Adding Sockets to FCU

[diynoob]

I'd like to add 2 sockets to my garage. There is already 1 socket, which is a spur from the ring main. Coming off this spur socket is a fused switch. There is nothing connected to the switch, it was probably used for an old burglar alarm that was nearby.

Is it OK to run a couple of sockets radially from the FCU? It seems a bit odd that the FCU is after the spur. Would it be better to swap the FCU and socket first? That way the FCU would be a fused spur from the ring main, then the existing socket, and then I could run extra sockets from that?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, as long as the FCU is first you can have as many sockets as you want.

Total load will be limited to 13amps, of course.

 

[diynoob]

Thanks. What cable should I use? It will be a long run of cable to the next socket (8 metres) and the cable will just be pinned to the unplastered brick walls.

Is 2.5mm T&E OK? Do I have to cover it with trunking? Or should I be using a thick flex type cable?

 

[wingcoax]

2.5mm will do.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Do I have to cover it with trunking?

It would be better - for protection in a garage.

Or should I be using a thick flex type cable?

T+E will do.

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, as long as the FCU is first you can have as many sockets as you want.

That would be true if your premise was, but the OP appears to be saying that the FCU is fed from the spurred (presumably unfused) socket.
Edit: On re-thinking, your comment was probably responding to the OP's question as to whether he should swap socket and FCU.

Whilst I can see a potential argument for allowing a fused 'spur' to be fed from an unfused spur, I am pretty sure that is not meant to be compliant. I therefore think the OP probably needs to swap the socket and FCU - in which case, as you say, he could then add as many further sockets as desired.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[securespark]

Yup. Concur. EFLI did say:

Yes, as long as the FCU is first you can have as many sockets as you want.

Total load will be limited to 13amps, of course.

Sorry, John. That sounds like I'm having a pop at you: I'm not. I was re-inforcing to the OP that he needed to re-arrange his circuit to make it compliant.

 

[diynoob]

Thanks All.

Yes, the FCU is fed from the unfused socket. I'll swap them over before adding any further sockets.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I thought that was what diynoob actually meant but the wording was a bit unclear.

 

[JohnW2]

Sorry, John. That sounds like I'm having a pop at you: I'm not. I was re-inforcing to the OP that he needed to re-arrange his circuit to make it compliant.

No problem. In fact, you and I posted simultaneously, you having that 'non-pop' at me, and me posting the edit of mine indicating that I was not having a pop at EFLI, which I had just realised might have appeared to be the case The important thing is that the OP has acknowledged that despite some of our (aka 'my') attempts at confusing him, he's got the right message!

Cheers, John.

 

[securespark]

What are we like?

 

[JohnW2]

What are we like?

Well, since the OP got the right message, one or more of us must have said something right amidst all the potential confusion!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[diynoob]

It's not working. I wired the FCU so that its is now first. The multimeter reads 240v across the IN terminals, but only 166v across the OUT terminals.

If I connect a socket from the OUT terminals of the FCU, the socket doesnt work.

 

[JohnW2]

It's not working. I wired the FCU so that its is now first. The multimeter reads 240v across the IN terminals, but only 166v across the OUT terminals. If I connect a socket from the OUT terminals of the FCU, the socket doesnt work.

I presume that you've checked that there is a fuse in the FCU, and that it's OK?

If so, and if you've checked that all your connections have been made (and remained) correctly and satisfactorily, then it sounds as if you probably need a new FCU - since the previous one hasn't been in use, you wouldn't have known that it was dead.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[diynoob]

True, I've never seen the FCU working so it could be a dud. Will replace it in the morning.