EICR C3 mixed manufacturer breakers

In principle I am much more relaxed about this than may show above. Lets do a quick test. How many of you have ever seen a 60898 breaker which has physically failed in a domestic installation (exploded burnt up due to gross overload etc, not just failed)? How many have found domestic installations with a PSSC of more than say 10kA? How many have found the above where the case has not enclosed the results (plastic or metal)?


The whole discussion of type testing is not quite as described above, because all the breakers must be made to EN 60898, which if this appeared in court would not be the case. The point of standards is that all items are interchangable in characteristics, so the manufacturer would have to explain non-interchangability of his product which would be very difficult. The type testing part is for the assembly of products, which in many cases will not have been tested as a complete assembly anyway, just a "representative" sample which muddies the waters still further. I can see exactly why manufacturers don't like products to the same standard to be mixed, but if they cannot be why have the "standard" at all as any design which is type tested is surely acceptable?


This is not at all a simple case, and proving liability would be a nightmare, and anyway I have never heard of a manufacturer being taken to court for this kind of liability, or more particularly an installer. There is a further point, I am sure that a number of you have tried to obtain spare parts for assemblies which have been "discontinued" by manufacturers. Are you really suggesting that the entire assembly now needs to be scrapped? Consider your car or van (type tested) needs a part. Are after market non OEM parts safe to fit, say a different make of tyres, or wheel bearings? Now what do you think, an MOT fail?


I rest my case M'Lud.

In principle I am much more relaxed about this than may show above. Lets do a quick test. How many of you have ever seen a 60898 breaker which has physically failed in a domestic installation (exploded burnt up due to gross overload etc, not just failed)? How many have found domestic installations with a PSSC of more than say 10kA? How many have found the above where the case has not enclosed the results (plastic or metal)?


The whole discussion of type testing is not quite as described above, because all the breakers must be made to EN 60898, which if this appeared in court would not be the case. The point of standards is that all items are interchangable in characteristics, so the manufacturer would have to explain non-interchangability of his product which would be very difficult. The type testing part is for the assembly of products, which in many cases will not have been tested as a complete assembly anyway, just a "representative" sample which muddies the waters still further. I can see exactly why manufacturers don't like products to the same standard to be mixed, but if they cannot be why have the "standard" at all as any design which is type tested is surely acceptable?


This is not at all a simple case, and proving liability would be a nightmare, and anyway I have never heard of a manufacturer being taken to court for this kind of liability, or more particularly an installer. There is a further point, I am sure that a number of you have tried to obtain spare parts for assemblies which have been "discontinued" by manufacturers. Are you really suggesting that the entire assembly now needs to be scrapped? Consider your car or van (type tested) needs a part. Are after market non OEM parts safe to fit, say a different make of tyres, or wheel bearings? Now what do you think, an MOT fail?


I rest my case M'Lud.