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  1. R

    Is this suitable for an electric car charger?

    It means that the neutral is switched but has no overcurrent sensing.
  2. R

    changing to electric cooker, is my 1980 wiring okay?

    Suspiciously looks like the RCD only protects one circuit, probably for the conservatory. I don‘t think there’s any legal requirement to update the CU when connecting a new cooker to the existing fixed wiring but personally I‘d recommend replacing the CU anyway. It’s most likely still as safe as...
  3. R

    Is this main breaker box and subpanel setup correct?

    I think we need to keep track of separate issues here. TN-C-S only means that a PEN conductor runs from the DNO transformer to the consumer‘s premises. This PEN is earthed at the transformer and often also along the way (PME). At some point the PEN is split into N and earth conductors. This can...
  4. R

    Bathroom light has 9 wires

    The L2 terminal on the old light was essentially a spare not connected to the light itself so you need another connector for these wires. All the other connections are identical.
  5. R

    Is this main breaker box and subpanel setup correct?

    The US are 100% TN-C-S. Some areas split the PEN at the meter and run neutral and earth to the main distribution board but most run the PEN (referred to as neutral and coloured white) all the way to the main DB, which has a factory link between the neutral and earth bus bars. If used as a...
  6. R

    Is this main breaker box and subpanel setup correct?

    Usually if the supply is a TN there’s pretty clear rules if and where the neutral is to be connected to the earth in the customer‘s house and how the PEN is to be divided into neutral and earth. These can vary even within one country. If it’s a TT supply, there’s no connection between neutral...
  7. R

    Curcuit tripping after connecting to plug socket

    Swapped neutral and earth? Fixing the socket to a metal back box could easily cause an RCD trip then.
  8. R

    Is this main breaker box and subpanel setup correct?

    These Legrand MCBs have shrouded terminals. Check if the 63 A disconnects all power to the house. If it does you can safely remove the front cover and have a look at the wires.
  9. R

    Connecting replacement cable, for hob circuit, into old Consumer Unit with shared RCD - 'legal' (within regulations) or not; notifiable or not?

    I‘d argue if the cable takes the same route, serves the same load and is connected to the same MCB as the old one, it’s a repair/like for like replacement rather than a new circuit. Besides, you clearly aren‘t adding a circuit, the MCBs in your CU stay exactly the same. That means it’s not a...
  10. R

    Connecting replacement cable, for hob circuit, into old Consumer Unit with shared RCD - 'legal' (within regulations) or not; notifiable or not?

    As far as I know, RCDs covering multiple circuits are frowned upon by many electricians but still perfectly compliant even in a new build.
  11. R

    Light switch trapped wire

    Heatshrink is definitely an acceptable repair, tape is debatable but will work.
  12. R

    A Blast From The Past

    My parents had a whole medical office fitted out with 12 V halogen lights in 1987, three 400 VA transformers. All the light switches are on the secondary side, no fuses anywhere to be seen. The choc blocks between the 2.5 cables from the transformer and the leads on the lights kept melting and...
  13. R

    Help with 4 colour wiring

    This is also one of the rare occasions where neon screwdrivers come in handy. Touch the screwdriver to both terminals with the switch on and off. The one that lights up the screwdriver when the switch is on is the switched live.
  14. R

    Installing single gang in double knockout box

    Looks like the panel is designed for continental back boxes with 60 mm fixing centres and 71 mm gang spacing. The bracket shown above should work though.
  15. R

    Repairing a partially broken wire?

    I usually twist the wires in line. It’s a bit difficult to explain but I‘ll try. I hold both wires in front of me, one coming from the left and the other from the right so the stripped bits overlap. Then I twist the wires around each other. The result is usually thinner than the original...
  16. R

    TN-C-S or TN-S

    Would a TN-S earth be the same size as the L and N? If not I‘d say it has to be TN-C-S considering how similar the impedance is.
  17. R

    Repairing a partially broken wire?

    You twist the wires to keep them together while soldering, that’s it.
  18. R

    5 core induction hob cable (1.5mm?) to 10mm supplied cooker outlet

    Continental hobs are usually set up for two phases and have two neutrals in a single ferrule. If you‘re in the Netherlands you split the neutrals, if you only have 1 phase you connect the two lives together. If the hob is supplied without a lead it comes with jumpers in the terminal box that do...
  19. R

    Repairing a partially broken wire?

    A mixed box with short pieces is probably the best bet. Shrink ratio of the cheapest stuff is usually 2:1 so if the entire lead is 5 mm you can use 8 mm tubing, 10 mm would probably just about work too. You‘ll also need a soldering iron. Unless you want to get deeper into electronics I‘d...
  20. R

    Repairing a partially broken wire?

    That’s SELV (extra-low voltage), which makes repairs easier. I‘d get some quality electronics solder with flux core (I like the Stannol stuff, it behaves almost exactly as the old lead-based stuff) and two sizes of heatshrink tubing, one for each individual core. Cut the cable at the break, slip...
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