Shop earth leakage circuit breakers — ELCBs, also sold as RCCBs — for villas, apartments and commercial boards across the UAE. ABB and Hager devices in 2-pole and 4-pole, 16A to 100A, with 10mA, 30mA, 100mA and 300mA sensitivities.
Which mA sensitivity do I need?
The mA figure is the leakage current at which the device trips, and it decides what is being protected. 30mA is the shock-protection figure — socket circuits, bathrooms, kitchens and outdoor supplies. 10mA is more sensitive again, for a single high-risk circuit. 100mA and 300mA are fire and equipment protection at distribution level, sitting upstream of the 30mA devices; they will not protect a person from electric shock. Fitting a 300mA unit where a 30mA is called for is the most common mistake we see on replacements.
2-pole or 4-pole?
Count the phases. 2-pole switches line and neutral on a single-phase 230V board. 4-pole switches three lines and neutral on a 400V three-phase board. The ampere rating — 25A, 40A, 63A or 100A — is the current the device can carry, not the level at which it protects, and an RCCB gives no overload protection on its own; that stays the job of the breaker beside it.
Type AC or Type A?
Type AC responds to conventional alternating leakage. Type A also detects pulsating DC leakage, which is what electronics, variable-speed drives and many modern appliances produce. Replacing like-for-like keeps an existing board consistent; changing sensitivity, type or pole count should be confirmed by a licensed electrician against the circuits involved.
