Radial - Ring Main

ewanrob · 19 Nov 2004

Following on from my post about adding sockets, I have done a recky on where all the cables for the sockets are coming & going to. I have 2 cables coming from the Consumer (which is a 4 gang) both cables go into the CU and have a 32amp wired fuse. I have found the last socket on the radial both upstairs & down. The question is.. can I join these up to form a ring.

Please advise

ER

ban-all-sheds · 19 Nov 2004

Yes, you can, but why do you want to?

A thought though - are you sure they are radials? What size cable has been used?

ewanrob · 19 Nov 2004

The existing cable is 4mm twin/earth, I have put in extra sockets using 2.5mm, the 4mm finishes at the last socket both upstairs and down.

I assumed wrongly or rightly it was a radial!!

Do I just leave it as it is & mix the cables.
Do I put in a 20amp fuse to prevent overloading
Do I make it into a ring

Help

ER

andy · 19 Nov 2004

what fuse/MCB is protecting it now?

brown-nought · 19 Nov 2004

You could just install an FCU on the radial and put the three sockets on the load side They would be limited to 13A but it would solve your problem original problem. Having 2 radials has to be better than one ring. If you convert to a ring you would need to ensure there were no places where a spur from a spur had been created.

ban-all-sheds · 19 Nov 2004

ewanrob said:
The existing cable is 4mm twin/earth, I have put in extra sockets using 2.5mm

OK for spurs from rings, not OK for branches from radials. Do not ask why.

I assumed wrongly or rightly it was a radial!!

Easy to check - disconnect one of the cables at the CU and see if all the upstairs or all the downstairs ones go out...

Do I just leave it as it is & mix the cables.

No - replace the new 2.5mm² with 4mm².

Do I put in a 20amp fuse to prevent overloading

4mm² is probably fine for a radial socket circuit - the cables aren't bunched, or buried in insulation are they?

Do I make it into a ring

No - make it into 2 radials on 2 separate circuits - replace your old 4-way rewirable fuse jobbie - it's had a long life, and deserves to be retired.

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Radial - Ring Main

ewanrob

ban-all-sheds

ewanrob

andy

brown-nought

ban-all-sheds

DIYnot Local

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