An RCD tester is designed to check the performance of a Residual Current Device (RCD) or safety switch. When an RCD is working correctly, it should detect a change in the circuit’s current and shut it down within milliseconds of detecting the fault. Two types of RCD tests need to be performed regularly. Here, we will look at the RCD testers and how they work.
Test 1
Under Workplace Health & Safety (WHS), AS/NZ 3760:2010 in-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment standards, it is governed how often an RCD must be tested, the rate at which it must shut down, and the maximum number of times it can be triggered. Test #1 is a simple process anyone can do. Start by turning off everything that is receiving its power from the circuit the RCD is supposed to be protecting. The RCD unit should have an RCD tester button installed; press the button. This simulates a change, or grounding, in the current. The unit should detect this and immediately break the circuit, so no more current runs through it. Try turning the equipment plugged into the circuit on again; if it works, then the RCD didn’t.
Test 2
This test takes the first one to the next level. Unlike the inbuilt RCD tester, you must be a qualified professional to perform this safety check. Instead of being installed in the unit, the RCD testers that perform test 2 are separate devices. The specialised technician will use the RCD tester to check that the RCD is working and how fast its reaction time is. It must shut down within milliseconds. Shutting down quickly enough will save lives, and the relevant timeframes are mandated in the standards.
RCD testers
There are a variety of RCD testers available, and you need to be sure you are getting the right one. If you need more information on RCDs or RCD testers, then we suggest you get some expert advice. We recommend you speak to the team at RS; they have technical advisors on hand to help you with any of your questions and point you in the right direction. Using RCD testers correctly will help keep your business WHS compliant and may save lives. Tests should be conducted every three months or whenever WHS mandates it: AS/NZ 3760:2010. An RCD may be in the circuit board, the PowerPoint, or plugged into a power point and each one must be tested.
You can think of RCD testers as the overseers of the lifeguards. They check that the RCDs (lifeguards) are working correctly and that they turn off when there is a change of current within the protected circuit, saving lives. RCD testers are mandated within WHS regulations, and tests must be performed regularly. To find out more about RCD testers and how they work, contact the RS team and get expert advice from industry professionals.
