I was told some years ago for me to get Solar panels I need to have an RCD board. I can see RCD text on the fuse box but wanted to be sure if its compatible with the latest regs. Image attached.
Is this an RCD box?
Moderator: Moderators
-
- Newly registered Member
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:10 pm
- Has thanked: 0
- Been thanked: 0
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 685
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:40 pm
- Has thanked: 26 times
- Been thanked: 173 times
Is this an RCD box?
That is a consumer unit with rcd protection for some circuits.
As for compatible / meeting with latest regs, if it were to be a new install probably not, but nor would be 99% of the consumer units in the UK.
My consumer unit doesn't have an rcd but is a metal full rcbo consumer unit.
It was installed 4 years ago but probably wouldn't meet regs if it were to be installed today.
The regs get updated on a regular basis, if everyone had to update their internal wiring and consumer unit every time the regs were updated, half the UK population would need to be electricians.
With regards to addig solar you may need a seperate consumer unit for that. There are some great resident electricians on this forum who could quote chapter, verse and regno/subsection of what would be required. I'm sure one will be along to help better
As for compatible / meeting with latest regs, if it were to be a new install probably not, but nor would be 99% of the consumer units in the UK.
My consumer unit doesn't have an rcd but is a metal full rcbo consumer unit.
It was installed 4 years ago but probably wouldn't meet regs if it were to be installed today.
The regs get updated on a regular basis, if everyone had to update their internal wiring and consumer unit every time the regs were updated, half the UK population would need to be electricians.
With regards to addig solar you may need a seperate consumer unit for that. There are some great resident electricians on this forum who could quote chapter, verse and regno/subsection of what would be required. I'm sure one will be along to help better
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1304
- Joined: Mon May 03, 2021 1:36 pm
- Has thanked: 117 times
- Been thanked: 212 times
Is this an RCD box?
I would advise against connecting PV to that fuseboard.
The whole point of RCDs is almost instant disconnection of the supply, but the PV inverter could take a couple of seconds, more than enough to kill a person
The whole point of RCDs is almost instant disconnection of the supply, but the PV inverter could take a couple of seconds, more than enough to kill a person
- ericmark
- Senior Member
- Posts: 4259
- Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 2:43 am
- Location: Mid Wales
- Has thanked: 116 times
- Been thanked: 782 times
Is this an RCD box?
You have posted this in at least two other forums, and the answer is the same, you have been told the solar panels need a dedicated RCD/RCBO and that box is too old to upgrade.
Henley blocks can be used before the existing consumer unit and a dedicated CU for the solar panels fitted, together with an isolator so you still have a single point of isolation, but the extra cost to swap whole consumer unit will be that small, it would not be worth trying to retain it.
Henley blocks can be used before the existing consumer unit and a dedicated CU for the solar panels fitted, together with an isolator so you still have a single point of isolation, but the extra cost to swap whole consumer unit will be that small, it would not be worth trying to retain it.