Crabtree Split Load Consumer Unit

Crabtree is one of the superior makes, IMO.

Nice to work on.

Split-load boards are a more affordable alternative to using RCBOs only, as opposed to MCBs and a split-load CU.. Using RCBOs only on a main-switch only board would add about £250 to £300 to the cost of the board on a 12-way CU depending on where you buy your parts.

I'd say 95% + of installs are split-load only due to this cost consideration.

 

Not split-load, dual RCD! Split load is 16th edition where half is non-RCD.

If you can afford it go for a fully RCBO consumer unit. It will pay dividends in minimizing inconvenience in the event of a fault. Dual RCD boards are a PITA for faults because you lose all circuits being covered by the RCD that trips. RCBO combines fuse and RCD function in one unit and hence protects one circuit without affecting the others.

£400 is going rate for a dual RCD, dependent upon make of CU budget £500+ for all RCBO. Not much cost difference in reality.

 

Must say I find the Crabtree Starbreaker Units excellent pieces of kit. As Un says all rcbo's is the ultimate bees knees setup - however consider a high integrity Starbreaker unit - this is rcbo's on one side and the other side has breakers fed by rcd.

 

It is split-load: The load is split to 2 x RCD sides; as opposed to split to non-RCD & with-RCD sides

 

What in the 17th edition says you can't have a RCD protecting one side of the board and RCBO's on the other side of the board? Lights and rings are really best on the RCBO lights because you don't want them to all fail together and so having them independent from everything else means less likely to fail. The ring is likely to fail more so having independent stops rest of circuits failing with sockets. This could be reduced with lights for stairs on RCBO and sockets for kitchen on RCBO although I would tend to go for all down stairs sockets. The rest can all go on one RCD. So with three RCBO's that adds about £60 to the bill once to subtract the price of the MCB which is not used.

It is as said a balancing act money to convenience the more RCBO's the less likely for unwarranted trips and the less disruption when one does trip.

Duel RCD could mean a RCBO for lights on stairs and rest on a RCD. It could also mean a split board with RCD for some circuits and RCBO for one circuit and also some circuits without RCD protection. Nothing wrong with non RCD protected feeding shed is SWA with a RCD in the shed.

To me there is no such thing as a 17th edition or 16th edition board. It's down to how installed. Even next year installed inside a metal enclosure you can still use plastic boards so also no such thing as an amendment 3 consumer unit.

 

I think split loader db's are traditionally linked or thought as - as ''16th edn split loaders'' - its site terminology.

 

As for 17th edition boards - what the heck does 17th edition board mean? - what you do is design to the 17th edn regs and use an appropriate db loaded with reg satisfying stuff.

Don't mess about - just do the job, certificate it, and get the dosh.

A DB is just an enclosure at t'end of the day - its what its populated with that's counts.

 

16th and 17th edition is just a marketing ploy. It would be sufficient to say BS7671 compliant. Whenever a latest edition is published the marketing gambit is to use 'xth' edition compliant. Same happened with Part P. Before Part P it was 16th edition this that and the other. Then it was Part P this that and the other, now its back to 17th edition this that and the other. Same will happen when the next rendition is published.

Yes any CU that is divided in to sections can be regarded as splitting the loads. Dual RCD tends to be referenced now. High integrity I have no idea how that terminology arose as its not a BS7671 term AFAIK, just another marketing gambit. High integrity means nothing to me, not being funny just doesn't I'm afraid. High integrity seems to be used where CUs are in three sections rather than two but there is nothing 'high integrity' about it. It depends on what is shoved in the circuit. CUs can be loaded with many combinations.

 

Concur Un