ABB F200 RCCB and DS201 RCBO: Full Range Review
What does ABB's F200 and DS201 range cover? F200 is ABB's RCCB family built to IEC 61008 — F202 (2-pole) and F204 (4-pole), 25-125 A, IΔn from 10 mA to 500 mA, in Type AC, A, F and B — while DS201 is the matching 1P+N RCBO to IEC 61009, combining the same residual detection with an MCB in one module; DS202C and DS203NC extend the RCBO principle to 2-pole and 4-pole industrial circuits. Fit the wrong type on a variable-speed drive or EV charger and the residual current it produces will sit outside what the device can even measure, so it never trips at all. This review covers F200 sensitivity and type selection, the FH200 economy variant, where DS201 replaces an F200 plus a separate MCB, the S-type selective versions, the APR auto-reclosing option, and the point at which the modular range stops and a residual current relay takes over.
F200 RCCB: F202 and F204 construction
F202 is the 2-pole (single-phase) RCCB, F204 the 4-pole (three-phase) version. Both detect residual current the same way: a toroidal core sums the current in every current-carrying conductor passing through it, and in a healthy circuit that sum is zero. Earth leakage — current returning through a fault path instead of the neutral — unbalances the sum and induces a current in the sense winding, which trips the mechanism at the rated IΔn. F202/F204 carry rated currents from 25 A up to 125 A and rated conditional short-circuit current Inc up to 10 kA when backed by an upstream device, since an RCCB alone has no overcurrent protection.
That last point gets missed on site more than any other spec. An F202 protects people and cables from leakage current; it does nothing for a bolted short circuit or a sustained overload. It has to sit downstream of, or be paired with, an MCB — which is exactly the gap DS201 closes.
Sensitivity and type selection across the F200 range
F200 covers IΔn 10, 30, 100, 300 and 500 mA. 10 mA and 30 mA are personal-protection values — 30 mA is the standard threshold in most wiring codes for socket outlets and additional protection against direct contact. 100, 300 and 500 mA are fire-protection and equipment-protection values, sized to clear a leakage fault before it accumulates enough energy to ignite insulation, not to prevent a shock.
Type matters as much as sensitivity, and this is where F200 differs across its own catalog. Type AC detects sinusoidal AC residual only. Type A adds pulsating DC — the waveform most switch-mode power supplies and variable-speed drives produce on the load side — and is now the practical minimum for anything with electronics behind it. Type F extends Type A to mixed-frequency residual currents, relevant to single-phase frequency-converter loads. Type B, the top of the F200 line, also detects smooth DC residual: three-phase VFDs, EV chargers and transformerless PV inverters can all produce a pure DC fault current that Type AC and Type A cannot see.
What we see in the field: panels retrofitted with VSDs sometimes keep the original Type AC F200 from the pre-drive design because "it's already there and it hasn't tripped." Absence of nuisance trips on Type AC downstream of a drive is not confirmation it works — it is frequently evidence that it can't see the leakage waveform at all.
DS201, DS202C and DS203NC: RCBO versus RCCB plus MCB
DS201 is a 1P+N RCBO — an F200-equivalent residual detector and an MCB curve (B or C) built into a single DIN-rail module, to IEC 61009. DS202C (2-pole) and DS203NC (4-pole) apply the same combined principle to larger single-phase and three-phase circuits. The functional result is identical to an F202 plus a separate MCB on the same circuit: overload, short-circuit and earth-leakage all covered. The difference is board real estate and wiring.
| Criteria | F200 RCCB + separate MCB | DS201 / DS202C / DS203NC RCBO | FH200 economy RCCB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functions in one module | Earth leakage only (MCB is a separate device) | Earth leakage + overload + short circuit | Earth leakage only |
| DIN-rail width per circuit | Wider — two devices | Narrower — one module | Wide — one RCCB per group of circuits |
| Circuit isolation on trip | Depends which device trips | Single device, one circuit | Whole group trips together |
| Typical use | Retrofits, mixed final circuits under one main RCCB | New final-circuit design, one RCBO per circuit | Cost-sensitive residential distribution boards |
Where boards are tight on width and each final circuit needs its own discrimination, DS201-family RCBOs win — a nuisance trip or a genuine fault takes out one circuit, not the group. Where a panel already runs group RCCB protection with individual MCBs downstream, F202/F204 stays the simpler retrofit. Cost per protected circuit tends to favor the F200-plus-MCB layout when several circuits share one RCCB; it flips toward RCBOs once discrimination per circuit is a design requirement, not an afterthought.
S-type selective versions and coordination between devices
F200 offers S-type (selective) variants alongside the instantaneous standard line. A selective RCD adds a short intentional time delay and a higher instantaneous threshold, so it can sit upstream of a faster instantaneous RCD without both tripping on the same fault. This only works if the two ratings are coordinated.
