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Wylex RECSW2S

Zoomup
This is a 100 Amp 2 pole switch with enclosure to suit meter tails.


After having taken a small sample of the plastic enclosure, and holding it in a pair of pliers, then applying a small cigarette lighter flame.....


the sample burned giving off black acrid smoke and it did not self extinguish.


Should we be concerned?


Z.
  • 0
    Zoomup:

    Should we be concerned?


    No, but you are not going to come round to my house if you keep trying to set fire to the wiring! ???


  • 0
    Zoomup:

    the sample burned giving off black acrid smoke and it did not self extinguish.

    .


    Are you sure you're not JW?


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    Might a glow-wire test be more appropriate? It would be a strange fault in an electrical switch that exposed the case to a gas flame...

       - Andy.
  • 0
    wallywombat:
    Zoomup:

    the sample burned giving off black acrid smoke and it did not self extinguish.

    .


    Are you sure you're not JW?




    ErMMMMmmmnn, No, I was baptised into another faith.


    Z.


  • 0
    AJJewsbury:

    Might a glow-wire test be more appropriate? It would be a strange fault in an electrical switch that exposed the case to a gas flame...

    - Andy.


    Right. The next experiment will have the sample piece placed on a hot hob plate. The material in question is just like polystyrene. The same material that Airfix kits were made of. The model enemy planes that we shot at with air guns or set fire to with matches at The Drones Club.


    Z.


  • 0
    Zoomup:
    AJJewsbury:

    Might a glow-wire test be more appropriate? It would be a strange fault in an electrical switch that exposed the case to a gas flame...

    - Andy.


    Right. The next experiment will have the sample piece placed on a hot hob plate. . . 




    Unless you are testing the material in accordance with the appropriate British Standard for the product, your “experiments” are meaningless. 


  • 0
    Alan Capon:
    Zoomup:
    AJJewsbury:

    Might a glow-wire test be more appropriate? It would be a strange fault in an electrical switch that exposed the case to a gas flame...

    - Andy.


    Right. The next experiment will have the sample piece placed on a hot hob plate. . . 




    Unless you are testing the material in accordance with the appropriate British Standard for the product, your “experiments” are meaningless. 




    But educational to me. Fire can not read British Standards or abide by them.


    Z.


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    I disagree Alan. The material appears not to contain any fire retardant, which would make his flame test very difficult if it were present in the correct quantity. We are not trying to stop fires due to a hot wire here, it is against red hot connections with a significant thermal capacity, not very different from a direct flame, which could also occur from the cable insulation burning. It appears at first look that these things are unsatisfactory, which could be interesting! I have a slightly nasty feeling coming on which I will explain later because I have just realised why the fire retardant may have been left out of all those CUs too, because the retardants are on another "wee list" as they say. I am going off to check.
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    Some background is available here. I have a question, is the plastic or packaging marked in any way with the fire rating, UL-V0 for example?


    www.rtpcompany.com/products/flame-retardant/flammability-testing-ratings-for-plastics/
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    This is also interesting. It is (was) used in many plastics including ABS.


    www.greenfacts.org/en/flame-retardant-decabde/l-2/index.htm


    I have a feeling this might be something to do with it, you will see that the resons given for its removal are "may" and "perhaps" rather often. Very curious.


    In the list of unintended consequences, the dead hand of the EU appears very often. IF this is the problem, and it may well not be, and it is going to take a great deal of time to fully find out and one may never succeed, one can see why making anything at all is now a minefield. A fully metal REC2 is obviously indicated, and perhaps changing all of those fitted? Of course when you look at the limitations on paint on products too....

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