Recommend me a compact consumer unit

[Alex_Blackwood]

Okay so if I use the existing board and remove the rcd and fit-
16a rcbo for sockets
10a rcbo for water heater (1200w)
6a rcbo for battery charger
I can buy these three rcbos for £53 from Screwfix.

Yes but you should also fit a 16 amp MCB as an incomer isolator. Boathook refers! If you use compact units you will be OK for fit. You may have to use a 2 module unit for the MCB. Compact units are available RS is one supplier but they are not cheap. You may be able to get units at reasonable prices by doing an online search, but be careful of cheap Chinese units. I am not certain from your picture of the existing box if it is a 4 or 5, possibly 6 way? I can see at least 2 blanking spacers to the right of the RCD.
As a further note ref. the Garage unit in your previous post. I should add that the RCD used is the old AC type not TYPE A which should be used now. Another reason it is unsuitable!

 

[mrangry]

I am still mulling over this and after looking inside the current box and seeing no busbars, grounding or neutral bar decided a new box is required.

After speaking with others in the marina and reading loads of posts about issues of reversed polarity even in UK marinas I am now also keen to have some kind of fixed warning lamp.

I see this Blue sea panel which looks all very nice but cant help feeling it is very overpriced for what it is. Am I over thinking this and just go out and buy a garage box with rcd and three mcbs..... my head hurts


Blue sea systems AC Main Branch A-Series Toggle Circuit Breaker Panel| Waveinn

 

[PaulRainbow]

I am still mulling over this and after looking inside the current box and seeing no busbars, grounding or neutral bar decided a new box is required.

After speaking with others in the marina and reading loads of posts about issues of reversed polarity even in UK marinas I am now also keen to have some kind of fixed warning lamp.

I see this Blue sea panel which looks all very nice but cant help feeling it is very overpriced for what it is. Am I over thinking this and just go out and buy a garage box with rcd and three mcbs..... my head hurts


Blue sea systems AC Main Branch A-Series Toggle Circuit Breaker Panel| Waveinn

Horribly over priced. All you need for reverse polarity warning is a 240v neon wired between the Neutral and Earth. If the polarity is reversed it lights up.

 

[wonkywinch]

Horribly over priced. All you need for reverse polarity warning is a 240v neon wired between the Neutral and Earth. If the polarity is reversed it lights up.

As long as it draws less than 30mA

 

[PaulRainbow]

As long as it draws less than 30mA

No, because the neutral is now live and the Earth is still neutral, so it's a circuit, no imbalance to trip the RCD

 

[VicS]

No, because the neutral is now live and the Earth is still neutral, so it's a circuit, no imbalance to trip the RCD

There will be an imbalance which could trip the rcd because the return path will be via the earth conductor not through the rcd.

 

[PaulRainbow]

There will be an imbalance which could trip the rcd because the return path will be via the earth conductor not through the rcd.

Yes, you're correct. The return path for the normal circuits is what should be the positive, so no problem there. In reality, the neon does not trip the RCD though, as it's current draw is so low, as post #24

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Yes, you're correct. The return path for the normal circuits is what should be the positive, so no problem there. In reality, the neon does not trip the RCD though, as it's current draw is so low, as post #24

Fit it on the incomer before the RCD!

 

[PaulRainbow]

Fit it on the incomer before the RCD!

You could, but it wouldn't really make any difference.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

You could, but it wouldn't really make any difference.

It won't trip the RCD. Perhaps the one on the shore supply outlet on the pontoon.

 

[PaulRainbow]

It won't trip the RCD. Perhaps the one on the shore supply outlet on the pontoon.

It won't trip either, it's too low current.

 

[st599]

The other thing you can fit is a panel mount Martindale which will check for incorrect wiring.

 

[Blue Seas]

I don't want to hijack mrangry's thread but if a supplementary question IS OK then can I ask this,
I get the bit about RCBO's rather than RCD's (especially if starting over) so I checked my circuit breakers only to find that I have 'RCM's ?? (BEP Panels made in NZ and fitted with AC mains trip plus reverse polarity indication).
Are these ok or do I bin them? There is a large (70kg) isolation transformer between them and shore - do I need anything else? Belt and braces would be my preference.
Apologies for the slight drift.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

I don't want to hijack mrangry's thread but if a supplementary question IS OK then can I ask this,
I get the bit about RCBO's rather than RCD's (especially if starting over) so I checked my circuit breakers only to find that I have 'RCM's ?? (BEP Panels made in NZ and fitted with AC mains trip plus reverse polarity indication).
Are these ok or do I bin them? There is a large (70kg) isolation transformer between them and shore - do I need anything else? Belt and braces would be my preference.
Apologies for the slight drift.

As far as I can deduce. RCM in NZ stands for Regulator Compliance Mark So nothing to do with Residual current? Perhaps one of our Kiwi contributors can assist, or perhaps a photo It could be that they are just Miniature Circuit breakers (MCBs). Interesting thread drift. All adds to our knowledge

 

[Blue Seas]

That's interesting - a google search gave me 'Residual Current Monitoring'

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

That's interesting - a google search gave me 'Residual Current Monitoring'

Yes but I think that refers to a system rather than a device. All rather confusing these TLAs As the Civil Service Memo said. " Three letter abbreviations should not be used as TLAs can be confusing"

 

[PaulRainbow]

I don't want to hijack mrangry's thread but if a supplementary question IS OK then can I ask this,
I get the bit about RCBO's rather than RCD's (especially if starting over) so I checked my circuit breakers only to find that I have 'RCM's ?? (BEP Panels made in NZ and fitted with AC mains trip plus reverse polarity indication).
Are these ok or do I bin them? There is a large (70kg) isolation transformer between them and shore - do I need anything else? Belt and braces would be my preference.
Apologies for the slight drift.

BEP panels are fine. They use MCBs.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Another supplementary question - I fitted a unit sold for camping etc - an rcd and 3 outlet sockets in a plastic housing. Also fitted an external EU connection for the cable in the cockpit. Only problem has been is that the sockets are mounted vertically so not really enough room for the plugs & cable resulting in the lids breaking. New ones nowadays have the sockets orientated horizontally so much better.

 

[Aurai]

you could think outside the box, put all your connections, save an emergency stop switch, into a suitable closed box. Using DIN Rail. The Garage Unit, is carefully designed to be placed at an approved switch height for safe access in day to day use and emergency use. 1200 mm usually, but they can be down to 750mm I believe. Once in a boat, if like mine, very awkward to reach in a hurry. The box can be out of sight, but run one of those bright red stop buttons on a yellow plastic holder in the circuit, where you can use it.