Schneider Acti9 vs ABB F200 vs Siemens 5SV: RCCB Comparison

Which RCCB range should you specify: Schneider Acti9 iID, ABB F200, or Siemens 5SV? All three are modular DIN-rail RCCBs built to IEC 61008, available in 2P and 4P, with IΔn settings from 10 mA to 500 mA and overlapping Type A coverage per IEC 62423. The choice matters because RCBO architecture, Type F/B availability, and selectivity range differ enough between the three to change how a panel is laid out and how many spare ways a board needs. This comparison covers model ranges and current ratings, type and sensitivity coverage, RCBO form factor, selectivity above 125 A, nuisance-trip resistance, and a head-to-head spec table.

Model Ranges: Poles, Current Ratings and Series Codes

Schneider's Acti9 iID covers 2P and 4P in rated currents from 25 A to 100 A, with IΔn settings at 10, 30, 100, 300 and 500 mA. ABB's F200 range runs wider: F202 (2P) and F204 (4P) go from 25 A up to 125 A, with the same IΔn steps plus dedicated S-type selective versions built into the same catalog, and the economy FH200 line trims type coverage to hit a lower price point. Siemens covers the middle ground with 5SV3, 5SV4 and 5SV6 in 2P/4P from 16 A to 125 A, in Types AC, A and F.

The 16 A starting point on the Siemens range is the one clear gap-filler here: neither Acti9 iID nor F200 publish a rating below 25 A in this comparison, which matters on lighting or control sub-circuits sized well under a standard 25 A device. Series-code literacy also matters at order time — F202 vs F204, 5SV3 vs 5SV4 vs 5SV6 — because the wrong digit orders the wrong pole count, not just the wrong sensitivity.

Type Coverage: AC, A, F, B and SI Across the Three Brands

Type A is the common baseline in modern installations: it detects sinusoidal AC residual current plus pulsating DC, which covers most electronic loads with a switch-mode power supply. Schneider's Acti9 iID range extends to Type SI (super-immunized) and Type B within the same modular family. ABB's F200 range goes further at the modular level: Types AC, A, F and B are all available as F202/F204 variants, including a true F200 B for smooth DC residual current. Siemens' 5SV modular range covers AC, A and F; full Type B protection sits in a separate product, the 5SM3, rather than in the compact 5SV form factor.

That distinction is the one to check before quoting a job with three-phase drives or DC fast chargers. If the spec calls for a single modular DIN-rail device with Type B built in, ABB's F200 B and Schneider's Acti9 iID Type B answer directly; a Siemens-based board needs the 5SM3 as a separate line item, which changes the panel layout and enclosure width, not just the price line. See Type A vs Type B RCD for VFD, EV and solar for the underlying reason Type B is mandatory there, and RCD types AC, A, F, B and SI explained for the full waveform breakdown.

RCBO Architecture: Add-On Block vs One-Piece Module

An RCBO combines the RCCB's earth-leakage sensing with an MCB's overload and short-circuit trip in one device. Schneider builds this differently from the other two: the Vigi iC60 is a separate earth-leakage block that clips onto an existing iC60 MCB, and the compact iDPN Vigi / Reload line is the single-module equivalent. ABB and Siemens both ship one-piece modules as the default — ABB's DS201 (1P+N) and DS202C / DS203NC, and Siemens' 5SU1 (compact 1P+N) and 5SV1.

The add-on approach has one practical advantage a one-piece module doesn't: if the MCB trips on overload, the field electrician can swap just the MCB without disturbing the earth-leakage block wiring, and stock-holding only needs one Vigi SKU across several MCB curve/rating combinations instead of a full matrix of RCBO part numbers. The trade-off is width — a Vigi block plus MCB usually occupies more DIN-rail space than a genuinely compact one-piece RCBO. For the underlying trade-off between RCD, RCCB and RCBO terminology, see MCB vs RCBO vs RCD vs RCCB differences. Browse the current residual current devices range for in-stock SKUs across all three brands, or the RCBOs collection for the one-piece and Vigi-block equivalents.

Selectivity and the Point Where a Modular RCCB Stops Being the Right Tool

All three ranges offer S-type (selective, time-delayed) versions for two-stage discrimination: an upstream RCCB that should not trip for a fault already cleared by a downstream device. ABB documents this explicitly in the F200 S-type line; Schneider and Siemens apply the same selectivity principle across their instantaneous vs S/G time-delay classes.

Above roughly 125 A, the ceiling on all three modular RCCB ranges compared here, none of the three vendors sells a fixed-current modular RCCB. The correct device at that point is a residual current relay with a separate toroid sized to the feeder: Siemens 5SM2, ABB RD3, or Schneider Vigirex. What we see in the field: teams sometimes try to stack two 125 A RCCBs in parallel to cover a bigger feeder, which does not give a valid trip characteristic — the relay-plus-toroid approach is the only correct path once a feeder is past the modular range's current ceiling.

Nuisance-Trip Resistance: SI vs SIGRES

Schneider labels its enhanced-immunity range "si" (super-immunized) within Acti9 iID, built to resist transient leakage from surges and high-frequency noise without desensitizing the device to a genuine fault. Siemens addresses a different failure mode with 5SV "SIGRES": corrosion and dust resistance for humid or chemically aggressive environments, rather than surge immunity specifically. ABB's F200 range does not carry a distinct branded "super-immunized" SKU in this comparison; its type coverage (AC/A/F/B) and S-type selectivity are the levers ABB offers instead.

This depends on which failure mode is actually causing the trips, and it's worth separating the two before reaching for the higher-spec part number: a board on a coastal or wash-down site with corrosion ingress needs SIGRES-class sealing, not surge filtering, while a board full of VFDs and switch-mode supplies needs SI filtering, not corrosion resistance. See why an RCD keeps tripping: causes and fixes for the fuller troubleshooting list.

Head-to-Head: Schneider Acti9 vs ABB F200 vs Siemens 5SV

The table below lines up the three ranges on the criteria that actually drive a spec decision: current rating, type coverage, RCBO architecture, and the standard each is built to.

None of the three is a strict superset of the others. ABB F200 has the broadest modular type coverage (AC/A/F/B in one compact range) and the highest current ceiling alongside Siemens. Schneider's Acti9 iID gives the simplest RCBO stock strategy through the Vigi block. Siemens 5SV covers the widest current span at the low end (16 A) and adds SIGRES for hostile environments, at the cost of routing Type B through a separate device. For a structured way to work through sensitivity, type and pole count before comparing brands, see how to select RCD sensitivity, type and poles, and for the base terminology behind RCCB vs RCBO see the RCD protection guide.

Conclusion

Pick by the constraint that actually applies to the board. If Type B has to sit in the RCCB itself rather than a separate device, ABB F200 or Schneider Acti9 iID answer directly; a Siemens-based board needs the 5SM3 alongside 5SV. If minimizing RCBO SKU count and letting field techs swap MCBs independently matters more, Schneider's Vigi-block architecture is the more flexible pattern. If the site is corrosive or humid, Siemens SIGRES is the specific answer; if it's full of VFDs and switch-mode loads causing nuisance trips, Schneider "si" targets that instead. Past roughly 125 A, none of the three modular ranges applies — move to a residual current relay and external toroid regardless of brand.