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Are RCD's Required?

Nano Brewery
Hi, looking to understand if an RCD would be a required regulation (and/or just highly recommended) in the following situation.  The additional cost of installing four or five 3-Phase RCDs is quite substantial and I would prefer to avoid it if still deemed as safe and not legally required.  Earthing system is TN-C-S.


For connecting up 4x Immersion Elements (9kW, 9kW, 6kW, 3kW) in Brewery Tanks I am looking at either:


A.  SWA Cable clipped direct to basket from the Control Panel to IP rated Plugs/Sockets mounted on the wall.  Then floating SY Cable (recommended by electrician) from the wall to the Tanks, which is about a 2m run.  Thinking Plugs/Sockets just to make life easy if I ever want to move things around and also for easier access for cleaning.


B.  Same as above but swapping the Plugs/Sockets for Isolators.


Look forward to your feedback and opinions.  Cheers.
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    Nano Brewery:
    Chris Pearson:

    Could you not have an RCD incomer in the DB?


    Cheers Chris.  I was hoping to keep all elements on separate circuits, and also have RCDs on all circuits, just so if one develops a fault the other 3 will continue to operate, and any fault will be quicker and easier to detect?




    No, I wouldn't look at it that way. Each element will have its own MCB/fuse. A short circuit would trip the MCB, but not the RCD. A fault (i.e. to earth) might trip both. Ok, that is a bit of a bother if the whole lot goes off. I am not sure how that affects your business, but if it slows down a batch, is that an issue? If it occurred, you can still isolate the faulty element by its MCB.


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  • 0
    Nano Brewery:
    Chris Pearson:

    Could you not have an RCD incomer in the DB?


    Cheers Chris.  I was hoping to keep all elements on separate circuits, and also have RCDs on all circuits, just so if one develops a fault the other 3 will continue to operate, and any fault will be quicker and easier to detect?




    No, I wouldn't look at it that way. Each element will have its own MCB/fuse. A short circuit would trip the MCB, but not the RCD. A fault (i.e. to earth) might trip both. Ok, that is a bit of a bother if the whole lot goes off. I am not sure how that affects your business, but if it slows down a batch, is that an issue? If it occurred, you can still isolate the faulty element by its MCB.


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