The installation of earth leakage protection devices (ELPDs) with all electrical installations is mandatory in South Africa for a reason. When something goes wrong on site, it is the installer who is held accountable, not the manufacturer, supplier, or wholesaler. Lives, liability, and professional reputations all hang on a single point of potential failure: the device you choose to install.
“Get it wrong, and you’re risking far more than a technical fault,” says Dr Andrew Dickson, Engineering Executive at CBi-electric: low voltage. “You’re putting human lives and your career on the line.”
When current takes an unintended path
ELPDs monitor the flow of current in a circuit and trip when they detect even a slight imbalance – the signal that current is leaking to ground instead of returning via the neutral conductor. Sometimes, this is through a person’s body. “It doesn’t take a large current to do serious harm,” warns Dickson. “Occupational health and safety guidelines indicate that currents over 30 milliamps (mA) can be fatal. That’s why our devices are designed to trip between 23 and 27 mA. A few milliamps, and a few milliseconds, can make the difference between life and death.”
The human body responds to electrical current at different levels in different ways:
- 1 mA: Tingling, but easy to ignore
- 5 mA: Unpleasant shock
- 10-20 mA: Loss of muscle control, limited ability to let go
- 30+ mA: Breathing is disrupted; heart rhythm affected
- 50+ mA: Burns, unconsciousness, or death.
This is why the safety threshold is 30 mA, and why devices must be accurate and reliable in tripping below that point.
Legal compliance
South African law requires that all earth leakage devices meet the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications’ (NRCS) VC 8035 specification, which sets safety and performance standards. “If you install a device that does not comply with this specification, you carry the legal liability,” Dickson cautions.
To ensure compliance and reliability, he recommends:
- Confirming SABS or equivalent certification
- Checking that the trip level is 30 mA or less
- Avoiding unbranded or generic products that may fail testing.
Nuisance tripping should not be ignored
Unexpected trips are often brushed off as a nuisance, but Dickson points out that they can signal bigger issues. “You might be dealing with high cumulative leakage, poor wiring, contaminated terminals, overloaded circuits, or equipment generating unwanted current loss.”
He emphasises that proper fault-finding, including measuring leakage levels and tracking variation across appliances, is essential. “Ignoring these symptoms could mean missing the early warning signs of system failure or risk of injury.”
“The installer is responsible for installing effective ELPDs,” says Dickson. “He or she needs to know exactly what they are installing and ensure it meets the relevant legal and technical standards. Certification, compliance, and correct specifications are fundamental.”
CBi-electric: low voltage manufactures high-quality NRCS-compliant ELPDs that are tested for local conditions, for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Its products are designed to protect people, including electrical installers and technicians.
For more information visit: https://cbi-lowvoltage.co.za/