DIN Rails?

[BruceS]

Jim the 'din rail' is just the bit in the box that the items connect to. No wires or electricity ever touches it.
The brass busbar is as David says & is a separate item in the box but possibly (David?) on an install where everything is 2 pole, it might be not 'used' at all?
I have an old box here I'll see if I can get a piccy of the 'bits'.

[supersparky]

Bruce, It would depend on what gear that you used and how you wired it, as to whether you need the neutral bar, but somewhere in the circuit all the neutrals would have to come back to a common point.
Jim, If you are going to use an inverter that automatically switches in an MEN link or if you will always be connected to shore power etc at a CPark, then you may not need an RVD. What you couuld do, is wire the van with RCD's and if your sparky mate finds that the RCD's don't function as expected you could replace with an RVD. They are the same size physically so you wouldn't have to change much.

[Grandad]

Sorry David, one more quick question.
I've been looking around at cost of RCD's etc. (Quite cheap now compared to what I paid for my first one way back when. Couple of hundred from memory)
The term double pole or two pole is used both to describe something that switches or controls both active and neutral AND......
the taking up of two spaces in the box.
So when I see a reference to a two pole RCD, which one is it?
Do I need both uses of the term to apply?

Jim
PS. Just musing to myself how things have changed. My caravan is 1969 vintage. The 240V power came direct from the outside outlet to all the (single pole) switches and/or (single pole) outlets.
No circuit breakers, fuses, main switch, RCD or RVD's in sight.
Hmmmm
Fascinating.
Ah well. Life goes on.

[supersparky]

Jim, Not all RCD's switch the active AND the neutral. It is essential that the one chosen does that. Some brands are long and thin (one tier wide) while others (most) are short and two tier wide. You need to ask for a double pole one.
An Hager ADA916T is one of the type that is commonly used. You should be able to see the active terminal on the left side, both at the top and bottom and the neutral on the right, also both top and bottom. Supply is from the top and load is from the bottom.The little drawing might be hard to see properly but it also shows the correct electrical connection. There should also be a drawing in the packet to assist with connection.

20191222_161848.jpg

Back in 1969 it probably wasn't even a legal requirement to wear your seatbelt, if your car was lucky enough to have one fitted.
Things have changed dramatically since then. Most of those changes have been for a good reason.
Back then the old caravan park supply pedestal was expected to have the circuit protection. I don't think that earth leakage fault protection had even been invented yet.

[Busman]

Thats funny, the local sparky here wires them the other way, I guess they work both ways ?

[supersparky]

Thats funny, the local sparky here wires them the other way, I guess they work both ways ?

That's probably right Bill. On the newer models it probably doesn't matter. Some of the older models were quite specific, line and load.

[Grandad]

Thanks for your help again David. I'll go shopping after Christmas. I think this is one thing I prefer to go to a local electrical supplier rather than Bunnys or online.
Regarding changes to regulations over the years I mentioned.
That probably sounded like I wasn't approving of such changes which would not be correct. As a layman looking on from the outside I personally believe the earth leakage detector, (as we once called it) was probably the single most important new safety measure of the 20th century regarding our home power supply.
And I say that as someone who generally believes we have gone way past the point of reasonable guidelines in most areas of safety and public protection. Eg: Building codes and procedures such as town planning, OH&S, housing guarantees, road rules etc. I hate Nanny state laws.
Although in rare cases we seem to have gone backwards. There was a time when steel plates had to be installed on every timber stud wherever a 240V cable was run to prevent a future homeowner from driving a nail into the cable while trying to hang a picture frame up. I guess that particular practise stopped with the introduction of earth leakage detectors. Not 100% certain of that. But I digress, as usual.
Cheers
Jim

[T1 Terry]

Far better to buy an RVD from RVDSafe on the net. This will work with both a neutral/earth link system and a full floating system as found in generators and inverters.

[supersparky]

Far better to buy an RVD from RVDSafe on the net. This will work with both a neutral/earth link system and a full floating system as found in generators and inverters.

Yep, I will second what T1 has said.
No matter what waveform your inverter is, I haven't yet seen one that doesn't work.

[Grandad]

Thank you David and Terry. RVD it is.

Jim