Can you take a photo of your Surge Protection Device (SPD) and the installation..

I can help you confirm if it is correct..

Yes.. Except you should be using black(N) from RCD to the neutral bar, grn/yellow(E) from SPD to Earth bar..

All the main cables size looks to be 10mm2 or larger so it's all good.. A bit of cable management would help make things look a lot better too..

This post has been edited by Richard: May 14 2016, 04:00 PM

ok.. but i would replace both 63A DP isolator/RCD with 40A if you're really looking for thermal protection the 10mm2..

The function of a surge protection device is to prevent a sudden Surge of Voltage from damaging your electronics by providing a path of least resistance to ground.. a protection against lightning strikes to overhead electrical lines and or from bad earth rods (which picks from impact zones and carries the voltage surges to your box) .

Only if this is the case then you can install it anywhere from your kwh meter cables to your distribution box.. A common practice is to install inside the DB but its not the only way to have it installed..

You can have it installed in its own enclosure after the kwh meter at any point before the DB (thus the equipment to be protected)... connect all phase/neutral cables to the SPD and connect SPD to a known good ground. (Ground rod reading below One Ohm)..

First off.. Please be aware you are expected to rewire your house after 20-30 years..

The main reason is the wire pvc insulation degrades as it gets older and if pvc is exposed to heat it degrades even faster.. Old pvc becomes brittle and its insulation property changes from being an insulator to becoming partly conductive..

So once you mention 30 year old house, any wireman will automatically go hmm old wire.. many shorts.. many trips better ask him rewire his house..

So if you ask me..

I 'll say hmm.. 30 years old house, old pvc wire => bad insulation everywhere +> sure many tripping..

Nothing wrong with your elcb (even if its old, but I would change it anyway), but the newer standard is rcd (residual current device) eg. rccb or rcbo they work the same..

oops .. if i wasn't clear I mean check your house wiring ..

It's an old house thus maybe you have old pvc wiring leaking ac currents making the elcb trip..

The elcb doesn't get more sensitive, its the old wiring that is leaking curent to earth making the elcb trip..

The elcb is probably less sensitive not more sensitive (its old it gets worse never better), you have bad wiring..

Please bro.. get it checked..

with respect to the guidelines set by ST..

- you should have another 30mA RCD strictly for the 13A 3 pin sockets (to be on a 20A mcb circuit)

- the 63A isolator is ok .. its function is only to switch on and off..

Why are you thinking to install an SPD?

This post has been edited by Richard: Jun 28 2017, 09:06 AM

Based on ST..

Protection sequence is fuse - (kwh meter) - isolator - 100mA RCD ( mcb's for light, aircon, fans etc), 10mA rcbo for water heater - 30mA RCD (mcb's for 13A sockets)

SPD is to ground surge voltages thus protecting sensitive equipment ..

This post has been edited by Richard: Jun 28 2017, 09:21 AM

The residual current device (RCD) trips to tell you there is a problem with your wiring. Somewhere in the house one or more circuit wires Live or N insulation is damaged (bitten by rats, cut or too old) leaking a residual electric current.

If you imagine that water pipes are the electric wires and water is electricity than the lighting storm is a higher voltage(think higher pressure) forcing a leak in the water pipe.
I am not very good at explaining but I will advice you get a wireman to do an insulation testing on all Live and Neutral circuits in your electrical DB to find out which circuit has the damaged wiring.

Do not ignore the RCD tripping as damaged wires cause many electric fires. Please pay the wireman and get an insulation test done soonest and rewire that damaged circuit.

Be safe.