New Regulations for Bidirectional and Unidirectional Circuit Protection Devices

The new 18th Edition Amendment 3 (Amd3) for BS7671 delivers critical updates to ensure the highest standards of safety and efficiency in electrical installations across the UK. BG Electrical is at the forefront, offering cutting-edge circuit protection solutions that are designed to exceed these stringent standards.

Whether you’re a contractor, installer, or homeowner, BG Circuit Protection products ensure compliance and provide advanced protection for your electrical systems. From essential updates in surge protection to expanded solutions for EV (electric vehicle) circuit protection, BG Electrical’s products safeguard installations and offer peace of mind in every environment.

Two new definitions for devices have been included:

Bidirectional Protective Devices.

Unidirectional Protection Devices.

This is a protective device where a power supply may be connected to either set of connection terminals. The power flow may be in either direction. The product standard outlines that the Neutral terminals must be marked with “N” and the Live terminals marked with “L” or left blank

View our latest AMD3-compliant RCD's

View our latest AMD3-compliant RCBO's

This is a protective device where it is intended the power supply is only connected to one defined set of connection terminals. The power flow is in one direction only. The product standards are outlined with in Appendix 1 of the document for Circuit protection devices to indicate if they are unidirectional. Examples include: “in” and “out” or “line” and “load” or arrows.

View our latest AMD3-compliant RCBO's

With the increased demand to incorporate PV, Battery storage, and EV into homes, the regulation has been updated to further ensure that these installations are safe. Feeding power back into a circuit that is unidirectional could result in damage to the device, compromising safety to the home and users.