Re: What the **** is going on!!!???

[Richard Malcolm-Smith <rich@xxxxxxx>]

> UK Lighting circuits used to be protected by 5A rewireable fuses,
later
> supperceeded by 5A cartridge fuses. Now all new work is protected by
MCB'=
s
> typically rated at 6A or in some cases 10A.

10A is the norm, with 16 being allowable but rarely used because it needs
1=
.5mm=B2=20
cable.

Ahh, the old rewirable fuses.. The garage has them in it for the lights
and=
the=20
power, and they never blow, the 30A inside running the garage does, in
ever=
y=20
case there has being a short out there when an accident with the saw has
ha=
ppened.

> Before I replaced my consumer unit I had a 5A cartridge fuse on the
light=
ing
> circuit and the only time that ever blew was when my outside light
died a
> horrible death. Since replacing the consumer unit, the lighting is now
on=
a
> 6A MCB and almost everytime a bulb blows it pops the trip which
although =
it
> is a bit inconvienient it only takes a second to flip it back on and
it
> clearly demonstrated how much better MCB's are at protecting a circuit
in
> the event of overload... a bit too good at times !!!
>=20
> Its also common for there to be two or more lighting circuits in a
house =
so
> you dont loose the whole house, just upstairs or downstairs etc.
>=20
> Do you only have the one lighting circuit in NZ or do you generally
have =
a
> lot of lights ?

I have 4 lighting circuits here, 2 16s, a 10, and for some unknown reason
2=
=20
rooms on a 6. The 10 runs all of upstairs, but there arent many lights up
t=
here=20
so its ok. the ones for the sensor lights and downstairs are greater
becaus=
e=20
there is a ton of lights on them.

Unfortunatly since the start of the year if I get any work done on the
pane=
l,=20
the whole lot has to go on an RCD, which is what happens when they blindly=
=20
follow Australias wiring regs.. sigh. I know people that have moved into
ne=
w=20
houses that have had to castrate the RCD because it keeps tripping with a
l=
ot of=20
switching power supplies running on it.


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