Do I have ring circuits?

[EAST61]

I had my house rewired a couple of years ago and I'd like to learn a bit more about electrics.

In my Consumer Unit, each of the MCBs for my sockets (upstairs, downstairs, kitchen sockets) have 2 brown wires coming out of the top. All of the MCBs for lights have one brown wire.

Doers this indicate that my sockets have been wired in a Ring circuit? 1 live for power out and 1 return?

Thank you

 

[OwainDIYer]

Not necessarily. It is possible for radial circuits to be wired with two wires from each MCBs.

And it's not power out and return, it's power to both ends of the ring. The power 'returns' on the neutral

 

[EAST61]

Thanks Owain, that makes sense.

I think another clue is that the MCBs are all 32a - that indicates ring circuit right?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, they are apparently ring circuits - although nothing is impossible.

It would be very unlikely someone would have wired two radials to each MCB.

 

[mfarrow]

If 32A MCB and single core conductors (i.e. the wires aren't stranded like flex) then 98% chance they're rings.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Thanks Owain, that makes sense.

I think another clue is that the MCBs are all 32a - that indicates ring circuit right?

Probably. Could be a 32A radial though, which would normally be wired with 4mm cable. They're quite unusual though.

 

[EAST61]

Thanks everyone.

On the 6a lighting radial the following cable is used - can anyone tell what the size is (I think it should be 1mm²?)

 

[EFLImpudence]

Looks like it 2 x 1 + 1; twin and earth.

 

[EFLImpudence]

As you had the rewire a couple of years ago, you should have paperwork stating all these things.

Then again ...

 

[EAST61]

As you had the rewire a couple of years ago, you should have paperwork stating all these things.

Then again ...

Indeed...

 

[EAST61]

Looks like it 2 x 1 + 1; twin and earth.

View attachment 117022

Perfect, thank you!