2 Appliances from fused spur

[douglasb]

I have a 2.5mm fused spur from a 30A ring main currently supplying a washing machine via a single socket. I want to convert this to supply a washing machine and dishwasher. Can I put two fused appliance outlets on the spur with separate sockets for each or should I convert the spur to part of the ring and put the appliance outlets on that.

 

[JohnD]

Fit a dual box and you can put two single accessories in it. The ring continues from the LH box accessory to the RH box accessory.

 

[douglasb]

Thanks for the speedy response JohnD

I assume from your reply there's no way other than upgrading from radial to ring

 

[securespark]

I think what John is saying is that you should in essence keep what you have at the moment (a socket fed from a fused spur off the ring), but to replace the single box with a dual one, and feeding both sides of the box with the ring. From the second box, you feed another outlet. You cannot really extend the cable to the first appliance, otherwise both would be through the 13A fuse, which is undesirable.

 

[douglasb]

Thanks Securespark
Do I understand you correctly in that you are saying I effectively create a 'mini ring' off the fused spur, feeding first one fused outlet (with a drop to the socket outlet), then on to the next and back to the spur

 

[douglasb]

Sorry, correct that, existing fused spur feeding two socket outlets effectively as a 'mini ring'

 

[JohnD]

Have you gone to bed yet, Secure?

If so, douglasb:

I am assuming that you have put the FCU on the ring - so the cables come in from one side and go out the other (or, you can insert it into the ring in that way). They might actually come down from the ceiling, or up from the floor, but there are two cables, the ring coming in and going out,

If so, you put a Dual Box in or on the wall in the same position - the left-hand cable goes into the left hand box and into the first accessory, then comes out (as in a ring) and goes into the right-hand box, and into the second accessory, where the right-hand ring cable is also connected. so it's like having two accessories on the ring, they just happen to be unusually close to each other.

In the Dual Box you can put any two accessories - single sockets, FCUs, switches, whatever you like, that you would normally put on a ring.

My preferred way of connecting kitchen appliances is to have a 20A DP switch with neon above the worktop, feeding an unswitched socket below the worktop where the appliance is plugged in with a 13A fused plug.

 

[douglasb]

JohnD

Maybe I wasn't clear. The fused spur is on a single 2.5mm cable spur off the ring feeding just the one socket at present

 

[JohnD]

OK. In that case, go to the place where you spur it off. I assume this is either a single or a double socket. If this is reasonably close, you can put a dual box there. You can then run a SINGLE spur from each of the accessories. this is a cunning way of getting two spurs off what was just one socket outlet.

In a kitchen it is neat to run the cables horizontally in the wall, with your various sockets, switches and FCUs in a row spaced about 150mm above the worktop.

You can also enlarge a ring from a dual box, but that will be tomorrow's topic.

Good night for now.

p.s. be aware that you must not put two big appliances, like a dishwasher/washing machine/tumble drier/oven on a Double socket or an adaptor. Although it will accept two plugs, it only has the same total rating as a single socket and will overheat with two 13A or 10A loads.