Are circuit breakers enough to protect us against electric shock?

avnishm said:
ELCB is useful when there is a current leakage via earth wire, e.g. Somehow current flows to surface of Geyser or Cooler and so when you touch it, the main board will be trip. However it wouldn't protect against scenarios when you accidentally touch a live wire because then the current doesn't flow via earth wire but directly through you. So in short, ELCB is great but RCCB is slightly better.
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So should we install both ELCB AND RCCB or will RCCB serve the purpose of both?
 
grenade0 said:
So should we install both ELCB AND RCCB or will RCCB serve the purpose of both?
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RCCB is enough, it does what ELCB does, but is not dependant on the ground connection being intact. Even if there is a leakage to ground wire (and ground is not shorted to neutral in your house), there will be a current imbalance between phase and neutral, causing the RCCB to trip.
 
Also search for rcbo. Rcbo is rccb with current overload and leakage protection. You can replace the isolator with rcbo if putting new box is an issue.
Rccb and rcbo has button to test if the protection is working. Old houses with improper wiring trips too much I heard. Not sure if replacing isolator with rcbo is allowed.
 
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RCCB's are mostly installed in modern apartments and its a common way to increase profit margins. these things fail very quickly and very often. Apartments have generator power backup and these things usually go bad during power switching. they just burn out. I had two of these replaced in my rented apartment and most people just had them removed all together.
 
freelancer said:
these things fail very quickly and very often.
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These are highly reliable devices that rarely fail on their own. They are built to meet strict safety standards and include a test button designed for regular user checks. In critical situations, they are often the only line of defense between safety and serious harm or even death.

In countries like the USA, multiple RCCBs are installed in every home or apartment, often with one per room.

If yours are frequently tripping or failing, it's a strong indication that the electrical installation may be faulty or not up to standard.
 
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