Old storage heater circuits

[GeoffNT]

I am just getting to grips with the electrical circuits in our new place, a 1967 bungalow. There are 2 "old style" consumer units - a 6-way which has most of the normal circuits on it (Ring Main, lighting circuits, etc) and an 8-way which feeds 8 individual sockets in various locations all of which are near central heating radiators. I'm presuming that these used to feed storage heaters and were converted to sockets when the central heating was fitted.

I would like to get a split load RCD consumer unit fitted, but it would need to be a 14-way unit to keep all the existing circuits as they are which seems a bit over the top for a 2 bed bungalow.

It would be a shame to lose the extra sockets, does anyone have any ideas as to how to reduce the number of circuits but keep all the sockets. The place is in great decorative order so I don't really want anyone to have to chase any new cable in. Is it possible to have more than one of these individually wired sockets connected to the same fuse at the CU?

 

[electronicsuk]

It would be a shame to lose the extra sockets, does anyone have any ideas as to how to reduce the number of circuits but keep all the sockets. The place is in great decorative order so I don't really want anyone to have to chase any new cable in. Is it possible to have more than one of these individually wired sockets connected to the same fuse at the CU?

It should be fine to have your electrician connect multiple radial circuits to one MCB/RCBO in the new consumer unit. Exactly how many will be at his discretion, I'd say at least 3 per terminal should be possible while still making a good, solid connection. Of course, it does depend how old the cable is - the electrician probably wont want to connect it if the wiring is from when the house was originally built.

 

[GeoffNT]

It would be a shame to lose the extra sockets, does anyone have any ideas as to how to reduce the number of circuits but keep all the sockets. The place is in great decorative order so I don't really want anyone to have to chase any new cable in. Is it possible to have more than one of these individually wired sockets connected to the same fuse at the CU?

It should be fine to have your electrician connect multiple radial circuits to one MCB/RCBO in the new consumer unit. Exactly how many will be at his discretion, I'd say at least 3 per terminal should be possible while still making a good, solid connection. Of course, it does depend how old the cable is - the electrician probably wont want to connect it if the wiring is from when the house was originally built.

Thanks for that Matthew, that's good news, I was worried that the rules wouldn't let you have more than one radial per MCB. Should make for a more sensibly sized CU.