A home electrician is quite complicated anda diverse topic, and it is desirable to know the basic details for every homeowner, since it depends not only on money costs, but also on the security of your home. In this article, we will try to find out what is better - the Difa Automaton or RCD.
A device called differentialautomatic, successfully combines the functions of both the RCD and the conventional circuit breaker. This machine protects a person in case of touching bare sections of the conductive part of the wire or those parts of electrical networks that are under stress due to damage to the wiring or other similar factors. To date, there is a huge number of such devices, which are designed for different operating currents, and for different leakage currents.
Its main distinguishing feature isthe fact that it consists of two well-separated functional parts: a circuit breaker (two or four poles), as well as an electric shock protection module. The installation of the diafi-automat should be carried out exclusively on the mounting DIN-rail, and this design takes far less space than the combination of the RCD and the circuit breaker.
Given the speed of time, which isonly 0.04 sec, differential automata provide the most adequate protection against human injury by electricity in virtually any operating conditions. It is also important that the differential automaton protects devices in the network qualitatively from overloads, which inevitably occur for various kinds of emergency situations. And further. Its design provides for the fastest power cut-off in conditions where voltages exceeding 250 V are observed on any part of the network.
Given the unenviable characteristics of domestic electrical networks, as well as the degree of their deterioration, the latter characteristic is especially important.
• Very fast response speed.
• Protection of equipment from power surges and overloads.
• Ability to operate in conditions from -25 to +50 degrees Celsius.
• Huge threshold of durability.
This abbreviation stands for "devicesprotective shutdown ". Triggering is performed when recording the presence of leakage currents. Simply put, how much current came to the device by one wire, the same number should go to another section of the wiring. If the current starts to go to the ground or through the ground wire, the protection instantly triggers, immediately disconnecting the network from the power source.
Such a system is mandatory (!) should be placed on the outlet groups, as well as on boilers, washing machines and electric cookers. Such devices do not protect (!) Your equipment and wiring from system overloads or short circuits.
The latter circumstance is very often notis taken into account by electricians who, in order to reduce the cost of the scheme, often use only one RCD. In addition, there is also self-interested interest, when it is given as a differential automaton, the value of which is higher.
What is the very principle of the RCD? Its work is based on the response of the current sensor to the change in the differential value of the current in the conductors.
What is a current sensor?This is the most common transformer, but made in the type of a toroidal core. The pickup threshold is set with a magnetoelectric relay, which has an extremely high sensitivity.
It is important to note that all RCDs made in this classic scheme are extremely reliable and simple devices that have very high reliability and reliability.
If you want to check for yourselfdevice for operation, it will be enough to press the "Test" button. In this case, the current is artificially fed to the secondary winding, and the relay is triggered (should, in any case). So if necessary, you can easily and without any costs be able to check the serviceability of all your equipment.
If we talk about the nominal operating mode, then the current(I1 = I2) flows in the counter-parallel direction, inducing magnetic currents in the secondary winding of the transformer (Φ1 = Φ2). They have exactly the same value, due to which they mutually compensate each other. Since the current in the secondary winding in this case is actually zero, the relay can not operate.
When in contact with conductive parts,there is a leakage current. In this case, the current I1 is not equal to I2, and therefore a secondary current appears in the secondary winding, the value of which is sufficient to trigger the protective relay. It provokes a spring switch, the RCD is switched off.
To continue our narration further, we also have to find out what is the difference between the RCD and the Difa Automaton. It can not be said that the differences are so drastic, but they are still there.
It should be noted that the coverage of this issueit is extremely important, as to distinguish between these devices sometimes even some electricians are not able to. However, there is nothing to be surprised at: they are very similar even to photographs.
The main difference between the Difa Automaton and the RCD is that,that they are meant for several different purposes. We have already mentioned this above, but we will repeat this once more: RCDs can not be used to protect equipment and wiring from overload or short circuit! Moreover, before the RCD it is necessary to mount an automatic switch, which will save the device itself from this kind of trouble. This is the difference between the RCD and the Difa Automaton.
Be sure to consider this when buying or consulting with specially "thought out" electricians who will happily save on your own equipment.
Let us recall once again that a differential automaton can be used as a safety device in those houses where there is a constant danger of chronic overloads in the network.
This is the detailed difference between the RCD and the dif-automaton. But how to make the right choice in the store? After all, we have already said that these devices are extremely similar among themselves even in photographs.
First, pay attention to the directthe name of the device itself. Today, almost all manufacturers have finally come to meet consumers, willing to indicate on the body of the device itself information on whether the diafault or RCD in front of you. Therefore, we would not recommend buying such a technique of Chinese production. Persistent Asians either do not say anything at all, or they do it using only understandable designations.
Approximately to the same category is the advice on careful familiarity with the marking, which should always be indicated all on the same case of the device or on its packaging (a less reliable option).
So, if you see on the body only the valuenominal current (16, for example), and the letters before this designation are not present, then you hold the RCD in your hands. Note that "16" in this case means "ampere". If there are letters B, C or D in front of the numbers, then you have a difa-automat in hands. Letters designate typical characteristics of thermal and electromagnetic releases, but at a household level, paying special attention to them is not necessary.
