What is meant by a "Split Load" in a consumer unit?

(I am not planning to do any replacement - just prompted by looking in the
Screwfix catalogue)

John wrote:

What is meant by a "Split Load" in a consumer unit?

It means that some of the circuits are protected by a RCD (residual
currenr device) and some are not. Each circuit still has its own
breaker and there is a double pole main switch that controls all
circuits.

The message . com
from "dcbwhaley" contains these words:


What is meant by a "Split Load" in a consumer unit?

It means that some of the circuits are protected by a RCD (residual
currenr device) and some are not. Each circuit still has its own
breaker and there is a double pole main switch that controls all
circuits.

The lighting can be on the circuit without the RCD, being at very low
risk of zapping you, compared to the power circuit. They did this so
that if the power goes off you still have lighting to find your way
around while looking to fix the power.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Guy King wrote:
The message . com
from "dcbwhaley" contains these words:


What is meant by a "Split Load" in a consumer unit?

The lighting can be on the circuit without the RCD, being at very low
risk of zapping you, compared to the power circuit. They did this so
that if the power goes off you still have lighting to find your way
around while looking to fix the power.


Also if you've just had an electric shock, the last thing you or anyone
who might be coming to assist you want's is for the whole house to have
been plunged into darkness.

They really are quite a good idea, and some peoples interpretation of
the 16th edition regs makes them mandatory.

The message . com
from contains these words:

split load
They really are quite a good idea, and some peoples interpretation of
the 16th edition regs makes them mandatory.

As and when this place gets rewired it's what I'll do.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

They really are quite a good idea, and some peoples interpretation of
the 16th edition regs makes them mandatory.

Although an even better (and expensive) solution is to not get a split load,
but use RCBOs for protected circuits instead of MCBs.

Christian.

In article ,
"Christian McArdle" writes:
They really are quite a good idea, and some peoples interpretation of
the 16th edition regs makes them mandatory.

Although an even better (and expensive) solution is to not get a split load,
but use RCBOs for protected circuits instead of MCBs.

Yep - I've done that with 3 CU replacements.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Christian McArdle wrote:
They really are quite a good idea, and some peoples interpretation of
the 16th edition regs makes them mandatory.

Although an even better (and expensive) solution is to not get a split load,
but use RCBOs for protected circuits instead of MCBs.

Christian.

Would you advocate using them on lighting circuits as well Christian,
or just on the circuits which you would otherwise put on the RCD side
of a split load CU?

Would you advocate using them on lighting circuits as well Christian,
or just on the circuits which you would otherwise put on the RCD side
of a split load CU?

Not on lighting circuits.

The only justification I could see to put them on lighting circuits is on a
TT earth, so you don't need an overall RCD (either a time delay or a
standard one just for non-RCBOs). However, even then it would be a very
expensive option.

Christian.