sockets are all spurs!!?

[milkman]

Been trying to find the ring cable, I took off the face plate of a socket and it was a spur running up from the floor behind the skirting, no worries there but then the other two sockets in the room were wired like spurs as well. Haven't looked at the rest of the flat yet but I need to ask:
Is it common (or at least not unknown) to run spurs from junction boxes off the ring instead of taking the ring cable via each socket?

I'm really hoping they aren't all spurs one after the other will test that tomorrow, thinking about it if they all work in isolation then I guess I've answered my own question. Thoughts welcome though. Thanks

 

[JohnD]

is this a single-floor flat?

are you safe to test ring continuity at the CU?

is it possible the sockets have been repositioned higher than when first built?

can you look under the floor?

 

[Taylortwocities]

It may be a radial run with junction box(es) somewhere.
Can you tell us what value the fuse is that protects the circuit feeding these sockets?

 

[milkman]

is this a single-floor flat?

yes, first floor

are you safe to test ring continuity at the CU?

no and I can't tell if theres a ring coming back in
to the back of the CU.

is it possible the sockets have been repositioned higher than when first built?

don't think so. They are mounted into the skirting board rather than the wall

can you look under the floor?

No, its under carpet, hard board/rockwool underlay and hopefully floorboards

Can you tell us what value the fuse is that protects the circuit feeding these sockets?

Nope, its a wire but have no idea what value

I wanted to add a socket bt am rapidly thinking I should leave well alone! that said I'm wondering if theres any mileage in making one of the sockets a fused one and taking a spur off that?

Thanks for your replies

 

[Dippy]

I didn't think that any professional electrician would wire a socket as a spur from a JB that was concealed below the floor until I found out that's exactly what has been done several times in my house!

The golden rule in your case is: If you cannot be certain of the safety of the existing installation, you cannot be sure of safely making a modification.

So although your idea of turning one socket into an FCU may seem practical, how do you know it will be safe?

Have you got a PIR for this flat? If not that should be your first step.

 

[milkman]

No PIR as far as I know/ Its a really dodgy 70's 80's conversion.

I've never heard of PIR before googling it just now so I think I'm going to leave well alone. Unless I can positively identify the ring circuit and work with that cos I'm certainly not taking the bedroom floor up.

Thanks for your help anyway.