Re-use of shower spur for double socket

[malcia]

I have converted a downstairs bathroom into a kitchen extension. The old shower was a spur from a small auxilliary consumer unit with its own fuse - presumably to carry the heavy 9kw load.
Can I use the same spur to a double plug socket - I have replaced the cable with #12 cable from the junction (old pull cord) to the socket?

 

[stillp]

What do you mean by "#12 cable"?

 

[plugwash]

Normally in the UK we don't put sockets on circuits above 32A, i'm not sure if it's forbidden as such but it's certainly nonstandard. The mini CU likely has a fuse/breaker rating above this so you would want to reduce it before reusing the circuit for sockets. How difficult reducing it is depends on whether the CU is of a current model or not, can you post a picture.

Also what do you mean by "#12 cable", that doesn't sound like a UK cable size.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The old shower was a spur from a small auxilliary consumer unit with its own fuse

Does it have an RCD?

 

[malcia]

The old shower was a spur from a small auxilliary consumer unit with its own fuse

Does it have an RCD?

Yes the "auxilliary consumer unit" is actually an RCBO (RCD with Breaker)
The cable is 2.5mm

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What rating is the breaker?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

A standard socket circuit would use

*32A on a ring final circuit (2.5mm T&E)
*32A on radial circuit (4.0mm T&E)
*20A (or16A) on radial circuit (2.5mm T&E)

What you are proposing, is a radial circuit on 2.5mm, so options are, where a 20A or 16A 30mA rcbo is required.

 

[malcia]

What rating is the breaker?

The breaker is rated for a 9kw shower - I'm not at the property at the mo.

 

[JohnW2]

A standard socket circuit would use:
*32A on a ring final circuit (2.5mm T&E)
*32A on radial circuit (4.0mm T&E)
*20A (or16A) on radial circuit (2.5mm T&E)
What you are proposing, is a radial circuit on 2.5mm, so options are, where a 20A or 16A 30mA rcbo is required.

... but, as you know, one double socket (which is what the OP wants) can be supplied as a 2.5mm² unfused spur from a 32A ring or radial circuit. Subject to certain checks, the same concept could probably be extended to a circuit with>32A MCB but, as plugwash said, that would be unusual/non-standard.

Kind Regards, John

 

[malcia]

A standard socket circuit would use

*32A on a ring final circuit (2.5mm T&E)
*32A on radial circuit (4.0mm T&E)
*20A (or16A) on radial circuit (2.5mm T&E)

What you are proposing, is a radial circuit on 2.5mm, so options are, where a 20A or 16A 30mA rcbo is required.

OK so Circuit Breaker should be 20A or 16A - I suppose (not checked yet) it is currently 30A as it was suitable for 9Kw shower.

 

[JohnW2]

OK so Circuit Breaker should be 20A or 16A - I suppose (not checked yet) it is currently 30A as it was suitable for 9Kw shower.

It's probably (ought to be) 40A or 45A, maybe even 50A.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I suppose (not checked yet) it is currently 30A as it was suitable for 9Kw shower.

What calculation are you doing which leads you to think that a 30A breaker is suitable for a 9kW shower?

That does not bode well for your competence to do electrical design work, which is a task you've taken it upon yourself to do....

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

OK so Circuit Breaker should be 20A or 16A - I suppose (not checked yet) it is currently 30A as it was suitable for 9Kw shower.

As mentioned in previous posts, you do have the option of fitting 13A FCU before connection of the socket outlet, which would not be unusual.
But generally the industry standards are as I have posted, with regards to size of cable (CSA) and protective device rating.
A 9kW shower, would suggest that you have a protective device greater than 39A.