just spoken to a plumber (i known i shouldn't have) who has just done a defined scopee course (electrics for plumbers made easy) who had a question regarding rccb's have anyb of you guys come across them lately i actually thought they were outlawed years ago?
many thanks in anticipation

To the best of my knowledge, RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker) is simply and older name for what is now more commonly called an RCD (Residual Current Device) - that is, a device which will operate when it detects a specified earth fault current, but does not provide any overcurrent protection.

In terms of 'outlawing' - you may be thinking a VOELCB (Voltage Operated Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) which operate on a completely different principle and which are generally no longer acceptable.

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Ross Currie TMIET

RCCB's are current operated devices, he may be thinking of the old voltage operated devices which are no longer considered effective.

I'm sure you're thinking of the voltage-operated ELCB as well, which was removed from the Regs. in the 15th edition (1981) if I recall correctly.

An RCCB is just what it now called an RCD and was formerly known as a current-operated ELCB. (Why the constant name changes in recent years?)

As stated above, you may be thinking of the ELCB which was discontinued many years ago.

rccb's are still in use and have the advantage of overcurrent and earth leakage protection in one unit.

Are you thinking of rcbo's?

No, that's an RCBO!

I thought that RCCB is the current name. RCD is now a generic term meaning any device that disconnects by residual current - could be an RCCB, or an RCBO or a socket RCD or a plug-in RCD. Where the regs call for an RCD, either an RCCB or an RCBO (or other type) could conceivably be used.

- Andy.

Andy,

If I recall correctly, the relevant standards refer to 'residual current operated circuit breakers' and 'residual current operated circuit breakers with integral overcurrent protection' which means the proper nomenclature should probably be 'RCCB' and 'RCBO' and that 'residual current device' should be used the generic term, as you rightly state.

However, it appears that in both general usage and published literature, it is most common for the term RCD to be used to refer to a 'residual current operated circuit breaker' and RCBO to be used to refer to a 'residual current operated circuit breaker with integral overcurrent protection'.

Oddly, it appears to be mainly older published literature (and some older test instruments) where use is made of the term RCCB.

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Ross Currie TMIET