Re: Using RCD fused spurs as switches

> > Hello,

>> > I wish to control my garden water feature from a wall mounted switch. I >> have >> > bought an RCD fused spur to protect against faults. >> > >> > For cosmetic reasons, I would prefer to switch the water feature on and >> off >> > by using the test/reset buttons on the RCD. Is this possible, or do I >need >> > to install a separate switch between the RCD and the water feature? >> > >> Thats what I did. >> Subsequent to fitting the water feature supply I changed the main CU for a >> split load one. >> Guess what happens now if I press the test button on the RCD spur? >> ... >> Yup, half the sockets in the house are tripped off :-) >> >> > >2 problems (I think) > >1. The test button works by supplying a current to earth, to trip itself. >Without a time delay RCD on your CU (which would not be suitable anyway) >there will be no discrimination, and the house RCD will trip. So for the 2nd >poster (as I'm sure he knows) I can't see why the extra RCD would be needed, >unless for some reason he wanted to run it on a non-RCD circuit. > >2. I'm sure I read somewhere that the test trip feature was not up to >switching high current on a regular basis, and *should* soon fail if this is >carried out whilst a significant load is placed upon it (maybe a pond pump >is ok?). > >I'm not really sure in this area so somebody please chime in a help me >finish this post I've started! > >Alex >

RCDs are not designed for regular usage like this, so there is no guearantee that they won't wear out mechanically excessively.

The trip button may or may not cause a trip of upstream RCDs - depends how it is implemented. A test button can introduce an imbalance across its own sensor with no leakage to earth, and if done like this should not trip other RCDs.

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Mike Harrison
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