In addition, it does not hurt to look at the diagramconnection. This method is somewhat more complicated, but it gives a 100% guarantee of differentiation. This information should also be displayed on the enclosure. So, if the scheme indicates only the presence of a dif-automaton with the designation "Test", then before you is the UZO (do not confuse!). Accordingly, if there is a "Test" and the windings of the releases are indicated, then you hold a differential automaton in your hands.
However, it is important to warn you thatthe last point draws any serious attention is not worth it, since at the present time there is a huge number of absolutely identical in size devices.
So, the Difa Automaton or the RCD?What conclusion can be drawn on the basis of all of the above? What is better to choose, which is more reliable and suitable for operation in domestic realities? To answer this question, we will compare the devices at once for six indicators. Comparing all the pros and cons, we will try to reach a consensus.
Of course, in this respect, any importantDifferences can be seen only by those people who have very little space in the apartment, which does not allow to mark in the hallway a normal electric flap. However, given the universal desire for compactness and beauty, such in our country the majority. In addition, it is better to place everything in as small a space as possible, since later the shield will not have to be expanded if there is a need to install more powerful electrical equipment in the apartment.
So, currently the RCD (three-phase - in thatnumber) occupies much more space in the shield, rather than a differential automaton. What is the reason for this? The most attentive readers could already find the answer to this question in the article.
Thus, in this "round" defeated the machine, allowing to leave space for the expansion of the design.
As in other cases, for many electriciansthe speed and ease of mounting the entire structure is important. If you are interested in setting the RCD, the phase is led to the switch, and from its output a jumper is mounted to the input of the tripping device. Zero is also connected to the input. It should be noted that there are several connection schemes at once, which are studied by professional electricians. As a rule, they are not needed in everyday life.
And what about the connection of the diffuser?If we talk about a differential automaton, then the phase and zero immediately clings to the input terminals of the device, so that in the general scheme it turns out much less jumpers and transitions. Accordingly, the internal structure of the flaps is also greatly simplified.
Thus, the connection of the diffuser is much easier and faster, so in this case we are sure that we are the winner.
Theoretically, we can assume that one dayOn the line of outlets in the bathroom, the RCD was activated. You can immediately assume that somewhere on the line there was a leakage current. Of course, the algorithm for troubleshooting is somewhat more complicated, but the main conclusions can be made immediately.
If the circuit-breaker is disconnected, thenand here the reason is quite obvious: overload or short circuit. You have only to find out the reason and eliminate it. Considering that the reason for switching off the machine is more or less clear, it will not be so difficult to do it.
And now let's look at all the same, butapplied to a differential automaton. Here when you turn it off, the cause is immediately unclear, so you'll have to check all known causes. Accordingly, the time for this will go much more. This is the difference between the RCD and the Difa Automaton in this respect.
Thus, at this stage we would prefer RCD.
Since today the market is represented bya huge number of the most diverse manufacturers, consider the cost of EKF products, which is quite popular among professional electricians. So, the standard EKF-Difa automaton at 16 A costs about 600 rubles, the RCD for the same current strength is the same 600 rubles, and the breaker is sold at a cost of about 40 rubles. Acquiring all the same on specialized sites, you can at all rely on the shutdown machines, which in such cases are sold almost for weight.
Before connecting the Difa Automaton, you shouldmake sure that there are no frequent and abrupt voltage drops. Why are we talking about this? This will become clear after considering the specifics of the replacement of this equipment.
Given the fluctuations in cost depending on the supplier, it is difficult to talk about the advantages of one or another option.
As you might expect, the characteristics of thiscriterion automatically follow from the previous one. Everyone knows that any electrical equipment has a certain lifetime, after which it becomes unsafe to operate it. Let's assume that, for whatever reason, a RCD or an automatic switch-off device has failed. What to do next? To change the failed part, after which the system will continue to work in the previous mode.
But with the Difa Automaton the situation is not so unambiguous.Suppose that the winding of any of the releases has failed, while the built-in RCD on testing has shown its full performance. Alas, but it does not matter, since in any case you will have to replace the entire Difa Automaton, the price of which makes this event extremely unprofitable. It is much easier to replace a penny automatic, which often fails.
Thus, in this round, the victory is again over the RCD.
Among specialists, the opinion aboutThe fact that devices that combine several functions at once are less reliable in comparison with automata that are designed only for one thing. So is the RCD or the Difavo Automaton? What to choose to ensure the highest reliability?
You can argue about this for a long time, but practiceunequivocally showed that in fact the percentage of refusals is almost the same. It is possible that this parameter depends solely on the manufacturer. So in this case it is extremely difficult to draw a conclusion about the unequivocal advantage of this or that device.
One can only say that the RCD, the circuitthe connection of which was considered by us above, assumes greater reliability in conditions of domestic voltage drops. Naturally, if you do not forget to connect the breaker before it, as we have repeatedly mentioned above.
Thus, in most cases it is the RCD that will be the best choice. However, it all depends on the characteristics of your network, as well as the size of the electrical panel.