Formula: RCD selectivity coordination — Source: IEC 60947-2 Annex B (time-current discrimination)
IΔn(upstream) ≥ 2 × IΔn(downstream), with t(upstream) > t(downstream)
| Symbol | Description | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| IΔn(upstream) | Rated residual operating current of the upstream (selective, S-type) device | mA or A |
| IΔn(downstream) | Rated residual operating current of the downstream (instantaneous) device | mA or A |
| t(upstream) | Intentional trip delay of the upstream S-type device at IΔn | ms |
| t(downstream) | Trip time of the downstream instantaneous device at IΔn | ms |
An upstream F204 S-type at 300 mA sitting above a downstream 30 mA F202 instantaneous device satisfies the ratio comfortably; the risk case is two 30 mA devices in series, instantaneous over instantaneous, where the first fault trips both and the discrimination is lost. S-type F200 units cost more than the standard line — that extra cost buys selectivity on a main incomer feeding several sub-boards, not on a single final circuit, where instantaneous trip time matters more than delay.
FH200 economy line and the APR auto-reclosing variant
FH200 is ABB's reduced-cost RCCB, covering the common 25-63 A / 30 mA combinations without the full sensitivity and type spread of F200. It suits residential and light-commercial boards where a single Type AC or Type A device covers the whole distribution board and the extra F200 options — S-type, Type F, Type B, higher In — aren't needed. Specifying FH200 on a board feeding VFDs or EV chargers is the same mistake as fitting Type AC there: the economy line trades range, not fault detection reliability within its stated type.
APR is the auto-reclosing variant: after a trip, it attempts a timed reclose sequence and locks out if the fault persists after a set number of attempts. It fits unmanned or remote installations — outdoor lighting columns, unattended pump stations, telecom cabinets — where a nuisance trip from a transient (a wet connector, a switching surge) would otherwise leave a load de-energized until someone visits site. APR is not a substitute for fixing a real leakage fault; a repeat lockout after several reclose attempts still means a genuine fault, not a transient.
Where the F200/DS201 range stops
F204 tops out at 125 A. Above that, and for feeder-level protection where the conductors are too large to pass through a fixed toroid, ABB's RD3 residual current relay takes over: a separate toroid clamps around the feeder cores (or busbar), and the relay itself mounts on the DIN rail, wired to a shunt trip on the upstream breaker. This depends on the cumulative leakage of everything downstream of the toroid — a large distribution feeder with dozens of Type A loads can present tens of milliamps of normal, harmless leakage current before any fault occurs, so RD3-class relays on main feeders are typically set well above 300 mA, sized to the measured background leakage rather than the personal-protection thresholds used on final circuits.
This is also where earthing system drives the decision more than device family. On a TT installation, the high earth-loop impedance means an MCB or MCCB alone can't clear a line-to-earth fault fast enough, so RCD protection (at whatever tier — F200, DS201 or RD3) is not optional anywhere in the distribution. On TN systems the upstream overcurrent device typically clears line-earth faults, and RCDs are required specifically for socket circuits and additional protection rather than the entire installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ABB F202 and F204?
F202 is the 2-pole RCCB for single-phase circuits; F204 is the 4-pole version for three-phase circuits. Both use the same toroidal detection principle and share the same IΔn and type options across the F200 range.
Can DS201 replace an F202 plus a separate MCB?
Yes, functionally. DS201 combines the RCCB function and an MCB curve in one 1P+N module to IEC 61009, giving the same protection as F202 plus a separate MCB but with one device per circuit instead of two.
Does F200 include a Type B option for VFDs and EV chargers?
Yes. F200 B is the true Type B variant in the range, detecting smooth DC residual current in addition to AC and pulsating DC — the waveform three-phase VFDs, EV chargers and transformerless PV inverters can produce on a fault.
When should I use an S-type F200 instead of a standard instantaneous one?
Use S-type upstream of standard instantaneous RCDs when discrimination matters — typically on a main incomer feeding several sub-boards — so that a fault on one final circuit trips only the downstream device, not the main.
What's the difference between F200 and FH200?
FH200 is ABB's economy RCCB line, covering common 25-63 A / 30 mA combinations without the full sensitivity, type and current spread of F200. F200 covers the wider range including Type F, Type B and S-type selective versions.
What does the APR designation mean on an F200 device?
APR indicates the auto-reclosing variant. After a trip, it runs a timed reclose sequence and locks out after a set number of failed attempts, suited to unattended installations where nuisance trips from transients would otherwise leave equipment de-energized.
Conclusion
F200 and DS201 cover the same underlying detection principle across two packaging approaches: RCCB-only (F202/F204, needing a separate MCB) or combined RCBO (DS201/DS202C/DS203NC). The decision points are sensitivity (10-500 mA), type (AC/A/F/B matched to the actual load waveform, not the cheapest option on the shelf), selectivity where a main incomer needs to stay live through a downstream fault, and packaging (RCCB+MCB versus RCBO) based on board space and discrimination per circuit. Get the type wrong on a VFD or EV charger circuit and the rest of the spec sheet is irrelevant — the device won't trip on the fault it was installed to catch. For a wider view of how RCCB, RCBO and MCB fit together across brands, see the RCD protection guide and the comparison of MCB, RCBO, RCD and RCCB differences. For type selection logic beyond the F200 range, see RCD types AC, A, F, B and SI explained and Type A vs Type B RCD for VFD, EV and solar, and for a full selection checklist see how to select RCD sensitivity, type and poles. Stoklink stocks residual current devices and RCBOs across the F200 and DS201 range.
