running a spur up into loft

88stevo · 1 Jun 2010

hi,

im running a spur up into the loft of a upstairs socket. pretty confident in doing all the connections but just to clarify.

connect 2.5mm cable into l/n/e in the socket on the ring mainand the connect the new socket same wherever desired. (not tested the socket but two wires going into double socket in upstairs bedroom, do i need to test to be sure? from what iv read it is more than likely on the ring main)

the problem im having is how to run the socket up the cavity etc.

any ideas on this or is this asking to much for a amatuer and shall i just run the cable along the skirting and up the wall

PrenticeBoyofDerry · 1 Jun 2010

You'll have L/N/E
Live/Line will be coloured red or brown
Neutral will be coloured black or blue
Earth cable should be sleeved yellow and green.

The circuit could be a ring or radial circuit.

You don't run the cable up the cavity if it's an external wall, you normally chase the plaster off the wall.
If it's an internal stud wall you can feed the cable up through the stud work, but may come across timbers.
You will only be allowed one socket outlet per spur.

88stevo · 1 Jun 2010

as 1 actual socket or 1 2gang/3gang socket.

just asking as i was planning to put a unswitched 3 gang up there

LoveRocket · 1 Jun 2010

One single OR one double socket outlet is allowed as a spur from a ring circuit - this is one of the reasons it's rather poor to install ring circuits.

If you are indeed spurring from a ring final, the if you use an FCU you can then have as many sockets as you wish, but you are limited by the 13a fuse in the FCU.

Spark123 · 1 Jun 2010

You could use one 3 gang socket as these have a 13A fuse built into them.

88stevo · 1 Jun 2010

so if i ran a double socket up there with an extention from that i would be able to power more appliances like pc, heater, fish tank etc than if i used a 3gang 13amp or is this not a good idea.

sorry but the only reason im doing this is because what im using up there is already tripping the upstairs lights 6amp fush out as the builders who built the house ran a 1 socket spur from the lights and now everything up there is tripping the circuit (mainly heater)

Spark123 · 1 Jun 2010

Not a great design if you are wanting more than 13A up there, either divert the ring or look to heat it another way. Do you have a combi boiler?

88stevo · 1 Jun 2010

yeah. as funnu as it sounds tho im more confident with electrics that plumbing! i myt jus use that 3 gamg it may actually be enough, the heater isnt going to be on full power too many hours of the day unless it middle of winter.

would the etention on a 2gang spur socket trip the circuit if over 13amp? or jus not reccomended from a professional pov?

Spark123 · 1 Jun 2010

It wouldn't trip, it is just not a good idea to provide a double socket where there is a probablity of it being used to supply equipment which draws more than 13A for prolonged periods. It might be that when you tot up the values of what you are plugging in that it is lower than 13A.

88stevo · 1 Jun 2010

is it a fire risk?

Spark123 · 1 Jun 2010

If you were to plug in two 3kw heaters (or similar) then yes, it could be.

88stevo · 1 Jun 2010

ok, thanks for the advice, appreciate it. next job getting the wire up there as neatly as possible!

LoveRocket · 1 Jun 2010

You should be fine with a double socket. I'm assuming the heater is the only highish draw load up there? Plug the heater in to one outlet, then use a 4-way trailing lead adapter to run the PC/telly/etc.

K.I.S.S.

88stevo · 1 Jun 2010

yeh should be fine il be getting on with it tomorrow i think, dont think im gonna mess with the plaster though il probabily just run along the skirting and up through the walk in wardrobe

sparkwright · 1 Jun 2010

Once you have found the socket that you are going to get the feed from, it would be wise to run two cables from here rather than one. You can therefore extend the ring, rather than provide a spur.

This will give you the opportunity to add extra sockets in the loft.
For instance, you could have two doubles instead of one triple.

To extend the ring, at the existing socket you would connect one old cable to one new cable via 30 amp connector blocks.
Connect the remaining old cable and the remaining new cable to the socket itself.

You would have to confirm that the existing socket is directly on the ring, by a simple continuity check between each set of wires (with the power off).

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running a spur up into loft

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