RCBO vs RCCB: Key Differences Explained
10th Apr 2024
Upgrading electrical safety means choosing between RCCBs for pure shock prevention and RCBOs with added overcurrent stops. While their names sound alike, these technologies provide overlapping yet distinct protection. How do RCCBs and RCBOs differ in form and function? RCCBs solely detect leakage faults, and RCBOs have overcurrent RCBOs combine RCCB and MCB circuits in one body RCCBs maximize safety, RCBOs add circuit breaker capabilities RCCBs identify leakage currents for fast shutoff against shocks. RCBOs build in standard circuit protection, too. Selecting the right device starts with understanding their capabilities. What are RCCBs and How Do They Work? The term RCCB stands for residual current circuit breaker. RCCBs work by constantly sampling electrical current in the hot and neutral lines to detect any deviations or “residual” leaking to the ground. This identifies ground faults that indicate potential shock risks. Once a RCCB senses stray current exceeding 30 milliamps, its control circuit trips the breaker in under 40 milliseconds – much faster than a human body can withstand a shock. This makes dedicated RCCBs ideal for power points and wet areas needing maximum safety. What are RCBOs and How Do They Function? By contrast, a residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protection (RCBO) combines ground fault detection like an RCCB while also integrating standard circuit breaker overcurrent capabilities in a single body. The RCCB portion samples current flow to catch leakage faults. Circuit breaker components additionally monitor the line current level and will trip at a preset amperage threshold in case of overloads and short circuits. […]
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