While I was looking into various items and options in a consumer unit or breaker panel, I noted the difference in terms used in North America. Predominantly these are terms used in the USA and UK. I decided that I would compile a table allowing a comparison of some of the common terms used in domestic electrical systems. It also helps to vaguely highlight some of the differences in design and implementation of regulations.
Here is a quick translation table for a simplistic comparison of terms between the UK and the USA
USA Terminology
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UK Terminology |
- Ground (normally bear wire or Green)
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- Earth (green/yellow sleeving)
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- Hot (normally Black but could be also Red in 240v circuits)
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- Live (normally Brown but also Red)
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- Neutral or Grounded conductor (normally white)
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- Neutral (normally Blue but also Black)
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- Traveller wire (3 cores + or - ground)
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- 3 core & earth (exactly as stated)
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| Circuit Breaker Panel |
Consumer Unit |
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- Miniature Circuit breaker (MCB)
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- Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
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- Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB)
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- Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI)
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- Combination type Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (Combo AFCI)
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- {Implemented in some parts of Europe but not UK as yet} Arc Fault Detecting Device (AFDD)
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- - No equiv but AFCI often have GFCI/CB abilities
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- Residual Current Breaker with overload (RCBO)
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| USA Domestic fittings |
UK Domestic fittings |
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- Socket (normally includes switch)
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- Residual Current Device (RCD) Socket
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- - No equivalent - but like terminal box
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- Junction box (screw terminals)
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- - not used - screw terminal/clamp or crimp
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- Wago (Technically, this is a trademark of manually operated spring loaded clamp)
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- Wago (Technically, this is a trademark of manually operated spring loaded clamp)
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Thank you so much for this translation! You might literally be saving lives with this - what if someone from the UK didn't know what a "hot" wire was? Scary to think about!
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