comments on 'faults'

mackeral · 5 May 2005

Checking a house and found
1. Immersion wired in 1.5 mm and protected by a 15A rewireable.
2. Double socket spurred off a cooker switch in the kitchen.

Has anyone any solutions?
Does the immersion need rewired or a smaller fuse installed and is this likely to trip?

thanks as always.

Lectrician · 5 May 2005

This may suprise you, but the current carrying capacity of 1.5mm installed directly in an insulated wall is 15amp (14.5 if in conduit and insulation), if clipped direct, it is 20amp.

Check the volt drop and Zs, If they are ok, this isn't a fault

A socket spurred from the cooker switch isn't good. But if it spurred in 2.5mm feeding no more than 1 double socket, it is difficult to call it dangerous. HOWEVER, the NIC do say that 'an overload circuit' is a code 1 defect. If the cooker circuit has a double socket on it, it could very well be overloaded.

I would not like to see a socket spurred from the cooker circuit, and would still mark it as an observation.

ban-all-sheds · 5 May 2005

Lectrician said:
HOWEVER, the NIC do say that 'an overload circuit' is a code 1 defect.

1) Who cares what they say?

If the cooker circuit has a double socket on it, it could very well be overloaded.

2) So could every cooker circuit in the land if it's been installed on the basis of 10A +30% remainder +5A... What's their definition of "overloaded"?

Lectrician · 5 May 2005

If a cooker circuit has a the single socket PLUS a newly spurred one.....

I have no idea their definition of overloaded, just relaying. I don't like the idea of a spurred socket, and have given my opinion. I would like to see it rectified if it was me.

kai · 5 May 2005

There should be a 13amp Fuse Connection Unit next to the heater, between the heat resisting flex and the circuit wiring cable.

Lectrician · 5 May 2005

kai said:
There should be a 13amp Fuse Connection Unit next to the heater, between the heat resisting flex and the circuit wiring cable.

Why??

ban-all-sheds · 5 May 2005

To scribble an ugly legend on using felt-tip....

mackeral · 5 May 2005

thanks and guys,

yes i am surprised about the current carrying capacity of 1.5!

Also, this business with the socket and the cooker. Should this double socket be protected by an RCD and if so will this be affected by nuisnace tripping from the cooker?
Or is it enough to label the socket 'Not suitable for outside use' or something similar?

cheers

ban-all-sheds · 6 May 2005

Make it an RCD socket outlet, then it won't be tripped by events upstream....

mapj1 · 6 May 2005

Unless the cooker socket is the one nearest the back door or to an opening window through which an extension lead to the garden might reasonably run, I see no need to do anything. Fit a label if you worry about such things, but generally people are lazy, and in my view 'might reasonably be expected' to use the nearest socket in preference.

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comments on 'faults'

kai

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