View Full Version : Circuit Breaker Protection RCD
Following on from my marquee gig thread, I thought I might want to get myself some adequate circuit breaker RCD protection from the generator ... just in case.
At the moment I just use extension reels which I am assuming are not really adequate.
What sort of protection should I be looking for?
Links to good products would be great :D
Cheers
STEVE HANLEY
20-03-2012, 10:43 PM
How about one of these?
http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/36226-cbl-reel-4-skts-13a-rcd-30m-706650-jojo.html
Cheers. I have loads of extensions so I was looking for something to put I between their supply and my extension :D
I wasn't really specific sorry
Excalibur
21-03-2012, 05:58 AM
What sort of protection should I be looking for?
Links to good products would be great :D
Cheers
I'd say your best bet would be to have word with a local sparky, and get them to make you a board. Something along the lines of the one Deltic has just put in the gallery.
addoaddo
29-03-2012, 11:28 AM
It is good that you are thinking about electrical safety but people hide behind RCD thinking that they will save their life but unless the whole system is correctly installed they may not work or may be a problem. Before using any unusual electrical supply you need to either have a installation certificate from a suitably experienced sparky or test the system yourself if you know how.
An RCB only works if there is a good earth path back to electrical source. It will only work with a generator if the generator is correctly earth otherwise it will offer no protection.
Long lead can also cause their own problems. A 30M lead made from only 1.5mm cable will have a voltage drop of over 12V at full load, this is likely to cause problem to your equipment depending on the source voltage. It would be much better to use 2.5mm cable with 16A connectors. Note Artic blue cable is now not allowed for external cable runs according to the latest standard you should use H07 cable.
The other issue that you must be aware is that if a fault occurs it is very likely that ALL the RCB on that circuit will trip not just the one local to you. So it is useful to find where the supply is fed from to check if there are other RCB in line.
Electricity at work equipments mean that if you install any electrical equipment it is up to you to ensure it is safe to use. There is no defence saying that you assumed the supply was safe.
Corabar Entertainment
29-03-2012, 11:52 AM
Electricity at work equipments mean that if you install any electrical equipment it is up to you to ensure it is safe to use. There is no defence saying that you assumed the supply was safe.It's all very well saying that, but how does everyone ensure that? (Furthermore, would plugging something in temporarily constitute 'installing' it? If it does, then the cleaner doing the hoovering would be bound by that, and that seems somewhat excessive! :eek: )
Excalibur
29-03-2012, 01:11 PM
An RCB only works if there is a good earth path back to electrical source. It will only work with a generator if the generator is correctly earth otherwise it will offer no protection.
.
I once made a sparky laugh. A lot. For a long time. Many many years ago, I did a gig near me, on small gennies. We had to power down part way through the night, in order to fill them up so that they would get to the end of the gig, you get the picture.
Although I'm normally a trusting little soul, at times I can also be a tad sceptical. At the end of the gig, the sparky was helping to derig everything, and when he got to my multiway, he was in fits of laughter when he tried to disconnect one plug.
The one with only one pin connected.
Earth.
To the earth rod I had driven into the soil behind my rig. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Dynamic Entertainment
29-03-2012, 01:26 PM
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=109330
Ive got one of these....perfect for those social clubs that look a bit "suspect" and I have found faults with wall sockets using it ;)
Corabar Entertainment
29-03-2012, 03:24 PM
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=109330
Ive got one of these....perfect for those social clubs that look a bit "suspect" and I have found faults with wall sockets using it ;)
Yes - we use though (or similar).... and check EVERY socket before kit is plugged in.... regardless of whether it looks dodgy or not!
Just going back to this thread. The gig is next weekend so I need to get electrically tooled up.
I am going to get one of the socket testers as advised above. That will be good practice.
What should I be getting in terms of protection. Should I be looking at surge protection or just RCD protection. I don't really know much about this?
Just bringing this up again.
Assuming I have tested the sockets with the above tester, should surge protection be all I need, or should I have a surge protector then plug an RCD into that ?
Need some help here ;-)
What does everyone else do in a marquee type situation?
Shakermaker Promotions
12-04-2012, 10:41 AM
I use Surge Protection extension leads and have had no problems at all.
I looked into the RCD thing because one of the venues I have been doing quite regularly over the past 6 months...well, a friend who used to provide the Disco Entertainment to the venue on a regular basis said that there were a number of problems with spiking etc?
He was the guy who had some Mackie Subs and plugged them in at the venue for the first time and they went pear shaped.
As I said, I haven't had any problems at all and especially at this venue.
I use Surge Protection extension leads and have had no problems at all.
I looked into the RCD thing because one of the venues I have been doing quite regularly over the past 6 months...well, a friend who used to provide the Disco Entertainment to the venue on a regular basis said that there were a number of problems with spiking etc?
He was the guy who had some Mackie Subs and plugged them in at the venue for the first time and they went pear shaped.
As I said, I haven't had any problems at all and especially at this venue.
That's what I thought. An RCD is normally if you cut the cord whilst mowing the lawn or something, whereas I am more likely to experience a spike or variable supply, assuming the plug is wired correctly.
I will look into the tester and some surge protection.
I can't see why I would need RCD, unless a piece of my equipment failed and tripped the supply. But that could happen anywhere.
Jiggles
12-04-2012, 02:10 PM
If you are on site with a genset you need to make sure that the earthing arrangements are right or the RCD will fail to work or wont turn on/ fail to reset.
If you are on site with a genset you need to make sure that the earthing arrangements are right or the RCD will fail to work or wont turn on/ fail to reset.
It looks like my trusty tester would alert me to that scenario?
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=109330
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