Shower Pump and JacuzziPump

[rustyh]

Is this bad!! And does it need changing

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is this bad!! And does it need changing

The MCB is there to protect the cable. A 32A MCB is OK if the cable is thick enough to cope with 32amps. If it's "cooker" type cable you should be OK.
Is this circuit on the RCD side of the consumer unit, is there an RCD at all?

 

[rustyh]

Yes, the CU has two banks both on a 63A RCD (CUR6330)

 

[rustyh]

So just to finalise what I need to do

Shower Pump (In loft)
It is acceptable to wire the shower pump on to the immersion heater wiring. I assume I should do do this via an FCU
Question - although thew immersion heater cable is very thick (cooker wire type) and can handle the 32A MCB, would you recommend I change this to a 16A MCB for safety?


Jaccuzi Pump
This can be wired in to the ring mains, but again via a FCU. The FCU can not be below floorboard by regulations.
Based on this its more than likely easier to put the FCU down under that stairs, however this is also where the CU is, so shall I just wire this on its own independent MCB directly, or is this a waste?

 

[winston1]

The lighting circuit is on a 6A MCB, running totals of 14 LED spots (5.5w each so I guess thats 0.32A) and 4 energy bulbs at 8W each (so 0.13A)

You guess wrong. LEDs and CFLs usually have a low power factor so the current would be somewhat more.

 

[rustyh]

Hi,

Ive just measure the current being pulled with all light on and its 0.55A (so wasnt to far off on the calcs)


so would this be the right way to do it
Shower Pump (In loft)
It is acceptable to wire the shower pump on to the immersion heater wiring. I assume I should do do this via an FCU
Question - although thew immersion heater cable is very thick (cooker wire type) and can handle the 32A MCB, would you recommend I change this to a 16A MCB for safety?


Jaccuzi Pump
This can be wired in to the ring mains, but again via a FCU. The FCU can not be below floorboard by regulations.
Based on this its more than likely easier to put the FCU down under that stairs, however this is also where the CU is, so shall I just wire this on its own independent MCB directly, or is this a waste?

 

[winston1]

Hi,

Ive just measure the current being pulled with all light on and its 0.55A (so wasnt to far off on the calcs)

22%.

Jaccuzi Pump
This can be wired in to the ring mains, but again via a FCU. The FCU can not be below floorboard by regulations.
Based on this its more than likely easier to put the FCU down under that stairs, however this is also where the CU is, so shall I just wire this on its own independent MCB directly, or is this a waste?

If it is on its own MCB you don't need a FCU. Just size the MCB correctly (6amp).

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

so would this be the right way to do it
Shower Pump (In loft)
It is acceptable to wire the shower pump on to the immersion heater wiring

There is nothing within BS7671 to say you cannot, but a number of other building regulation guides do recommend that immersion heating circuit should be separate from any other, on which is the "on-site-guide" which generally works very closely to comply to the requirements of BS7671 and other building regulations. Which I am of the opinion is good practise, although my opinion may not be one of which you would consider being helpful.

which I assume I should do do this via an FCU

Almost certainly, as previously mentioned the manufacturers instructions is a vital document to follow with regards to this, so I would suggest a read through of them. If you do not have at hand/lost, then they are very possibly available for download.

Question - although thew immersion heater cable is very thick (cooker wire type) and can handle the 32A MCB, would you recommend I change this to a 16A MCB for safety?

Makes no odds providing the current capacity of the cable is rated (after any de-rating factors) greater than that of the device and manufacturers instructions regarding the heating element and the pump are followed., they may be instruction stating the fuse size to be used.

Jaccuzi Pump
This can be wired in to the ring mains, but again via a FCU. The FCU can not be below floorboard by regulations.

That would be correct, as all accessories should be accessible.
This is also true of any joints or junctions made in cables or they must be made using a maintenance free method, so breaking into the cable within a ceiling/floor/wall void and manufacturing a joint that will not be accessible once the fabric of the building is replaced, needs specialist jointing techniques or compliant junction boxes to be used.

