{"id":1820,"date":"2023-02-22T11:41:34","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T10:41:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/approfondimenti\/%tipologia_approfondimento%\/use-of-type-b-residual-current-device\/"},"modified":"2025-11-09T11:17:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T10:17:08","slug":"use-of-type-b-residual-current-device","status":"publish","type":"approfondimento","link":"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/en\/insights\/electrical-hazard-and-arc-flash-mitigation\/use-of-type-b-residual-current-device\/","title":{"rendered":"Use of type B Residual Current Device"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n    \n        <section\n            data-name=\"Contenuto testuale con immagine\"\n            class=\"bow-gte-testo-media u-spacer-base\"\n            id=\"\"\n        >\n            \n<div class=\"o-text-media px-side-spacer sm:px-side-spacer-sm lg:px-side-spacer-tablet 2xl:px-side-spacer-desktop flex flex-wrap items-start md:block\">\n\n    \n        \n                    <div\n                class=\"h-auto mb-6 md:mb-4 lg:mb-8 xl:mb-9 float-left mr-6 md:mr-4 lg:mr-8 xl:mr-9  overflow-hidden shadow-content-image w-full md:w-1\/3\"\n            >\n                \r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    <picture\r\n                        class=\"\"\r\n                                            >\r\n                                                                                                        <source\r\n                                media=\"(max-width: 150px)\"\r\n                                width=\"150\"\r\n                                height=\"150\"\r\n                                srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Cattura1-2-768x449.png-150x150.webp\"\r\n                                type=\"image\/webp\"\r\n                            \/>\r\n                                                                                <source\r\n                                media=\"(max-width: 300px)\"\r\n                                width=\"300\"\r\n                                height=\"175\"\r\n                                srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Cattura1-2-768x449.png-300x175.webp\"\r\n                                type=\"image\/webp\"\r\n                            \/>\r\n                                                                                <source\r\n                                media=\"(max-width: 768px)\"\r\n                                width=\"768\"\r\n                                height=\"449\"\r\n                                srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Cattura1-2-768x449.png.webp\"\r\n                                type=\"image\/webp\"\r\n                            \/>\r\n                                                                                <source\r\n                                media=\"(max-width: 768px)\"\r\n                                width=\"768\"\r\n                                height=\"449\"\r\n                                srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Cattura1-2-768x449.png.webp\"\r\n                                type=\"image\/webp\"\r\n                            \/>\r\n                                                                            <img\r\n                            class=\"a-image transparent border-image h-auto  w-full\"\r\n                                                        srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Cattura1-2-768x449.png.webp\"\r\n                                                        title=\"Cattura1-2-768&#215;449.png\"\r\n                                                        type=\"image\/webp\"\r\n                        \/>\r\n                    <\/picture>\r\n\r\n                \r\n\r\n                    \r\n    \r\n            <\/div>\n        \n                    <div class=\"relative w-full\">\n                \n<div class=\"a-text font-text text-base normal mt-8 first:mt-0 space-y-4\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is often confusion as to whether or not type B residual current devices (RCDs) are required to protect lines in which variable speed drives are used to control asynchronous motors: let&#8217;s clear up any doubts!<\/p>\n<\/div>            <\/div>\n        \n        \n                <div class=\"clear-both\"><\/div>\n        \n\n    <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n    \n        <section\n            data-name=\"Contenuto testuale con immagine\"\n            class=\"bow-gte-testo-media u-spacer-base\"\n            id=\"\"\n        >\n            \n<div class=\"o-text-media px-side-spacer sm:px-side-spacer-sm lg:px-side-spacer-tablet 2xl:px-side-spacer-desktop flex flex-wrap items-start md:block\">\n\n    \n                    <div class=\"mb-6 relative w-full md:mb-4 lg:mb-8 xl:mb-9\">\n                \n        <div                class=\"m-headings\"\n            >\n    \n    \n<h4 class=\"a-heading text-primary font-heading text-2xl lg:text-3xl xl:text-4xl font-normal mt-2 first:mt-0\">\n                    The Doubt    <\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        \n        \n                    <div class=\"relative w-full\">\n                \n<div class=\"a-text font-text text-base normal mt-8 first:mt-0 space-y-4\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Is a type B Residual Current Device compulsory when using Variable Speed Drives or Power Drive Systems (PDS)?