What is a residual current device?

We’re going to be talking this week about RCDs, otherwise known as residual current devices. The reason why these are so important is because they are a lifesaving piece of equipment that your fuse box requires in order to provide a safe supply of electricity. 

If your home doesn’t have one, and that’s whether you’re a homeowner or a landlord, or even a business owner, your property should have one because it could be a matter of saving lives. If you require immediate electrical urgently get in touch with one of our 24 Emergency Electricians.

So, what exactly is an RCD?

An RCD will monitor your home’s wiring and then break a circuit if there’s something unbalanced, perhaps a fuse blows or there’s any form of electrical anomaly. Electrical accidents can lead to fires or electrocution, and what an RCD will do is switch off the power, so you don’t get a shock. Once a fault is detected it will go off immediately and then either you or a qualified electrician can find out what the problem is and carry out repairs. 

Without a residual current device, you and your family are in danger.

As you can imagine the amount of power that can be released when there’s an electrical fault is enough to harm or even kill you. It can not only knock you out cold, it can also give you a heart attack from which you may never recover. However, if you have an RCD it can detect faults and electrical leakages and disconnect within a few milliseconds, so the severity of any potential injury is significantly reduced if not eliminated. 

Every fuse box should have an RCD.

There’s no reason why your fuse box should not have an RCD in it because it’s an essential part of everyday electrical safety. If you decide to carry out work on your home that involves the electrics, then it is even more important to have one. We recommend that you always use a qualified and trained electrician to carry out any electrical work on your home, and if you don’t and you are the one that makes a mistake, then at least an RCD could save your life. If you’re fuseboard does not have an RCD it’s important that you get in touch with an electrician and have this replaced as soon as possible with a fusebox replacement services.

There are different types of RCD.

They range from fixed, socket-outlet and portable. They all have their own way of working and you can get an RCD guide from any electrical outlet, or you can find one online, or speak to us about it. It may be the case that one particular RCD is better suited to your home than another. 

RML Electrical – the best in electrical services and installations.

If you think you need to have an RCD fitted in your home then get in touch with us today and one of our team of dedicated, trained and qualified electrical engineers will be happy to speak to you. If you don’t have one, then you definitely should because your home is hazardous without one. We are a registered and approved electrical business so you can rely on us to give you excellent, trustworthy advice and to be able to carry out complex electrical work on your home safely. Get in touch today and keep your family or business safe.