Installing a new socket

[Paul35]

Can a single socket be installed from a 13amp Switched Connection Unit or would it need to goto a existing double socket in my kitchen?

I would like to have installed an extra socket in my living room. I have a open planned Living Room and Kitchen.

In my kitchen I have a 13amp Switched Connection Unit which I believe is connected to my hot water tank, this Connection unit has 2 wires running in this.

Can a single socket be installed from a 13amp Switched Connection Unit which is connect to the hot water tank?

I want to do most of the work myself, chasing the wall to lay the wire, drilling threw the wall, re-skimming the walls THEN I will call out an electrician to connect it...... but it if not possible, at least it will save me time in chasing out my wall!

Thank you.

 

[riveralt]

Firstly, extending an existing circuit can be done by yourself - if you are competent there is no need to get an electrician in.
If the circuit with the SFCU in is a radial circuit then you can run a single (or double) socket from the Load side of the SFCU - check what Fuse/MCB rating is for the Circuit 15/16A minimum and it should be RCD protected as well.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Some confusion here.

Can a single socket be installed from a 13amp Switched Connection Unit or would it need to goto a existing double socket in my kitchen?

If you mean the load side - yes.
If you mean the feed side - yes.

In my kitchen I have a 13amp Switched Connection Unit which I believe is connected to my hot water tank, this Connection unit has 2 wires running in this.

If this is the 16A circuit for the immersion then you cannot connect a socket to it.
If the SCU is on the kitchen circuit then it should not supply an immersion heater.

Can a single socket be installed from a 13amp Switched Connection Unit which is connect to the hot water tank?

As above. Probably NO.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

If you mean the load side - yes.
If you mean the feed side - yes.

I'm guessing a copy/paste typo...

 

[EFLImpudence]

No. I didn't want to explain everything.

I know it's a bit pointless from the load side but if that's what's there and the OP want's to then it's OK.

 

[Paul35]

Thank you for your comments BUT I think I will call in an electrician!! - seems more difficult than first thought!

I ONLY have 3 circuits. 1 for the lights, 1 for the downstairs circuit and 1 for the upstairs circuit - and have NO RCDS!!

Because its a old house and a very old consumer unit with no RCD's I don't want to risk overloading it!

The SCU is on the downstairs circuit which I believe has 2 double sockets in the kitchen, 1 double socket in the living room and 1 SCU which is connected to the water tank....this circuit is connected to a 30A fuse on the consumer unit.

Probably best to get an electrician in to visually look at it - thank you.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

No. I didn't want to explain everything.

I know it's a bit pointless from the load side but if that's what's there and the OP want's to then it's OK.

Sorry. Up to now I don't believe we really knew what was feeding the Switched Connection Unit.

 

[JohnW2]

If the circuit with the SFCU in is a radial circuit then you can run a single (or double) socket from the Load side of the SFCU ...

Do I take it that you meant the Supply side of the FCU? If one connected to the Load side (for either a radial or ring final circuit), one could obviously connect as many sockets as one wanted - a classical 'fused spur'.

Slightly more complicated, but ... even from the Supply side, one could add as many sockets as one wanted to an FCU on a radial circuit if the FCU was actually part of the the main radial circuit (and not a reduced-CSA branch from it) , provided one used appropriate size of cable, couldn't one? It would simply be an extension of the radial circuit.

It sounds as if the source of supply to the OP's FCU changes things, but that does alter my general points above.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No. I didn't want to explain everything.

I know it's a bit pointless from the load side but if that's what's there and the OP want's to then it's OK.

But not OK on the supply side - that would put the socket and the FCU both on the same unfused spur.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I was thinking the FCU was on the Ring (or Radial) but as has been pointed out since we're not really sure.

 

[JohnW2]

But not OK on the supply side - that would put the socket and the FCU both on the same unfused spur.

... unless the FCU were 'part of' a ring or ('full CSA') radial (rather than connected to the ring or radial with 'reduced-CSA' cable), in which case the origin of the spur would actually be the main final circuit.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

It was commonplace pre-15th Ed. to have a immersion fed off a ring final rather than on a radial of its own.