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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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    AJJewsbury:
    Higher current ones do exist that would do, (63 amp example) but not in great numbers or variety or indeed from the famous names.

     

    Isn't that an RCCB rather than an RCBO?

    An RCD incomer and followed by  MCB protection might be easier to source the bits for.

    Or just an MCB in the (existing?) board and a separate RCCB afterwards (if RCD protection is indeed needed)

    So can we agree that RCD protection is not required?

    Depends still - there still seems to be a suggestion of plugs & sockets (although strictly speaking the 30mA RCD requirement wouldn't apply to a 63A one feeding everything, although 0.4s disconnection time would). I'm also a bit in two minds about not having seen the situation - I'm imagining a lot of stainless steel, possibly wet concrete floors, large things being possibly being moved about from time to time, certainly large quantities of liquids (both production and cleaning), and operation by non-electrically skilled persons (although I might be confusing it with a winery I visited once).  If so, a bit of additional protection might not go amiss.


    I do wonder if it could be simplified by splitting the heaters into two groups having an extra controller and then feeding each from a simple 32A RCD protected socket (63A sockets looks to be surprisingly (reassuringly?) expensive).


       - Andy.




    Cheers Andy. 


    "I'm imagining a lot of stainless steel, possibly wet concrete floors, large things being possibly being moved about from time to time, certainly large quantities of liquids (both production and cleaning)"      - Yes ;)  It will only be myself operating any of the equipment.


    Wondering if a direct feed from a Distribution Board RCD to the Control Panel could be an option for universal protection at less cost?  Is this possible and allowed?  Alternatively, maybe Tails split via a Henley Box >>> RCD (stand alone) >>> Control Panel?


     


Reply
  • 0
    AJJewsbury:
    Higher current ones do exist that would do, (63 amp example) but not in great numbers or variety or indeed from the famous names.

     

    Isn't that an RCCB rather than an RCBO?

    An RCD incomer and followed by  MCB protection might be easier to source the bits for.

    Or just an MCB in the (existing?) board and a separate RCCB afterwards (if RCD protection is indeed needed)

    So can we agree that RCD protection is not required?

    Depends still - there still seems to be a suggestion of plugs & sockets (although strictly speaking the 30mA RCD requirement wouldn't apply to a 63A one feeding everything, although 0.4s disconnection time would). I'm also a bit in two minds about not having seen the situation - I'm imagining a lot of stainless steel, possibly wet concrete floors, large things being possibly being moved about from time to time, certainly large quantities of liquids (both production and cleaning), and operation by non-electrically skilled persons (although I might be confusing it with a winery I visited once).  If so, a bit of additional protection might not go amiss.


    I do wonder if it could be simplified by splitting the heaters into two groups having an extra controller and then feeding each from a simple 32A RCD protected socket (63A sockets looks to be surprisingly (reassuringly?) expensive).


       - Andy.




    Cheers Andy. 


    "I'm imagining a lot of stainless steel, possibly wet concrete floors, large things being possibly being moved about from time to time, certainly large quantities of liquids (both production and cleaning)"      - Yes ;)  It will only be myself operating any of the equipment.


    Wondering if a direct feed from a Distribution Board RCD to the Control Panel could be an option for universal protection at less cost?  Is this possible and allowed?  Alternatively, maybe Tails split via a Henley Box >>> RCD (stand alone) >>> Control Panel?


     


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