<\/p>\n<\/div>            <\/div>\n        \n        \n                <div class=\"clear-both\"><\/div>\n        \n\n    <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n    \n        <section\n            data-name=\"Contenuto testuale con immagine\"\n            class=\"bow-gte-testo-media u-spacer-base\"\n            id=\"\"\n        >\n            \n<div class=\"o-text-media px-side-spacer sm:px-side-spacer-sm lg:px-side-spacer-tablet 2xl:px-side-spacer-desktop flex flex-wrap items-start md:block\">\n\n    \n                    <div class=\"mb-6 relative w-full md:mb-4 lg:mb-8 xl:mb-9\">\n                \n        <div                class=\"m-headings\"\n            >\n    \n    \n<h4 class=\"a-heading text-left text-primary font-heading text-2xl lg:text-3xl xl:text-4xl font-normal mt-2 first:mt-0\">\n                    Considerations    <\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        \n        \n                    <div class=\"relative w-full\">\n                \n<div class=\"a-text font-text text-base normal mt-8 first:mt-0 space-y-4\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Residual Current Devices are of different types:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Type AC RCDs:<\/strong> they detect residual sinusoidal alternating currents. Type AC RCDs are suitable for general use and cover most of the applications in practice.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Type A RCDs:<\/strong> in addition to the detection characteristics of type AC,\u00a0they can detect pulsating DC residual current.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Type B RCDs:<\/strong> in addition to the detection characteristics of type A, they can detect a pure DC residual current, that may come from a fault inside a Variable Speed Drive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: justify;\">Power Drive Systems have a product standard: <strong>EN 61800-5-1<\/strong>: <em>Adjustable speed electrical power drive systems &#8211; Part 5-1: Safety requirements &#8211; Electrical, thermal and energy.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hereafter what the standard specifies regarding the compulsory use of a Type B Residual Current Device.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 35.35pt 8.0pt 35.45pt;\">[EN 61800-5-1: 2022] <strong><em>6.3.9.5 Compatibility with RCD<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>[&#8230;] The caution notice shall be the following or equivalent:<\/em><br \/>\n<em>&#8220;This product can cause a DC current in the PE conductor. Where a residual current-operated protective device (RCD) is used for protection against electric shock, only an RCD of Type B is allowed on the supply side of this product. All upstream RCD, up to the supply transformer, shall be of Type B.&#8221;<\/em><br \/>\n<i>[&#8230;]<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The important word in the above language is <strong>\u201cWhere\u201d<\/strong>. The standard is telling us that if, in order to protect a machine or part of it from indirect contacts, the manufacturer must rely upon a RCD, it has to be a type B.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When do we need to rely upon RDC for indirect contacts?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">1. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/en\/technical-standards\/en-iec-standards\/iec-60364-4-41\/\/tn-systems\">TN systems<\/a> where the Circuit Breaker or Motor Controller is not able to open the fault loop within the time specified by the IEC 60204-1 standard (0,4 s or 5 s).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">2. In most of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/en\/technical-standards\/en-iec-standards\/iec-60364-4-41\/\/tt-systems\">TT systems<\/a> (in Italy in all TT systems).<\/p>\n<\/div>            <\/div>\n        \n        \n                <div class=\"clear-both\"><\/div>\n        \n\n    <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n    \n        <section\n            data-name=\"Contenuto testuale con immagine\"\n            class=\"bow-gte-testo-media u-spacer-base\"\n            id=\"\"\n        >\n            \n<div class=\"o-text-media px-side-spacer sm:px-side-spacer-sm lg:px-side-spacer-tablet 2xl:px-side-spacer-desktop flex flex-wrap items-start md:block\">\n\n    \n                    <div class=\"mb-6 relative w-full md:mb-4 lg:mb-8 xl:mb-9\">\n                \n        <div                class=\"m-headings\"\n            >\n    \n    \n<h4 class=\"a-heading text-primary font-heading text-2xl lg:text-3xl xl:text-4xl normal mt-2 first:mt-0\">\n                    Conclusion    <\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        \n        \n                    <div class=\"relative w-full\">\n                \n<div class=\"a-text font-text text-base normal mt-8 first:mt-0 space-y-4\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If your machine is installed in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/en\/technical-standards\/en-iec-standards\/iec-60364-4-41\/\/tn-systems\">TN system<\/a> and you have verified that, in case of a fault, a magnetic protection (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gt-engineering.it\/en\/insights\/ul-and-csa-conformity\/\">Branch Circuit Protection in USA Terminology<\/a>) opens the fault loop, you do not need to install any RCD and in particular <strong>a Type B RCD is not required<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>            <\/div>\n        \n        \n                <div class=\"clear-both\"><\/div>\n        \n\n    <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is often confusion as to 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