There seem to be many unintended consequences generated by the Amd 2 DPC. I wonder why it is US who sees them and not JPEL/64? Is it the lack of experience of JPEL/64 or is it something else?
I am all for foundation earthing (or its equivalent involving a ring of buried copper, the name escapes me right now). The tricky bit as usual will be getting the general builder to make our lives easy :( Foundation (or rebar) earths have been used for years in the US, where they're known as Ufer grounds (after the chap who suggested the idea, I believe). Brilliant idea.
As for AFDDs... the issue I think is not so much the cost ( as the RCD path taught us, demand will drop the price hugely), but whether they actually DO anything. And combining it all into one unit leaves me a little cold. I do not trust active electronics in a safety critical role unless maintained regularly. I for example would NOT rely on a smoke alarm system that was not regularly tested, nor indeed the ABS or airbags in my van unless serviced regularly. Domestic switchgear tends to go for up to a decade (even with EICR's being carried out) without a single test.
RCBO's are less of an issue in this regard, because they simply add the RCD functionality onto a normal MCB. Does anyone have the cash to take apart an AFDD and see if this is the case there also? If so, I would be less reticent.
I am all for foundation earthing (or its equivalent involving a ring of buried copper, the name escapes me right now). The tricky bit as usual will be getting the general builder to make our lives easy :( Foundation (or rebar) earths have been used for years in the US, where they're known as Ufer grounds (after the chap who suggested the idea, I believe). Brilliant idea.
As for AFDDs... the issue I think is not so much the cost ( as the RCD path taught us, demand will drop the price hugely), but whether they actually DO anything. And combining it all into one unit leaves me a little cold. I do not trust active electronics in a safety critical role unless maintained regularly. I for example would NOT rely on a smoke alarm system that was not regularly tested, nor indeed the ABS or airbags in my van unless serviced regularly. Domestic switchgear tends to go for up to a decade (even with EICR's being carried out) without a single test.
RCBO's are less of an issue in this regard, because they simply add the RCD functionality onto a normal MCB. Does anyone have the cash to take apart an AFDD and see if this is the case there also? If so, I would be less reticent.
