EICR C3 mixed manufacturer breakers

Some interesting points raised.

ebee, the points you mention about hotspots, ventilation, magnetism etc. Surely these issues (if they truly are issues) would be ironed out in order to provide conformity of the EN 60898 standard. In terms of spacings, MCB form factors are pretty much the same now, as in they sit side by side at the same distance regardless of manufacturer.


Dave, I have only ever come across a no-reset scenario a few times. I have come across more main switches and RCDs with burnt terminals due to incorrect tightening rather then mcbs which have been atomised by catastrophic failure. Similarly, I have had one or two 10KA to 16KA PSCC measurements in domestic settings but they are the exception rather then the rule. The worst example of a Big Bang I have seen was in a 3 ph board where a sub contractor had connected phase to phase due to an old/new colours mix-up, but the disaster was contained safely when energised.


You  raise a good point and ever present thorn in the side of many contractors, namely that of product life cycle and built-in obsolescence.

Take the old Square D Q and KQ stuff, a bit like the old Federal stablock arrangement for the live side connections.

Get a quote for a type B RCBO and then get the defibrilator on stand by!

Apparently, manufacturers only have a duty to support a product for 10 years after it has been discontinued. They can stop making it after 5 years.

You can still get one but it will only be made to order and not be off the shelf. This has resulted in whole DBs having to changed for no good reason other than the unavailability of components, and/or the outrageous costs of purchasing them.

Highly wasteful and utterly mad in this anti waste woke climate change world we live in!.


Sometimes - and I think that this applies across the board in today's society whatever the subject, there is an over-willingness to accept and not to question what we are told by 'experts'. I blame this on critical thinking skills no longer being taught in our educational institutions at all levels, and the comparative lack of students taking STEM subjects, but that is another argument!

I don't know about you guys, but I was taught to question everything I was told, to gather evidence and then to make up my own mind.

There are far too many out there who would have us still believe in fairies if we allowed them to get away with it - mktg men and lawyers being the worst examples!

Some interesting points raised.

ebee, the points you mention about hotspots, ventilation, magnetism etc. Surely these issues (if they truly are issues) would be ironed out in order to provide conformity of the EN 60898 standard. In terms of spacings, MCB form factors are pretty much the same now, as in they sit side by side at the same distance regardless of manufacturer.


Dave, I have only ever come across a no-reset scenario a few times. I have come across more main switches and RCDs with burnt terminals due to incorrect tightening rather then mcbs which have been atomised by catastrophic failure. Similarly, I have had one or two 10KA to 16KA PSCC measurements in domestic settings but they are the exception rather then the rule. The worst example of a Big Bang I have seen was in a 3 ph board where a sub contractor had connected phase to phase due to an old/new colours mix-up, but the disaster was contained safely when energised.


You  raise a good point and ever present thorn in the side of many contractors, namely that of product life cycle and built-in obsolescence.

Take the old Square D Q and KQ stuff, a bit like the old Federal stablock arrangement for the live side connections.

Get a quote for a type B RCBO and then get the defibrilator on stand by!

Apparently, manufacturers only have a duty to support a product for 10 years after it has been discontinued. They can stop making it after 5 years.

You can still get one but it will only be made to order and not be off the shelf. This has resulted in whole DBs having to changed for no good reason other than the unavailability of components, and/or the outrageous costs of purchasing them.

Highly wasteful and utterly mad in this anti waste woke climate change world we live in!.


Sometimes - and I think that this applies across the board in today's society whatever the subject, there is an over-willingness to accept and not to question what we are told by 'experts'. I blame this on critical thinking skills no longer being taught in our educational institutions at all levels, and the comparative lack of students taking STEM subjects, but that is another argument!

I don't know about you guys, but I was taught to question everything I was told, to gather evidence and then to make up my own mind.

There are far too many out there who would have us still believe in fairies if we allowed them to get away with it - mktg men and lawyers being the worst examples!