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EICR C3 mixed manufacturer breakers

Martyn
I know this will have been discussed in the past but we are on Amd 1 of the 18th now so I thought I would renew it.


The Best practice guides list mixed manufacturer breakers in a consumer unit or distribution board as a C3.


As far as I am aware Bs7671 does not have a Reg on it beyond manufacturers instructions and given EICR's are based on this standard perhaps it is justified on that basis.


Most on here will be familiar with the 16kA 'rule' in BSEN61439 Annex ZB or its predecessor BSEN60439 Annex ZA


I avoid C3's like the plague because they give all the wrong signals to a client and clearly by definition are for things which are a breach of the regs, I'm not too keen on the insurance risk of a C3 either.


My question here would be what fault rating can one apply to an enclosure where there are mixed breakers given a manufacturer will only have certified their equipment with their devices?


Enjoy!


Martyn
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    John Peckham:

    Martyn


    The Regulation you are looking for is 536.4.203 for mix and match circuit breakers . A C3 unless the board has been mutilated, bus bars bent, cover cut away then a C2. 






    Cheers John, 


    A ‘new’ one in the 18th. 


    I wonder if a manufacturer would honour the kA rating of a device if sited next to another manufacturers? I suspect not. 


    The question still remains what kA rating(s) can be relied upon for devices and enclosures where they are installed beyond their design? 


    Personally this always gets a C1 from me for the simple reason that PFC will always be greater than zero kA and the only rating I can apply to the enclosures and devices is zero kA, unless I test the enclosure etc 


    As an aside, What is the point in comparing to current regs and having C3 codes? The two things seem mutually exclusive, a C3 also seems an insurance risk, second guessing of the regulation it fails And deciding that one doesn't really matter if you like.


    Cheers


    Martyn

     

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  • 0

    John Peckham:

    Martyn


    The Regulation you are looking for is 536.4.203 for mix and match circuit breakers . A C3 unless the board has been mutilated, bus bars bent, cover cut away then a C2. 






    Cheers John, 


    A ‘new’ one in the 18th. 


    I wonder if a manufacturer would honour the kA rating of a device if sited next to another manufacturers? I suspect not. 


    The question still remains what kA rating(s) can be relied upon for devices and enclosures where they are installed beyond their design? 


    Personally this always gets a C1 from me for the simple reason that PFC will always be greater than zero kA and the only rating I can apply to the enclosures and devices is zero kA, unless I test the enclosure etc 


    As an aside, What is the point in comparing to current regs and having C3 codes? The two things seem mutually exclusive, a C3 also seems an insurance risk, second guessing of the regulation it fails And deciding that one doesn't really matter if you like.


    Cheers


    Martyn

     

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