Fixed appliance /Earth Leakage

[Gtfast]

Hi

Is it correct to say as per the regulations motors , Air Conditioners , Water Heaters , Industrial factory machinery , light fans and so on that are fixed appliances do not need to be on Earth Leakage if connected via a Switch disconnector.

This excludes fixed items like underfloor heating , electrode water heater, steam generator or boiler.

[Gtfast]

I feel this is fine as per the regs .My confusion is can all or most fixed appliances be left off Earth leakage using this method. If a lathe or machine used in a factory is connected through a switch disconnector without a socket outlet be left off Earth Leakage even though there will be a person working on the fixed appliance . Would the manufacturer of the appliance indicate this or would one rely on the main earth conductor fault protection .

[MullerR]

Can you please quote the reg reference where it states that fixed appliances not need to be connected through earth leakage when connected via switch disconnector?

[ACEsterhuizen]

There is a lot of regulations that would determine the full extent of when where and how re RCD's but here is a few:

If your supply to the appliance is: {6.3.6 PVC insulated multicore cables with a bare earthing conductor
and round cable with metal stiffening} then: {(h) under screed if protected by an earth leakage protection device with a rated earth leakage tripping current (rated residual current) IΔn not exceeding 30 mA.}

or,

{6.4.4.2 If unarmoured insulated cables are buried at a depth of (a) less than 0,5 m, they shall be enclosed in conduit or otherwise mechanically protected (for example, in the case of paving orconcrete) (see also 6.5.), or protected by an earth leakage protection device with a rated earth leakage tripping current (rated residualcurrent) IΔn not exceeding 30 mA...}

[MullerR]

The regulations you mentioned here is more about the wiring and rcd's. Those i also saw in the regulations book, but the regulation i want to know is the one gtfast talks about where it states that fixed appliances not need to be on earth leakage when connected via a switch disconnector...

[Dave A]

but the regulation i want to know is the one gtfast talks about where it states that fixed appliances not need to be on earth leakage when connected via a switch disconnector...

I don't believe the regs specifically state it. What gtfast is querying is whether it's a consequence of the regs...

[Gtfast]

Hi
Thanks for the responses.
Yes it does not specifically state if Earth Leakages should be applied to certain fixed appliances under the section fixed appliances(Motors,Water heaters,fixed stoves, airconditioners). However it does indicate at other instances under fixed appliances an earth leakage must be used .(underfloor heating , electrode water heater, steam generator or boiler.)
Have a look at this reg.See the note at the end
6.16.3.2.1 A dedicated circuit(s) shall be provided for cooking appliance(s)
that are rated at more than 16 A.
6.16.3.2.2 One circuit shall not supply more than one permanently connected
cooking appliance, unless the appliances are in the same room.
6.16.3.2.3 A cooking appliance circuit may also supply one socket-outlet if
the rating of the socket-outlet does not exceed 16 A and if the following are
all contained in one control unit:
a) the socket-outlet;
b) an earth leakage protection device including overcurrent protection for
protecting the socket-outlet; and
c) the switch-disconnector required for the cooking appliance (see
6.16.1).
NOTE The socket-outlet has to be protected against earth leakage so, unless the
protection device (see (b) above) is in the control unit, the entire cooking appliance
circuit has to be protected against earth leakage.

In this instance the stove is a fixed appliance as I understand it . The next section speaks about a free standing stove.

One could put Earth Leakage on everything but in some instances it is not viable due to nuisance tripping of the Earth leakage as far as I understand.

I have not found a conclusive list of what can and cannot be placed on earth leakage but I do think the regs allow the use of an isolator without an earth leakage in some cases as mentioned.

Under fixed appliances it makes mention of a dedicated circuit for fixed appliances . How can we interpret this with regards to the earth leakage.