adding a new double socket

[lelyuk]

hello - want to add a new double socket in my hallway - which has none at all- one thing i`m not sure about is can i run this off an existing single socket? its my nearest socket approx 20 feet awaywhat do i need to look for in any type of socket so i know its suitable> oh and whats that METER thingy all about? thanks

[breezer]

could you be more specific about "the meter thingy"

if you are meaning a dmm, then this can be use to find a multitude of problems, identify cables etc

the single socket is it on a ring ?

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[lelyuk]

the meter thingy was something i saw on a different thread on here...............the socket i`m refereing to is at the top of my stairs ,i have`nt looked inside it yet - what do i need to look for?

[nstreet]

lelyuk wrote:

what do i need to look for?

The yellow pages under Electricians.

[Jaymack]

lelyuk wrote:

Quote:

what do i need to look for?

I'd start with a grammar and use of the spell check.

[lelyuk]

well that is stunningly helpful..........so glad i found this site......such unhelpful people

[breezer]

you have to bear in mind that most on here like a joke.

The problem is people come on here asking this and that (not just electrical) and expect a one line answer without giving much information to the job to be done in the first place.

Then to show lack of knowledge makes the trades people nervous as to if the poster is capable of doing the job.

but back to your question try here it answers all your questions

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[Spark123]

lelyuk wrote:

can i run this off an existing single socket?

Yes, if it is suitable

lelyuk wrote:

my nearest socket approx 20 feet awaywhat do i need to look for in any type of socket so i know its suitable?

You need to find out if it is on a ring or a radial. If it is on a ring it will be fed from a 30A / 32A fuse and have two sets of wires entering the socket which when continuity checked with a meter will be continuous. If this is the case you may spur from the ring down to the new socket. If it only has one set of 2.5mm² cables entering the back and fed from a 30A / 32A fuse it is likely a spur from a ring which, although is perfectly acceptable, means you cannot extend from this point without fitting extra protection i.e. a 13A Fused Connection Unit installed before the single socket. A ring main may serve a floor surface area up to 100m². A radial circuit may be extended using the same size cable as the original so long as it doesn't serve a floor surface area exceeding [50m² for a 2.5mm² cable 20A fused], [75m² for a 4mm² cable 30A / 32A fused].

lelyuk wrote:

whats that METER thingy all about?

See Fluke

[pdcelec]

But the Fluke meters are not dependable. I have first hand experience

[Spark123]

Me too, had a fluke 73 shutdown when measuring a high frequency AC circuit on a flouro. Apart from this they appear to be an industry standard. I never trust the multimeter to test a circuit dead now, I now use approved isolation testers.