leak interrupter

English translation: residual current circuit breaker (RCCB)

11:08 Jul 11, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Electronics / Elect Eng / air conditioning
English term or phrase: leak interrupter
indoor unit (HRV type)
original English is a translation from Japanese

Wiring
....

"• If the wiring is in a place where people it can be easily touched by people, install a leak interrupter to
prevent electric shock.
• When using a ground-fault circuit interrupter, make sure to select one useful also to protection against
overcurrent and short-circuit.
If you use a leak interrupter which is designed for protecting again ground faults, be sure to combine it
with a wiring interrupter or an load switch that has a fuse."

...does it have another name? cannot find a translation for this
Elena Ghetti
Italy
Local time: 02:32
Selected answer:residual current circuit breaker (RCCB)
Explanation:
In UK English at least, this is the common (and I think preferred) term.

It means a circuit-breaker (a type of protective device, NOT 'interrupter') that is tripped by 'leakage current' (current flowing out through a person, rather than staying within the circuit!)

We used to call these 'earth leakage circuit-breakers' (ELCB), but this term seems to have fallen out of favour. I imagine that would be 'ground leakage...' of course in the US.

Fitting this type of device is standard practice where a specific electric shock hazard is present...

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Note added at 30 mins (2005-07-11 11:38:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Note: these are also known as \'differential circuit breakers\'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 12 mins (2005-07-11 15:20:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Ah, I see now that they are talking about 2 different devices --- or at least apparently so. As Marten says, on the face of it, they would be the same; however, bad English or not, we must start by assuming they DID intend to differentiate between two types of device --- particularly since they go on to explain a little about what they mean.

I know that there IS supposed to be some difference between an ELCB and an RCCB, though I\'ve never quite managed to get my head round it.

I think if you translate \'leak interrupter\' as residual current OR differential circuit breaker, and \'ground-fault circuit interrupter\' as \'earth [BE] OR ground [AE] leakage circuit breaker\', you should be able to keep the same nuance of meaning that may or may not be intended.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 13 mins (2005-07-11 15:21:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

What they\'re really saying is that if you employ leakage-type breakers (which only protect against unintentional currents flowing in the wrong places), you must also include (either incorporated or separately) \'normal\' over-current protection as well.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 02:32
Grading comment
many thanks! thanks also to Mårten
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2residual current circuit breaker (RCCB)
Tony M
4 -1ground-fault circuit interrupter
Mårten Sandberg


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
leak interrupter=
ground-fault circuit interrupter


Explanation:
I am almost sure they are the same thing.

Mårten Sandberg
Local time: 02:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Swedish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Tony M: I would deprecate the use of the term 'interrupter', and 'ground-fault' is actually slightly ambiguous, and could also refer to a different type of device....
21 mins
  -> I get your point re breaker/interrupter. My point was that the two souce terms refer to identical devices.
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
residual current circuit breaker (RCCB)


Explanation:
In UK English at least, this is the common (and I think preferred) term.

It means a circuit-breaker (a type of protective device, NOT 'interrupter') that is tripped by 'leakage current' (current flowing out through a person, rather than staying within the circuit!)

We used to call these 'earth leakage circuit-breakers' (ELCB), but this term seems to have fallen out of favour. I imagine that would be 'ground leakage...' of course in the US.

Fitting this type of device is standard practice where a specific electric shock hazard is present...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 30 mins (2005-07-11 11:38:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Note: these are also known as \'differential circuit breakers\'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 12 mins (2005-07-11 15:20:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Ah, I see now that they are talking about 2 different devices --- or at least apparently so. As Marten says, on the face of it, they would be the same; however, bad English or not, we must start by assuming they DID intend to differentiate between two types of device --- particularly since they go on to explain a little about what they mean.

I know that there IS supposed to be some difference between an ELCB and an RCCB, though I\'ve never quite managed to get my head round it.

I think if you translate \'leak interrupter\' as residual current OR differential circuit breaker, and \'ground-fault circuit interrupter\' as \'earth [BE] OR ground [AE] leakage circuit breaker\', you should be able to keep the same nuance of meaning that may or may not be intended.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 13 mins (2005-07-11 15:21:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

What they\'re really saying is that if you employ leakage-type breakers (which only protect against unintentional currents flowing in the wrong places), you must also include (either incorporated or separately) \'normal\' over-current protection as well.

Tony M
France
Local time: 02:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 304
Grading comment
many thanks! thanks also to Mårten

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Paul Dixon: Yes, indeed
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Paul!

agree  Can Altinbay
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Can!
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