Based on this its more than likely easier to put the FCU down under that stairs, however this is also where the CU is, so shall I just wire this on its own independent MCB directly, or is this a waste?

That is purely up to you, new circuits require building control's to be notified and that requires a fee and inspection. Unless you employ an electrician that can do this for you.

There are also requirements of electrical inspections, tests and documentation/certificates. This a requirement within BS7671 (wiring regs) and Part P of the building regulations would also require this to prove what has been done is safe.

 

[rustyh]

arrr bugger, I may have made a mistake here, There are the odd standard junction boxes in places where carpet will be present, and while I have used cable clips to secure the cables in to the junction boxes, they still don't meet section 526, as you say.

I guess its better to have spotted it now though, I will replace them with maintenance free junction boxes.

Are the ones in the loft, that are cover only loft insulation, deemed as accessible, or will they need to be maintenance free also?

Are chocboxes with Wago connectors deemed maintenance free, or should I use thr Ashley ones

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

arrr b*****r, I may have made a mistake here, There are the odd standard junction boxes in places where carpet will be present, and while I have used cable clips to secure the cables in to the junction boxes, they still don't meet section 526, as you say.

If this is something you have installed recently, then they need to be maintenance free boxes or connections.

I guess its better to have spotted it now though, I will replace them with maintenance free junction boxes.

It is advisable to replace them, but if the installation of the junction boxes date back pre-requirement, then there would be nothing in the regs to say you have to swap them out.

Are the ones in the loft, that are cover only loft insulation, deemed as accessible, or will they need to be maintenance free also?

If they accessible, they are accessible, not that I am one for trawling through insulation for the finding of them, might be handy if you could bring them above into a fixed visible location.

Are chocboxes with Wago connectors deemed maintenance free, or should I use thr Ashley ones

Wago cliam that their connectors are configurable to BS5733-MF, (not sure what they mean by configurable? They either are or are not!)
But to comply to BS5733 and be considered maintenance free, they should be stamped MF, as yet I have not seen a Wago imprinted with BS5733-MF on it. I will admit that my Wago kit is about 18 months old though, as I bulk bought them as bargain purchase, so they may have now been standardised.
I would use the Ashley MF junctions.

 

[JohnW2]

Wago cliam that their connectors are configurable to BS5733-MF, (not sure what they mean by configurable? They either are or are not!)

What they appear to mean (per their documentation - see here ) is that certain types and combinations of Wago connectors, used on circuits within certain specified current limits and housed in a WagoBox (i.e. in total, the 'configuration') meet the requirements for 'MF'.

But to comply to BS5733 and be considered maintenance free, they should be stamped MF, as yet I have not seen a Wago imprinted with BS5733-MF on it.

Wago connectors, per se, could not be marked 'MF' - since, as above, they do not fulfill the requirements for 'MF' unless used in a certain specified way ('configuration'). Since October 2012, WagoBoxes have been available with an 'MF' marking (plus the 'extended instruction set' - per link above) - see here .

Kind Regards, John

 

[rustyh]

I think, as you say, Im going to revisit this work as replace with the Ashley MF junction boxes. Are the 16A version ok for the lighting circuits as they run on a 6A MCB?

I think there might be 1 or 2 junction boxes that I wont be able top get to at this present time with out a complete room dismantle and carpet up, when it comes to getting a electrician to sign off the wiring in the house, would they be able to detect these?

 

[EFLImpudence]

No the 16A J501s are not MF - they have screw terminals.

You will need the J803 (3 terminals) or J804 (4 terminals).

 

[rustyh]

EFLImpudence - Thanks mate, just saved me ordering the wrong ones!!

 

[JohnW2]

I think there might be 1 or 2 junction boxes that I wont be able top get to at this present time with out a complete room dismantle and carpet up, when it comes to getting a electrician to sign off the wiring in the house, would they be able to detect these?

That's the real irony about all this 'inaccessible junction box business'. If they really are 'inaccessible', then no-one inspecting the installation is even going to know they are there!

Kind Regards, John