Radial or badly wired ring?

jclloydy · Post by **jclloydy** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:38 pm

Hello,

The situation:
1. Double socket wired with two cable runs via conduit into the floor, but ALSO has a third cable run (surface mounted, this time) running to a series of single socket, single socket, double socket- where it terminates.

2. The floor is solid- I can't examine to see where the conduit cables go.

3. The cables are 2.5mm T&E and serviced by a 30A TYPE 2 MCB switch at the Consumer Unit.

Is this a Radial circuit or a badly wired ring circuit? A ring circuit should presumably only allow one spur but a radial would use 4mm cable, right?

Any help would be much appreciated.

honeymonster · Post by **honeymonster** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:46 pm

Sounds like a badly wired radial citcuit to me, the "1. Double socket wired with two cable runs via conduit into the floor", does one of these cables run back to the CU or does it run to another socket or sockets?

It sounds like a right balls up

jclloydy · Post by **jclloydy** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:28 pm

The two cables from the socket run into a solid concrete floor, so I cannot tell where they end up. There are other sockets run by the same MCB but they are a fair distance away. Which is what confused me.

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:54 pm

Sometimes when you start looking you find all kinds of unbelievable things especially with electrics and plumbing!

I once went out with a girl that had an electric shower in her bathroom, but it did not work!

She asked if I would take a look at it, and so I did.

Her previus ex-boyfriend had wired it up using 2.5mm twin core and earth and had connected it to the lighting circuit in the loft space

?

Hinton Heating · Post by **Hinton Heating** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:54 pm

You'd say anything to slag off an ex boyfriend!

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:07 pm

markysparky · Post by **markysparky** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:13 pm

Agreed,

Sounds like a badly installed radial. If your worried about it you could have the spur on a 13 amp fused spur to protect the cable from overload. This is perfectly fine and is an easy way of sorting these sorts of problems out.

Gadget · Post by **Gadget** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:59 pm

ultimatehandyman wrote:Sometimes when you start looking you find all kinds of unbelievable things especially with electrics and plumbing!

I once went out with a girl that had an electric shower in her bathroom, but it did not work!

She asked if I would take a look at it, and so I did.

Her previus ex-boyfriend had wired it up using 2.5mm twin core and earth and had connected it to the lighting circuit in the loft space ?

Jesus [xxxxing] hell....(censored by the moderator)...

Hinton Heating · Post by **Hinton Heating** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:32 am

was it 12kw as well?

jclloydy · Post by **jclloydy** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:27 am

Gadget- just to clarify:

Run the original double socket to a 13A FCU, then to series of single, single and double socket, where it terminates.

There will be two computers running off of the chain, but no high load items.

Many thanks.

markysparky · Post by **markysparky** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:26 pm

jclloydy wrote:Gadget- just to clarify:

Run the original double socket to a 13A FCU, then to series of single, single and double socket, where it terminates.

There will be two computers running off of the chain, but no high load items.

Many thanks.

Yep that will do. Okay no high load items but it's to protect the cable just in case.

Somebody could plug in convector heaters, paint strippers or the light and cause all sorts of trouble so best to safe than sorry!

markysparky · Post by **markysparky** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:28 pm

Wrong thread!