[Know] Which RCCB should You use to Prevent Electrical Shock

Hey, today we are going to know which RCCB should we use to prevent electrical shock. There are various types of RCCB available in the market. RCCBs are classified according to sensitivity, leakage current types, number of poles, voltage, and many other factors. We should select an exact perfect RCCB which will protect us from electrical shock with a hundred percent guarantee.

So let's know step by step. To get better knowledge read the full article.

What is an Electrical Shock?

In simple words, the sudden convulsion of muscles with pain due to the flow of electric current through the human body is called Electrical Shock.

So it cleared that, when the electrical current starts flowing through our body, we feel electrical shock.
The harmful effect of electrical shock on the human body depends upon the amplitude of the flowing current, the duration of the flowing current, and the waveforms of the flowing current.

Effects of Current on the Human Body

According to the IEC 60479-1 Standard "Effects of Current on Human belongs and Livestock"

Up to 30 mA alternating current having a frequency of 15 to 100Hz cannot harm the human body if the duration of the current flow is below 500 ms.

How does RCCB Give Protection Against Electrical Shock?

In normal operating conditions, RCCB keeps monitoring the electrical current flowing through a circuit. It checks if the incoming current (live wire) matches the returning current (neutral wire). Under normal conditions, the two should be the same. 

If there is a problem, like someone accidentally touching a live wire or a damaged wire, some of the current might leak to the ground instead of returning through the neutral wire. This causes an imbalance in the current flow. 

So, when the RCCB senses this current imbalance, it acts fast! It automatically shuts off the power to the circuit. This happens very quickly, within a fraction of a second. Cutting off the power, RCCB stops the flow of dangerous current and helps prevent electric shock. So it prevents electric shocks that can happen when we touch something live, reducing the risk of injury or worse.

Read Also: Why RCCB cannot give protection against Overload and Short Circuit Faults?

Selecting RCCB to Prevent Electrical Shock

The RCCB having sensitivity(IΔn) 30mA is perfect to prevent electrical shock. This RCCB can give protection against both direct contact and indirect contact electrical shock hazards. 30 mA sensitivity RCCB provides a hundred percent guarantee of protection.

The disadvantage of using 30mA RCCB is, your wiring should be 100 percent accurate. Because, if the wiring is not 100 percent accurate, more than 30 mA current will flow between the line to earth. So the RCCB will trip again and again.

So, you can use the RCCB to prevent electrical shock which has flowing ratings,

1. The RCCB should be followed by IEC 60364-4-41 Standard.

2. The RCCB should have the sensitivity(IΔn) 30 mA to 500 mA

3. The RCCB should have instant tripping features.

4. The RCCB should be 'A' type or 'AC' type or 'B' type

Type 'A', 'AC', 'B' depends upon the sensing of leakage current

'AC' type RCCB can sense alternating current only.
'A' type RCCB can sense alternating current and/or pulsating current with DC components.
'B' type RCCB can sense alternating current up to 1000Hz, smooth direct current, and pulsating direct current.

Important Suggestions

***It is always recommended to get advice from a certified and experienced electrical professional while dealing with electricity***

If you do not have RCCB protection at your home, it is strongly suggested to install RCCBs at your home to get protection against electrical shock.

Check the performance of the RCCB every six months by pressing the manually TEST Button on the RCCB.

If your RCCB does not switch off the electricity supply to the protected circuits when the Test Button is pressed, or if it does not reset, get advice from a registered electrician.

Read Also:

• Proper RCCB connection Diagram with MCB.
• MCCB Full Form | MCB and MCCB Difference
• Main Difference Between Earthing and Grounding

Thank you for visiting the website. keep visiting for more updates.