Our Voltimum Experts answer your questions on a daily basis in our Technical Expertise area. This one, about an old Wylex consumer unit used (in part) to supply a shower, is answered by ABB:
Question: I have a client who has an old N series Wylex consumer unit. I can find the relevant MCBs that are suitable for this board. However, the customer has his 9.5kW shower connected to a 30A breaker on this board, and wonders why he has had nuisance tripping since it was installed seven years ago. He has only been able to put it on its medium setting; never on high! It requires at least a 45A or 50A breaker.
My query is - are there any RCBOs available that would deal with the protection issue if he does not wish to change the board, or does not wish to have a shower unit installed.
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Answer: ABB and Wylex did have a joint venture many years ago where ABB manufactured MCBs for Wylex for its enclosures. However, this link has been severed for over 20 years. We no longer manufacture the MCB and would not be able to supply a unit for this board.
One solution would be to feed off the board to a separate unit housing an RCBO of the correct rating - we can offer both the modular housing and MCB+RCD add-on unit for this. We would suggest an S202-B50 6kA MCB, plus a DDA202AC-63/0.03 30mA RCD add-on unit fitted into a four-module IP55 modular unit - pt no. 12644.
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