What is RCBO? Full Form, Function, Application, Use

RCBO is an electrical protective that gives protection against leakage current fault, electrical shock, over current fault, and short circuit fault. The full form of RCBO is Residual Current Breaker with Overcurrent. RCBO is the combination of MCB and RCCB. An MCB gives protection against overload faults and short circuit faults. An RCCB or RCD gives protection against leakage current faults. However, an RCBO provides the function for both of these devices.

In an electrical circuit, overcurrent faults and short circuit faults are very important factors. However, the leakage current fault cannot be negligible. Leakage current fault causes a huge power loss, unwanted heating, and electrical shock. Leakage current fault generally happens due to insulation failure, sweating, water falling, etc. So, the protection against leakage current fault is also very important, in fact, it is must require.

In some application areas such as medical appliances, house wirings, and water pumps, we need to provide protection against all the electrical faults such as short circuits, overcurrent, and leakage current. We have two options to do that either using two devices such as an MCB and an RCCB or a single device that is RCBO.

RCBO Function

The main functions of RCBO are,

• It gives protection against short-circuit fault
• It gives protection against over-current or overload faults.
• It gives protection against leakage current faults, electrical shocks, etc.
• It can give protection against current imbalance.
• It automatically breaks the circuit when the flow of current through it exceeds a certain level.
• RCBO is compact and more sensitive than MCBs and RCCBs or RCDs.

Difference between RCCB and RCBO

RCCB means Residual Current Circuit Breaker whereas RCBO means Residual Current Breaker with Overcurrent. In a balanced electrical power system, equal current flows in all the conductors. There is no unbalance current. But, in an unbalanced electrical power system, unequal current flows in the circuit. The difference between unequal current is considered as residual current. An RCCB only gives protection against leakage current faults. It cannot give protection against short circuit faults and overload or overcurrent faults. But the RCBO give protection against all leakage current faults, overcurrent fault, and short circuit fault.

Difference between MCB and RCBO

MCB means Miniature Circuit Breaker. MCB is the most usable compact circuit breaker used in low voltage and low current electrical circuits. MCB can give protection against overload and short circuit faults. However, it can not disconnect the circuit when a leakage current occurs. On the other hand, the RCBO gives protection as the MCB provides, but additionally, it provides the function of RCD or RCCB, that is leakage current fault.

Application and Uses of RCBO

1. Nowadays, almost all house wirings contain an RCBO for electrical safety.

2. RCBO is used for industrial protection systems, hospital wirings, hotel wirings, etc.

3. RCBO is used where all short circuit protection, overload protection, and leakage current protection are required. It is better to use a single RCBO than using an MCB and an RCCB together.

Read Also: 

• What is MCB? Full Form, Working, Use, Applications
• What is Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter(GFCI)? Use
• What is Core Balance Current Transformer(CBCT)? Diagram, Application
• List of Undervoltage Protection Equipment, Device, and Their Function
• Different Types of Industrial Control Panel Components

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