August 27, 20169 yr Hi, so my new Carlo Gavazzi current sensor needs the equivalent space of 4 breakers, and it seems I'm about 10mm short. Those of you who are more clued-up on this stuff, is there a way (legal and all) to stretch the space a bit, or is the only alternative to break it out into a new board? As you can see, 20mm spaces on the left, maybe 40mm on the right. I need about 72mm.
August 27, 20169 yr I had a similar problem, took off the existing DB cover and installed a surface mount DB over it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
August 27, 20169 yr Hi, so my new Carlo Gavazzi current sensor needs the equivalent space of 4 breakers, and it seems I'm about 10mm short. Those of you who are more clued-up on this stuff, is there a way (legal and all) to stretch the space a bit, or is the only alternative to break it out into a new board? As you can see, 20mm spaces on the left, maybe 40mm on the right. I need about 72mm. I must say that I dream of the gap in your board under the Eskom sticker😊 Sent from my SM-P605 using Tapatalk
August 27, 20169 yr Author I must say that I dream of the gap in your board under the Eskom sticker😊 Sent from my SM-P605 using Tapatalk It used to have a time switch in that space for the geyser. Then I installed a prefeed system and the timer broke some months later. Probably need to put a surface dB over it... Not much choice in the matter. One option might be these half-size isolators. They are double pole but only take up a single slot. I have one of those, a Hager, on the inverter db. Only 32 amps though. Not sure of you get them in 63a. Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
August 28, 20169 yr Author We ran out of space. We driled a hole throught the wall and insalled another DB wall surface mounted on the other side. It is inside a closet on the other side. Other side of that wall is outside the house :-) I'm thinking if I put up a new subdb for the inverter, and move the two lights circuits over, that gives just enough space to add a geyser time switch and the cgwacs. But then we're full again. Best long term is to wire up a new one. Anyone have a ballpark idea what that costs? Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
August 28, 20169 yr You can download the ACDC price list from their website Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
September 5, 20169 yr On 27/08/2016 at 9:09 PM, plonkster said: It used to have a time switch in that space for the geyser. Then I installed a prefeed system and the timer broke some months later. Probably need to put a surface dB over it... Not much choice in the matter. One option might be these half-size isolators. They are double pole but only take up a single slot. I have one of those, a Hager, on the inverter db. Only 32 amps though. Not sure of you get them in 63a. Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk the 63A is a double space if i remember correctly
September 5, 20169 yr Author 42 minutes ago, spikeza said: the 63A is a double space if i remember correctly Indeed, the single-space breaker only goes to 32 amp. Already checked the catalog :-)
December 6, 20169 yr You could consider using the Earth Leakage as your main switch. (Better late than never)
December 6, 20169 yr On 2016/08/28 at 3:51 PM, plonkster said: Other side of that wall is outside the house :-) I'm thinking if I put up a new subdb for the inverter, and move the two lights circuits over, that gives just enough space to add a geyser time switch and the cgwacs. But then we're full again. Best long term is to wire up a new one. Anyone have a ballpark idea what that costs? Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk Hi Plonkster, why not posting a photo of your DB setup. I am sure one of the guys are going to come up with a brilliant idea to solve your space problem.
April 30, 20179 yr Plonkster did you dril holes into the existing DB to feed the new DB. Elaborate please
April 30, 20179 yr Author Nope, the sparky just broke a channel through the bricks right above it... you can even see the gap if you look carefully. Still want to put something there to hide it a bit better.
April 30, 20179 yr @plonkster I ended up removing and stripping the whole DB and then replacing with a surface mount over the hole. 3 phase so Hager transfer switch on each phase as well as subdb for extra lights and plugs from inverter. Before: A "farm" mess... After:
May 1, 20179 yr Author I also initially wanted to go over the old board, cover it up and make a new surface-mount install. On the morning of the install I said to the sparky: I think it would be a shame to waste all this good DB space. Let's make it neat (it wasn't very neat), then we use the two rows in the new DB for inverter feed (I needed space for the Anti-islanding Ziehl thing, which is rather wide) and inverter output. So that is what we did. I now have ample space to move circuits over to the inverter side in future, which is part of the plan: At some point I want to upgrade the small 1.6kva Multi to a 3kva. But at the moment, it would seem that if I add another 500Wp of PV and a better battery, I can get my self-consumption up to 50% without buying a new inverter. Which is kind of what I set out to prove so many years ago. I just like keeping options open.
May 1, 20179 yr My old board was a nightmare... the new DB now has a Samite rail (I replaced the DIN rail) at the top for the old mains and earth leakage plus the new samite surge protection and my old plug breakers (samite and reused). Next 2 layers now DIN with transfer switches and house. Out buildings (plus tenants) on the blue phase with own breaker (40A). I've loads of expansion options. Plus almost exactly the same size as the old DB board.
May 1, 20179 yr Author 17 minutes ago, Mark said: I replaced the DIN rail I wanted to ask about that. The breakers are narrower so you can get a lot more into the same space.
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