| Author |
Message |
domwild
Guru
Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
| Posted: 01:01pm 01 Jul 2014 |
 Copy link to clipboard |
 Print this post |
|
Hi,
Friend gave me a "DSE Surge Interceptor" which has Ethernet protection, ant in/ant out connections and eight mains sockets and a reset button. 10A 2400W.
The reason he gave it to me is because he claims it blew the fuse in his house? As this unit has a reset button I find this a rather strange comment. If he placed more than 10A on this unit I would expect the reset button to fix the overload and not a fuse. Cannot open up this board as it has recessed star bolts and mine aren't long enough to reach.
Judging by the Bunnings prices for surge panels ($70 or more) I am loath to throw it away. He has a solar grid tie system installed and he lives in a newer suburb, does that help?
Any suggestions?
Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.
Winston Churchill |
| |
davef
Guru
Joined: 14/05/2006
Location: New ZealandPosts: 499 |
| Posted: 03:16pm 01 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
Fuse or RCD? What size fuse? |
| |
domwild
Guru
Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
| Posted: 07:19pm 01 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
dave,
Good question, I will have to ask him and come back to you.
Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.
Winston Churchill |
| |
Downwind
Guru
Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
| Posted: 01:17am 02 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
Domwild,
Your profile dont tell me where you are located, and by memory it might be QLD, the reason is QLD is subject to lightning strikes far more than most places, and hence the fault might have been a result of lightning.
Its what we are not told with a faulty item that often paints the picture of the cause/fault.
I well suspect the device has done its job and saved the plugins from damage.
There is 2 basic ways the device can protect the plugins.
1) it goes open circuit and disconnects the power ( not very common)
2) if it goes close circuit, and often to earth, so it creates a dead short to blow/trip the current limiter, in this case the line current load might be close to the panel breaker limit, and also trip that prior to the on board breaker.
Or as Dave has implied if a RCD is fitted then it will trip that first because there is a direct connection to earth.
Pete.
Sometimes it just works |
| |
domwild
Guru
Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
| Posted: 12:47pm 02 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
Pete,
Thanks for that, Downwind. Friend has not answered the RCD or fuse question but I will mail your answer to him. We are in WA and also suffer from lightning strikes but not as much as Qld.
Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.
Winston Churchill |
| |
domwild
Guru
Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
| Posted: 12:04pm 03 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
Dave and Pete,
Friend sent an email and claims the fuse blew and not the RCD.
Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.
Winston Churchill |
| |
davef
Guru
Joined: 14/05/2006
Location: New ZealandPosts: 499 |
| Posted: 12:24am 04 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
And the size of the fuse was ....
I would have thought in his "newer suburb" switchboards with RCDs would also use circuit breakers and not pieces of wire (fuses).
I think I would just try using the thing, the worst that can happen is that you'll blow a fuse.
|
| |
domwild
Guru
Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
| Posted: 12:15pm 04 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
Dave,
Thanks for answer. Yes, I should have used the word "circuit breaker" as it is a newer house but being a wrinkly in an old house with fuse wire I still call it "fuse".
More news from the friend just came in: "When an old computer was switched off, it tripped the circuit breaker. And this did not happen all the time, only sometimes. So they bought a new surge board and this new one does not trip the breaker."
Looks like the inductive surge of a computer being switched off occasionally tripped the breaker? He does not want the board back so I will use it and see what happens!
Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.
Winston Churchill |
| |
domwild
Guru
Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
| Posted: 01:09pm 09 Jul 2014 |
Copy link to clipboard |
Print this post |
|
As the devil may have it, the latest "Silicon Chip" magazine has a story of a service man repairing this same unit. Like muggins here he had a problem finding a deep Torx bit to open the unit. In that case corrosion wrecked the unit.
Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.
Winston Churchill |
| |
Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.