Residual Current Devices (RCDs)

At Western Automation we provide the highest quality RCD technology available today. For more than 30 years we have been providing innovative solutions to major OEM manufacturers of RCDs worldwide.

Western Automation provides design and technical support to enable OEMs to incorporate RCD technology into their products. In addition to providing innovative solutions, Western Automation provides a close working design service with client companies.

Western Automation offers PCB sub-assemblies to be integrated into an RCCB or RCBO with Type A or Type B technology to IEC61008, IEC61009 and IEC62423 requirements.

What Is an RCD?

An RCD, or Residual Current Device, is a life-saving device that is fitted in electrical installations. It is a device that detects a current flowing through a person’s body or electrical equipment, and if the fault current is above a certain threshold it will be detected and the RCD will be activated and remove power from the appliance, the circuit or the installation and thereby provides protection against electric shock. Although RCDs are specifically designed to provide protection against electric shock, they can also provide protection against electrical fire in certain cases.

RCDs offer a level of personal protection that ordinary fuses and circuit-breakers simply cannot provide.

What Does an RCD Do?

An RCD is a sensitive safety device that switches off electricity automatically if there is a fault. They are designed to protect against the risks of electrocution and fire caused by earth faults.

How Does it Work?

An RCD constantly monitors the electrical current flowing in the protected circuit, and if it detects a fault current above a certain threshold the RCD will disconnect the circuit very quickly, and thereby reduce the risk of death or serious injury.

Western Automation RCD Technology

At Western Automation we have spent over 30 years developing the highest quality RCD technology on the market today. Our RCD technology provides our customers with a superior and safe product that is continuously evolving to meet the needs of our customers and markets.

While our technology is somewhat complex it is based on the basic principles of how to detect a residual current. This is done with a current transformer which detects the difference between the currents flowing in a number of conductors. The current flowing to a load must equal the current flowing back from the load. If this is not the case, a potentially dangerous residual current will be flowing somewhere in the installation.

Under non fault conditions the current flowing to a load will be equal to the current returning from the load, and these two AC will flow in opposite directions when they are passed through a transformer with the result that their vector sum as seen by the transformer will be zero. While the load current could be 20 amps or even 60 amps, the transformer will still see zero current because the same amount of current is flowing in both directions.

At Western Automation we use the highest quality components and materials in our current transformers (CTs) to ensure that various ranges of currents are effectively detected. For example, if we are detecting currents from 1 milliamp to 100 milliamps we can ensure the transformer gives the correct output that is proportionate to the differential current. While the current is consistent in terms of proportionality it is also consistent in terms of temperature variations, from ranges of -25 degrees Celsius to +50 degrees Celsius. The quality of components we use in product development is an integral part of our process at Western Automation.

Our technology starts with the use of high quality components. Everything that goes into our technology is independently tested and verified.

RCD Technology for Socket Based RCDs

The compact, high performance design of the Western Automation RCD module can be customised to be fitted into socket outlets for different regions. It can be fitted in adjacent housings associated with socket outlets or used to protect specific equipment, for example, drink dispensing equipment and thermostats, etc.

In addition to providing innovative solutions Western Automation also provides a close working design service with client companies.

Socket Based RCDs Features

• Mechanical or Electrical Latching versions
• Point-On-Wave Opening Control
• Designed to comply with IEC 62640 and BS7288 (SRCDs)