13a Switched Fused socket

[ampthillhatter]

Hi all,

I have a 13a switched fused socket set behind a cupboard in our kitchen. This is used to power a couple of lights and I want to put a coffee maker on the unit underneath. However, with only a fuse socket as power, how do I plug in a 3-pin 13a plug? I am thinking just change the fused socket to a normal socket but before I do.....

From memory, there is a normal socket behind the cupboard but have no access to it. Suspect therefore electrician run a spur to power the lights and added the fused socket.

Thanks!

Justin

 

[JohnD]

sockets don't have fuses in them so I don't know what you are describing.

Do you mean a socket which has 3 holes in it to accept a 3-pin plug?

or do you mean a fused connection unit?

please post a photo
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=129539

 

[riveralt]

Hi all,

I have a 13a switched fused socket set behind a cupboard in our kitchen. This is used to power a couple of lights and I want to put a coffee maker on the unit underneath.

I assume you mean a switched fuse connection unit.

However, with only a fuse socket as power, how do I plug in a 3-pin 13a plug?

You don't

I am thinking just change the fused socket to a normal socket but before I do.....

You cannot do that.

From memory, there is a normal socket behind the cupboard but have no access to it. Suspect therefore electrician run a spur to power the lights and added the fused socket.

From your description it would appear that the electrician has taken the power for the two lights from the socket circuit - either a ring final circuit(RFC) or a radial final circuit. He will have fused down the circuit to either 3Amp or 5Amp.

You cannot run a spur from a spur on a ring final circuit if you change the FCU for a normal socket then your lights will not be protected by the correct fuse.

You need to establish whether your kitchen circuit is a RFC or a radial.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:socket_circuits
You can extend radials easier than RFC's but you will need to interupt the power supply.
I would guess that your kitchen is part of a RFC - which will make it difficult to add an extra socket from this location. Are there other sockets in the area you can run a spur from?

Oh and remember you will probably have to notify the LA building control before you start this work.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p