, 2022, 08:59:55 am »
I find the inclusion of sockets inside a consumer unit to be a very clever idea, but I don't think I've ever seen it done in the UK. 
 

Online Ed.Kloonk

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4000
  • Country: au
  • Cat video aficionado
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #67 on: October 09, 2022, 09:12:22 am »
I find the inclusion of sockets inside a consumer unit to be a very clever idea, but I don't think I've ever seen it done in the UK.

I first thought that maybe the UK socket is too big but no they do exist. I found one with the international socket. Compare it's branding to somebody else we know..


iratus parum formica
 

Offline Lockon Stratos

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 59
  • Country: hu
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #68 on: October 09, 2022, 12:20:52 pm »
 

Offline IanJ

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 1818
  • Country: scotland
  • Full time EE & Youtuber/Creator
    • IanJohnston.com
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #69 on: October 09, 2022, 01:42:42 pm »
Here's mine.

First one is the house, 2nd is the workshop, 3rd in shed at bottom of garden.

100A incomer fuse at bottom feeds the utility company meter then from there into my meter which has a modbus interface and is connected to an Arduiino which also picks up via wifi the SolarPV inverter data before publishing to PVOutput.org


Workshop fusebox is pretty new. Installed myself from feed from house, just had to get quali electrician to sign-off.


Shed fusebox at bottom of garden via buried armoured cable (see it coming up from bottom left). This is a plastic fusebox which I believe is outlawed here in UK now.


Ian.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2022, 03:48:57 pm by IanJ »
Ian Johnston - Original designer of the PDVS2mini || Author of WinGPIB
Website: www.ianjohnston.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/IanScottJohnston, Odysee: https://odysee.com/@IanScottJohnston, Twitter(X): https://twitter.com/IanSJohnston, Github: https://github.com/Ian-Johnston?tab=repositories
 

Offline dijkmane

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 24
  • Country: nl
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #70 on: October 09, 2022, 04:20:55 pm »
just a regular dutch one, nothing special.
230V 1 phase, 35A
left side expansion when they did kitchen 20y ago
 

Offline PlainName

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7509
  • Country: va
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #71 on: October 09, 2022, 08:31:54 pm »
Here's mine at home. Built in 1996. I had it upgraded to RCBOs about 5 years ago.

They are so cheap now there's no reason to stay with RCDs feeding more than one circuit.

That's a happy fuse box!
 

Offline Bud

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7276
  • Country: ca
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #72 on: October 09, 2022, 10:48:28 pm »
3 floors, 450m2, 20+ rooms served by this. On the list of things to sort out…



 :wtf: :scared:
It makes perfect sence if to put it in the context of the user Name who posted it.  :-DD
Facebook-free life and Rigol-free shack.
 

Offline GabYoung92

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 138
  • Country: au
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #73 on: October 10, 2022, 12:27:54 am »
3-year-old house, QLD Australia
 
The following users thanked this post: Ed.Kloonk

Offline Black Phoenix

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1137
  • Country: hk
Re: Post a picture of your Fuse Box
« Reply #74 on: October 10, 2022, 12:40:06 am »
Shed fusebox at bottom of garden via buried armoured cable (see it coming up from bottom left). This is a plastic fusebox which I believe is outlawed here in UK now.

Any reason why is outlawed? I ask that because plastic consumer units are used in the rest of the EU without any problems. Same in China, Japan, Germany, etc.

Although in most Instalations in the UK I follow its always a metal box that it's used.

Because of the grounding of the armored cables?
« Last Edit: October 10, 2022, 04:01:46 am by Black Phoenix »
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf