parallel wiring

[edunt]

If you have an appliance fed by say 6mm cable and you replace that appliance for a higher wattage one that requires say 10Kw, can you just wire another 6mm cable in parallel to the existing one rather that rip out and replace with 10mm?

 

[edunt]

Sorry, should have said. I read the other posts on this issue, but there didn't seem to be a difinitive YES/NO answer - or maybe I didn't understand there to be one.

 

[plugwash]

you can use cables in paralell but they must run together.

 

[davelx]

and remember that if the cables are not both the same size they will not split the current equally.

 

[aptsys]

If you're actually going to run another 6mm cable in parallel, would it not be easier to just run a 10mm cable instead?

 

[edunt]

thanks guys

I do have an undersized cable but cannot get to changing it yet as it will mean removing tiles, and I am not ready for that yet - I have lots of other work to do.

The existing cable runs from a ceiling high CU up under bedroom floor and down again to appliance. It is 6mm on a 32A MCB.

I do HAVE to do the bedroom soon which will involve fixing many loose floorboards. So, I thought that while I was doing that I might be able to lay a parallel 6mm cable waiting for the time I will be ready to get it wired into the appliance and a higher MCB. It will depend I suppose on what I find under the floor and whether I can leave enough cable at the appliance end and be able to get at it later.

thanks again.

 

[RF Lighting]

It would be much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much etc.... better to install a 10.0mm² cable, then when you are ready to swap over, just cut off the old 6.0mm² cable and run the shower only on the new cable.

 

[Anteaus]

Agree. Ring mains are a special dispensation, and the only normal example of a doubled cable. In other circumstances, pairing-up of cable is considered doubtful, if not bad, practice.

 

[ricicle]

Ring mains

Ring Final Circuits

 

[Lectrician]

With diversity, maybe your 10kw cooker could actually happily run on a 32amp breaker......Is it defo 10kw?

 

[Steve]

With diversity, maybe your 10kw cooker could actually happily run on a 32amp breaker......Is it defo 10kw?

He hasnt said what the appliance is. This may affect the advice given.

 

[Lectrician]

True. I kind of assumed tiles=kitchen.

could easily be a shower or something completely different!

 

[edunt]

Thanks to all.

Ok, I agree that it would be better to lay the 10mm cable awaiting later connection.

It is actually to a shower in the bathroom, where it is tiled floor to ceiling. Needs redecorating (including retiling) but not ready yet - too many other things to do, and it is usable as it is for now.

Thanks again.