I am converting a room in my barn and putting in a ring main with 6 sockets and a separate lighting main both fed from a small consumer unit. I need to take a supply from the main consumer unit to it but this is full, is there anyway round not buying a larger consumer unit by perhaps feeding it from the existing ring main ?
do i need a consumer unit connection?
- Thread starter boo_41
- Start date
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Can you get a small dedicated consumer unit fitted next to the existing main cu? Personally I would avoid feeding the barn CU from the (house?) ring main as it would need to be from a 13A fused spur unit which imo will defeat the object of having a ring main in the barn.
By putting a small 2way consumer unit next to your original one, and henley blocking the tails.
But, if you are doing that, you may aswell run the ring ends and lighting cables back to this CU in any case, and drop the submained CU.
Is your original CU old?? Maybe it is a good time to replace and renew anyway??
Or, possibly, look at doubling up lighting circuits if there are more than one, and the circuits are lightly loaded. Look for a CU way feeding just a doorbell transformer, or a single socket etc etc - these could all be made free.
But, if you are doing that, you may aswell run the ring ends and lighting cables back to this CU in any case, and drop the submained CU.
Is your original CU old?? Maybe it is a good time to replace and renew anyway??
Or, possibly, look at doubling up lighting circuits if there are more than one, and the circuits are lightly loaded. Look for a CU way feeding just a doorbell transformer, or a single socket etc etc - these could all be made free.
thanks Spark123. The barn has its own cu already with two 32mcb and a 10mcb. The room I am converting has no electrics in it and I want it to have its own supply and not extend the existing ring main and lighting circuit. The consumer unit in the barn has no spare slots left to feed a new small cu or add a new ring main and lighting circuit? what do you suggest? cheers
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On investigation last night I think I will put a new cu in the barn and run my new circuits to that. It is an old one and looks like it needs updating anyway!! the service to the barn is from the cu in the house off of a 40mcb and then 6mm t&e cable. Is this sufficient? Thank for all your help!!
Is the immersion heater one of the instantaneous ones? For a normal immersion tank heater, a 16A supply is normally adequate (need to check kW rating of). Do you really need 2 ring mains? I mean, could one ring main feed both taking into account loading and the 100m² rule? Is it possible to integrate the old and new lighting circuits together, loading dependant?
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