apologies if you are already aware of this but with respect to the x5 or greater test current introduced in the 18th, Hager have advised that their RCBO units are manufactured to the 2017 amended version of BSEN61008/9 which permitted disconnection within 40ms at 250mA. Thus they advise testing at x 5 on both sides with the instrument set for 50mA on the variable range.
Actually shock currents can be very low, especially in winter time when skin is dry, as opposed to slightly sweaty, and folk are wearing more clothing. Also small area contact shocks like finger in the lamp socket stupidity. But a healthy person can pull away from a shock of 10mA or so , and just feel rather shaken. It is quite possible for that sort of poor contact L-E shock not to trigger an RCD, but then equally it is not such a health risk. Note that 10mA is still the best part of 25 watts, and as most of the heat is where most of the resistance is, namely the outer skin, it will leave a burn mark similar in size to a match or soldering iron tip.
As an aside, although things like TENS machines use higher currents (up to 100mA on some models if the labelling is to be believed ), and have a high open circuit voltage, maybe a few hundred V, falling under load, the pulses are very short - a few hundred microseconds, and repeated only at a few tens of Hz, so the average current and also joule heating is low. It does not mean these level would be safe for longer exposure.
Actually shock currents can be very low, especially in winter time when skin is dry, as opposed to slightly sweaty, and folk are wearing more clothing. Also small area contact shocks like finger in the lamp socket stupidity. But a healthy person can pull away from a shock of 10mA or so , and just feel rather shaken. It is quite possible for that sort of poor contact L-E shock not to trigger an RCD, but then equally it is not such a health risk. Note that 10mA is still the best part of 25 watts, and as most of the heat is where most of the resistance is, namely the outer skin, it will leave a burn mark similar in size to a match or soldering iron tip.
As an aside, although things like TENS machines use higher currents (up to 100mA on some models if the labelling is to be believed ), and have a high open circuit voltage, maybe a few hundred V, falling under load, the pulses are very short - a few hundred microseconds, and repeated only at a few tens of Hz, so the average current and also joule heating is low. It does not mean these level would be safe for longer exposure.
